Social computing involves processing information distributed across social groups to support gathering, representing, and disseminating that information. It links information to people who are connected to each other. An example showed how a group organized chapters for a book by physically arranging and rearranging chapter titles. People discussed the arrangements, with awareness focused on nearby discussions. This allowed the group to organize the chapters coherently within 30 minutes through distributed input, even though no single person knew everything. A framework was proposed with levels including identity, awareness, action/interaction and structure, along with mechanisms spanning levels.

1. Social Computing as Social Computation Thomas Erickson Social Computing Group IBM T. J. Watson Research Center Research Directions in Social Computing Workshop Sanibel Island, FL, November 4, 2007 Group 2007

2. A Definition Social Computing refers to systems that support the gathering, re-presentation, processing, use and dissemination of information that is distributed across social collectivities such as teams, communities, organizations and markets. Moreover the “information” is not ‘anonymous,’ but is significant precisely because it is linked to people, who are in turn linked to other people The Short Form Social computing involves the processing of information distributed across social collectivities

3. A Few Comments on the Definition Notice that the definition doesn’t require computers the issue of “identity” is central: information is significant because it “is linked to people, who are in turn linked to other people”

4. An Example of Social Computing The Situation A group of 30 people who had written chapters for a book A 3-day off-site in which small groups read each others’ chapter drafts and critiqued them... but no one had read them all A collective effort to come up with an organization for the book

5. An Example of Social Computing The Setting Everyone is in a room, each author with one copy of their chapter Tentative section names have been written on pieces of paper and those have been placed far apart on the floor Design Systems Education Essays

6. An Example of Social Computing The Rules Authors may place their chapter wherever they wish Anyone can move any chapter Anyone can edit the text of a section name, and move, add or remove a section Design Systems Education Essays

7. An Example of Social Computing The Process, #1 Some clustering occurs around “Design” and “Systems” Rationales discussed: People near one another converse about the rationales for sections, why various chapters fit or belong elsewhere, and what might be better section names Design Systems Education Essays

8. An Example of Social Computing The Process, #2 Some authors place their chapters and go elsewhere, others hover protectively near their chapters An unaffiliated cluster of authors considers creating a new section Authors are freed up: As chapters are ‘placed,’ their authors are freed up to move other chapters around, to discuss organization, or to help those who are still undecided Design Systems Contexts Essays

9. An Example of Social Computing The Process, #3 The unaffiliated cluster of authors creates “Explorations” section Rationale is exchanged and disseminated: When ever someone moves a ‘placed’ chapter, they explain their rationale to those in the vicinity: the result, whether the chapter is moved or not, is more shared knowledge about the rationale for that section and that chapter Design Systems Contexts Sermons Explorations

10. An Example of Social Computing The Process, #4 The system settled into a stable state… Design Systems Contexts Sermons Explorations

11. An Example of Social Computing The Process, #5 ...and everyone went to lunch Design Systems Contexts Sermons Explorations

12. An Example of Social Computing The Result It worked : a coherent result was achieved in about 30 minutes, even though no single person possessed all the necessary knowledge It was ‘fair’ , at least in the sense that everyone had input It was fun Design Systems Contexts Sermons Explorations

13. Comments on the Example How the setting supported the social computation It showed the dynamic state of the process ‘ solidified’ sections, ‘orphans’, contested sections

14. Comments on the Example How the setting supported the social computation It showed the dynamic state of the process It supported modulated awareness amongst users participants could see/hear those nearby, but not far away; people felt accountable

15. Comments on the Example How the setting supported the social computation It showed the dynamic state of the process It supported modulated awareness amongst users It created foci for activity by making (pending) state changes visible proposed moves would be discussed by those near (i.e. committed to) a section

16. Comments on the Example How the setting supported the social computation It showed the dynamic state of the process It supported modulated awareness amongst users It created foci for activity by making (pending) state changes visible It partitioned activity (by virtue of physical constraints) not enough space for everyone to gather around a single section

17. Comments on the Example How the setting supported the social computation It showed the dynamic state of the process It supported modulated awareness amongst users It created foci for activity by making (pending) state changes visible It partitioned activity (by virtue of physical constraints) It encouraged specialization (by virtue of physical constraints) no one could dominate: people had to focus on a particular level of granularity

18. Comments on the Example How the setting supported the social computation It showed the dynamic state of the process It supported modulated awareness amongst users It created foci for activity by making (pending) state changes visible It partitioned activity (by virtue of physical constraints) It encouraged specialization (by virtue of physical constraints) It provided opportunities to strengthen/repair relationships talk; lunch

19. More Generally Although this example was unusual, social computation is not Auctions are way of ‘computing’ the prices of goods Markets are a way of both valuing and predicting the performance of companies and other entities Elections (and election campaigns) can also be seen as computations

20. More Generally Over the last decade, digital technology, and the way in which its been taken up by the population, has progressed to a point where it can enable new forms of social computation Wikipedia The ESP Game (AKA Google Image Labeler) SlashDot Mechanical Turk FixMyStreet (or FillThatHole or SeeClickFix) For more on this topic, see “Designing Systems that Support Social Behavior,” and http://www.visi.com/~snowfall/

21. Towards a Framework Given the increasing number of examples of social computation, and their great potential, it would be useful to have a framework for thinking about the topic The remainder of this presentation lays out some grist for a discussion at this workshop

22. Towards a Framework Levels Identity networks Partitioned awareness Action and Interaction Permanent and emergent structure

23. Towards a Framework Levels Identity networks Partitioned awareness Action and Interaction Permanent and emergent structure Mechanisms that span levels Processor enlistment and release Management of multiple foci Mode transitions Might the parallel computing literature have useful constructs?

24. Summary Definition of social computing Social computing doesn’t need to involve a digital substrate Levels: Identity, Awareness, (Inter)Action, Structure Mechanisms: Systems that span these levels