This document discusses how to transform a social network into an effective "swarm". It identifies 5 key factors for doing so: 1) strong social ties, 2) a common story or narrative, 3) a dense communication grid, 4) shared resources, and 5) network awareness. Examples of successful social networks and swarms are provided to illustrate these factors, such as how outrage over a politician's comments helped raise funds for opponents. The document also discusses different types of communication topologies that social networks can take.

1. Ruby Sinreich
social network junkie, activist, nonprofit techie, web maven, Generation Xer, mother
How to think like a network
Download at slideshare.net/rubyji
lotusmedia.org/5things
N.C. Tech for Good Conference 2010

2. “The people formerly known - Jay Rosen, Journalism Prof
as the audience wish to @jayrosen_nyu http://
inform media people of our journalism.nyu.edu/pubzone/weblogs/
pressthink/2006/06/27/ppl_frmr.html
existence, and of a shift in
power that goes with the
platform shift youʼve all heard
about.
“You don't own the eyeballs. You don't
own the press, which is now divided
into pro and amateur zones. You don't
control production on the new platform,
which isn't one-way. There's a new
balance of power between you and us.”
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zak/84069772/

3. “Generations, like people,
have personalities, and
Millennials – the American
teens and twenty-
somethings currently
making the passage into
adulthood – have begun to
forge theirs: confident, self-
expressive, liberal, upbeat
and receptive to new ideas
and ways of living.”
- Pew Research: “The
Millennials: Confident.
Connected. Open to
Change.” (2010)

6. MySpace and Facebook
didnʼt invent social networks
http://www.flickr.com/photos/danielgreene/2951598183/
http://www.flickr.com/
photos/cobalt/
248044067/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rbucich/3623885548

7. So... how do you make a network into a "swarm?"

9. 1. Strong Social Ties
2. Common Story
3. Dense Communication Grid
4. Shared Resources
5. Network Awareness

15. www.friendsforpeace.org & www.sorryeverybody.com

17. •
You lie!
“In the week after Wilson's outburst, Miller had
raised $1.6 million, about three times his 2008
campaign, while Wilson raised $1.8 million.”
- Wikipedia
“The Democratic National Committee reportedly
raised $1 million the day after Obama's speech, a
haul credited in part to outrage over Wilson's
outburst.”
- Newsweek

18.  Online & offline
For example...
 Social networks
 Blogs
 E-mail & SMS
 Instant messaging
 Phone
 Face-to-face

20. Aggregators,
FriendFeed,
Buzz, etc.

21. hierarchical
star/hub
ring
mesh
tree (hubs of hubs)
http://www.webopedia.com/quick_ref/topologies.asp

27. “Olympic Torch
Route Changed in
San Francisco”
San Francisco -New York Times
London -Daily Mail
And Iranʼs
“Twitter
Revolution!”

30. 1. Strong Social Ties
2. Common Story
3. Dense Communication Grid
4. Shared Resources
5. Network Awareness

31. More examples, comments, ideas:
• lotusmedia.org/5things
• netcentriccampaigns.org
Contact me:
e-mail = ruby@lotusmedia.org
Twitter = @ruby