The document discusses the evolution and challenges of enterprise social networks, highlighting failed attempts by a traditional technology company due to low adoption rates and lack of immediate returns. It showcases successful implementations at an architecture firm and outlines key concepts for designing effective social networks, including purpose-driven design and the importance of monitoring usage. The content emphasizes that enterprise social networks are distinct from consumer social media and should be treated as business tools.

1. © Enterprise Knowledge, LLC
Enterprise Social Networks: Evolving Models for
Success
Craig St. Clair, Principal Consultant

2. © Enterprise Knowledge, LLC
Social networks baseline: 2011
• Championed by a couple of evangelists
• Hired consultants to get it started – all very conceptual
• Interest from senior executives
• Set up pilot groups
• Assigned executives to seed conversations (weekly posts)
• Monitored behavior for several weeks
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50 year old technology company – culture typified by
traditional big enterprise behavior
Failed miserably

3. © Enterprise Knowledge, LLC
Why didn’t it work?
• Lack of Pain + Force of Habit = Low Adoption
• Too much effort > Not enough (immediate) return
• The relevancy issue > Employees have real jobs and
deliverables
• Multiple fire hoses
• “Disruptive” isn’t the answer
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4. © Enterprise Knowledge, LLC
A legendary sound technology company: 2013
3
Social tools
integrated on the
home page
Aggregation of
streams the
individual is
following
Traditional
announcement
communications
driven through
the stream

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International architecture firm: 2014
4
Embedded on
the home page
of the intranet
Independently
available via app
Streams are
organized around
practice areas
Tightly integrated
with custom
MySite pages

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An international architecture firm: 2014
5
Dedicated social
streams for
knowledge
capture for
individual
projects

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Key Concepts for Social Network Design
• Design it: Social networks can be purpose-built
• Manage it: Monitor and manage the proliferation of social
groups
• Get the right mix: Social content is just part of the content
equation
• Look for organic information exchanges > move them to social
tools
• Avoid the pure techno-phile as evangelist
• Enterprise social networks are not Facebook; they are a tool
for business and the same rules apply
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8. © Enterprise Knowledge, LLC
Thank you.
Craig St. Clair
Enterprise Knowledge, LLC
www.enterprise-knowledge.com
@EKConsulting