Social Software Design for One
Thomas Vander Wal
Presented to: DCampSouth
2 June 2007 :: Raleigh, North Carolina
InfoCloud Solutions, Inc. - 2007

Who is
Thomas?

Person
Focus on the User

+
∓
x ∑
∛
÷ -
+ ∑ ÷
∫ ∫
The Math of ÷
∛
Social Software... ∑
+
÷
-
∓
∛ ∑
- ÷ + ∛
∫
∓
∫ +
∛ ∓

+
∓
x ∑
∛
÷ -
+ ∑ ÷
∫
∫
∛ Design with + not x, ÷
nor complex algorithms ∑
+
÷ -
∓
∛ ∑
- ÷ + ∛
∫
∓
∫ +
∛ ∓

+
∓
x ∑
∛
÷ -
+ ∑ ÷
∫
∫
÷
∛
1 Person
∑
+
÷
-
∓
∛ ∑
- ÷ + ∛
∫
∓
∫ +
∛ ∓

+
∓
x ∑
∛
÷ -
+ ∑ ÷
∫
∫
÷
∛
1 Service
∑
+
÷
-
∓
∛ ∑
- ÷ + ∛
∫
∓
∫ +
∛ ∓

+
∓
x ∑
∛
÷ -
+ ∑ ÷
∫
∫
÷
∛
1 “Friend” +
∑
+
÷
-
∓
∛ ∑
- ÷ + ∛
∫
∓
∫ +
∛ ∓

+
∓
x ∑
∛
÷ -
+ ∑ ÷
∫
∫
÷
Person now sees “2”
∛
+
- Self & Friend
∑
+
÷
-
∓
∛ ∑
- ÷ + ∛
∫
∓
∫ +
∛ ∓

+
∓
x ∑
∛
÷ -
+ ∑ ÷
∫
∫
+
Designer & Developer
÷
∛
see this as doubling
∑
use in the service
+
÷
-
∓
∛ ∑
- ÷ + ∛
∫
∓
∫ +
∛ ∓

+
∓
x ∑
∛
÷ -
+ ∑ ÷
∫
∫
+
Designer &
÷
∛
Developer see “3”
∑
+ (2 people and the tool)
÷
-
∓
∛ ∑
- ÷ + ∛
∫
∓
∫ +
∛ ∓

+
∓
x ∑
∛
÷ -
+ ∑ ÷
∫
∫
∛ Designer & Developer÷
usually see in multiples ∑
+
÷ -
∓
∛ ∑
- ÷ + ∛
∫
∓
∫ +
∛ ∓

+
∓
x ∑
∛
÷ -
+ ∑ ÷
∫
∫
Person adds 1 more
÷
∛
“friend” & finds +
∑
richness
+
÷
-
∓
∛ ∑
- ÷ + ∛
∫
∓
∫ +
∛ ∓

+
∓
x ∑
∛
÷ -
+ ∑ ÷
∫
∫
Designer &
÷
∛ Developer see
+
service multiplying ∑
+
÷
and scaling -
∓
∛ ∑
- ÷ + ∛
∫
∓
∫ +
∛ ∓

+
∓
x ∑
∛
÷ -
+ ∑ ÷
∫
∫
Designer & Developer
÷
∛
follow costs & revenues
∑
+ through formulas
÷
-
∓
∛ ∑
- ÷ + ∛
∫
∓
∫ +
∛ ∓

+
∓
x ∑
∛
÷ -
+ ∑ ÷
∫
∫
Designer & Developer
÷
∛
sees social network as
∑
spikes in service use
+
÷
-
∓
∛ ∑
- ÷ + ∛
∫
∓
∫ +
∛ ∓

+
∓
x ∑
∛
÷ -
+ ∑ ÷
∫ People view social
∫
÷
networks as single
∛
connections with
∑
+ other people ÷
-
∓
∛ ∑
- ÷ + ∛
∫
∓
∫ +
∛ ∓

+
∓
x ∑
∛
÷ -
+ ∑ ÷
∫
∫
I met Zorba on the
People express the beach in Greece as
he was dancing
and singing by
himself
÷
∛
richness with another
+
person by a story
∑
+ about the person ÷
-
∓
∛ ∑
- ÷ + ∛
∫
∓
∫ +
∛ ∓

+
∓
x ∑
∛
÷ -
+ ∑ ÷
∫ People value the
∫
÷
∛ relationship
between others
∑
+ & services ÷
-
∓
∛ ∑
- ÷ + ∛
∫
∓
∫ +
∛ ∓

+
∓
x ∑
∛
÷ -
+ ∑ ÷
∫ People see a
∫
÷
connection to their
∛
network through
∑
+ the tool/service
÷
-
∓
∛ -÷∑ + ∛
∫
∫∓ +
∛ ∓

+
∓
x ∑
∛
÷ -
+ ∑ ÷
∫
∫
A person’s network
÷
∛is comprised of
∑
individuals (1s)
+
÷
-
∓
∛ ∑
- ÷ + ∛
∫
∓
∫ +
∛ ∓

+
∓
x ∑
∛
÷ -
+ ∑ ÷
∫
∫
People use the social tool if it
÷
∛
works for managing & connecting
∑
the individuals in their life
+
÷
-
∓
∛ ∑
- ÷ + ∛
∫
∓
∫ +
∛ ∓

+
∓
x ∑
∛
÷ -
+ ∑ ÷
∫
∫
People see 1 + 1
÷
∛
& Designer & Developer
∑
see multiples
+
÷
-
∓
∛ ∑
- ÷ + ∛
∫
∓
∫ +
∛ ∓

+
∓
x ∑
∛
÷ -
+ ∑ ÷
∫ Successful service ∫
÷
∛
designers & developers
have their sight on the
∑
+ person & personal needs
÷
-
∓
∛ -÷∑ + ∛
∫
∫∓ +
∛ ∓

+
∓
x ∑
∛
÷ -
+ ∑ ÷
∫
∫
÷
∛
Are you focussed on 1 + 1?
∑
+
÷
-
∓
∛ ∑
- ÷ + ∛
∫
∓
∫ +
∛ ∓

Contact
E-mail: thomas@infocloudsolutions.com
E-mail: thomas@vanderwal.net
AIM: vanderwal
YIM: tjvanderwal
Skype: tjvanderwal
InfoCloud Solutions, Inc. - 2007