Understanding Users of Social Networks — HBS Working Knowledge.

Leading project-based work (PBW) in challenging times requires a wide variety of tools and skills. In the SAPM program we focus primarily on ways in which PBW is used to execute the organization’s strategy — whether a $100,000 project or a $1B transformational system that has global impact. Social media and networking in all its manifestations offers a variety of ways to support and enable the collaboration necessary for PBW success.Social networking in all its manifestations offers a variety of ways to support and enable the collaboration necessary for PBW success.  A dyanmic list the variety of these sites and services is available here and here.

We are looking at the variety of ways Web 2.0 and social media/networking are being used or can be used to improve the execution of strategy. Several recent insights from across the world:

R. Todd Stephens – Enterprise 2. Information Architect: His home page presents in one page the range of Web 2.0 tools that can be used.  One of the first times I have seen this arrayed in this way. He sees this as his on-line Web 2.0 persona.
APPLICATION → use program/project home pages to gather all the various collaboration and communication sites of team members.

April 2009 Fast Company Cover Story. The untold story of how Chris Hughes, today only 25 years old, helped create two of the most successful startups in modern history, Facebook and the Barack Obama campaign Fascinating insights on the emerging role of social networking tool in not just elections but in enabling collaboration to self-organize from the bottom up.
APPLICATION → for change initiatives look at how Hughes and his team enables the sharing of information to address areas of “resistance” to  provide new ways of doing that in organizational settings.appreciate the Obama perspective.  Listening is critical and social networking and similar tools.

Ed Batista provides several excellent posts on social networking tools and their uses and pros and cons.   This is one the best discussions for a newbie and has actually used what he talks about.
APPLICATION → review Ed Batista’s posts and assess which tools may be useful for your particular team, project, or leadership need.