Social and collaborative aspects of virtual worlds … And their impact on corporate behavior Jon Collins Freeform Dynamics Ltd www.freeformdynamics.com

Agenda What’s going on out there? More corporate trends What of corporate governance? Applying governance to the virtual world The changing enterprise boundary

What’s going on out there?

More corporate trends

What of corporate governance?

Applying governance to the virtual world

The changing enterprise boundary

Virtual worlds don’t have to be 3D/immersive Facebook – a social infrastructure Bebo – a social experiement Convergence of: Social tools – Facebook, Bebo Simulation tools – Flight Simulator X Gaming environments – MMORPG’s Virtual environments – Second Life A work in progress!

Facebook – a social infrastructure

Bebo – a social experiement

Convergence of:

Social tools – Facebook, Bebo

Simulation tools – Flight Simulator X

Gaming environments – MMORPG’s

Virtual environments – Second Life

A work in progress!

A social network within a game, or a game within a social network?

(c) MMOGCHART.COM

From mmogchart.com (c) MMOGCHART.COM

More corporate trends...

Do you regularly use any of the following for personal or work/education purposes?

Do you regularly use any of the following for personal or work/education purposes? (Social networking)

Corporate attitudes to social sites...

... Vs corporate attitudes to social sites ...

What of corporate governance? Governance exists in a number of places: In-world behaviour, of individuals and companies External corporate behaviour relating to the virtual world Behaviour of the holding organisation – Blizzard, Linden Labs Sam Palmisano, IBM – invested $100M

Governance exists in a number of places:

In-world behaviour, of individuals and companies

External corporate behaviour relating to the virtual world

Behaviour of the holding organisation – Blizzard, Linden Labs

To what degree do you consider these specific risks during business planning?

Applying corporate governance to the virtual world “ Governance is an antidote to working with stupid people” Anon, via Paul Hammond, via Roo Reynolds, via Twitter "The law doesn't distinguish between the real and virtual." Rutgers law professor, Greg Lastowka, via Google

“ Governance is an antidote to working with stupid people”

Anon, via Paul Hammond, via Roo Reynolds, via Twitter

"The law doesn't distinguish between the real and virtual."

Rutgers law professor, Greg Lastowka, via Google

Legal/regulatory exposure Is advice kosher? Do “products” have guarantees? Are agreements sound? What is possession? What about minors? “ But is it harassment if a 14 year old girl pretending to be a 21 year old male is stalking and making outrageous suggestions to a 35 year old building worker who’s pretending to be a 25 year old supermodel?” Robin Bloor

Is advice kosher?

Do “products” have guarantees?

Are agreements sound?

What is possession?

What about minors?

“ But is it harassment if a 14 year old girl pretending to be a 21 year old male is stalking and making outrageous suggestions to a 35 year old building worker who’s pretending to be a 25 year old supermodel?”

Robin Bloor

Failure of service Organisations are slow on the uptake of external services Interoperability Security Control Immersive environments hold promise, but yet to be proven “live” 3D IT management tools Internal collaboration

Organisations are slow on the uptake of external services

Interoperability

Security

Control

Immersive environments hold promise, but yet to be proven “live”

3D IT management tools

Internal collaboration

Information governance challenges Who owns the data? What about surveillance Privacy vs declarative living Accessibility and interoperability Records management and retention Business continuity

Who owns the data?

What about surveillance

Privacy vs declarative living

Accessibility and interoperability

Records management and retention

Business continuity

The Changing Enterprise Boundary

The lines get thinner

The distances broaden

The boundaries disappear

Thank You Jon Collins, Service Director Freeform Dynamics Ltd [email_address] 2007 www.freeformdynamics.com