Social Grass at Seamless Enterprise
Another of my posts at Seamless Enterprise is worth referencing here: “What does Social Grass mean for the Enterprise?” The full post is probably worth reading, but here’s a shortened version:
In a recent interview with Telephony editor Kevin Fitchard, I introduced the concept of “social grass” as a component of how mobility will shape the next couple of decades. Even if you figured out what I meant by “social grass,” you probably struggled to see how it fit into a corporate environment.
Let me take a shot at clearing up the confusion on both fronts.
…
What’s relevant to me right now is based on many factors, some of which aren’t hard for a mobile device to determine - where am I, what time is it, who am I with, what’s on my calendar, etc. But more than anything, relevance is based on relationships - my relationships with people and companies.
The fact that Joe Smith serves on the board of Habitat for Humanity in Tulsa, Oklahoma may or may not be relevant to me. Even if I’m meeting with a Joe Smith for lunch, how will the systems that can prepare me for that lunch meeting determine whether it’s the same Joe Smith?
The term social grass combines three different concepts into a rich view of relationship determination. The first concept is the “social graph” which has been referenced heavily by players in the online social network space. The second concept is “grassroots” - the natural and spontaneous development of communities and their activities. The third concept is “grass weaving” - the intertwining of individual strands to create a strong, yet beautiful product.
This “social grass” - separate social graphs growing naturally and spontaneously in different places, woven together into a reliable indicator of my relationship with people and organizations - can connect me to the Joe Smith that I’m having lunch with, to his company, and to his community involvement with organizations like Habitat for Humanity. And can help me be prepared to talk about how every man, woman and child should have a decent, safe and affordable place to live.
…