Design to Thrive: Creating Social Networks and Online Communities that Last

Social networks and online communities are reshaping the way people communicate, both in their personal and professional lives. What makes some succeed and others fail? What draws a user in? What makes them join? What keeps them coming back? Entrepreneurs and businesses are turning to user experience practitioners to figure this out. Though they are well-equipped to evaluate and create a variety of interfaces, social networks require a different set of design principles and ways of thinking about the user in order to be successful.

Design to Thrive presents tried and tested design methodologies, based on the author’s decades of research, to ensure successful and sustainable online communities -- whether a wiki for employees to share procedures and best practices or for the next Facebook. The book describes four criteria, called "RIBS," which are necessary to the design of a successful and sustainable online community. These concepts provide designers with the tools they need to generate informed creative and productive design ideas, to think proactively about the communities they are building or maintaining, and to design communities that encourage users to actively contribute.

Contains real world stories from popular, well known communities to illustrate how the concepts work

Features a companion online network that employs the techniques outlined in the book

Chapter 1: Introduction

I. Why are virtual communities and social networks so popular?
II. History of virtual communities (spans 30 years -- what is fad and what is not)
III. Business justification for implementing virtual communities
IV. Differences between “adhocracy,” a “forum,” a “group,” a “virtual team,” a “social network,” and a “virtual community”? People are often sloppy with their use of these terms, which creates problems for designers.

Chapter 2: What are the factors needed for sustainable online communities?

I. What is a “heuristic” and why do we need one?
II. RIBS theory/process

Chapter 3: Remuneration

I. What is “remuneration”?
II. Case studies / popular examples?
III. What are some best practice strategies for ensuring remuneration is functioning?

Chapter 4: Influence

I. What is “influence”?
II. Case studies / popular examples?
III. Best practice strategies for ensuring influence is functioning?

Chapter 5: Belonging

I. What is “belonging”?
II. Case studies / popular examples?
III. Best practice strategies for ensuring remuneration is functioning?

Chapter 6: Significance

I. What is “significance”?
II. Case studies / popular examples?
III. Best practice strategies for ensuring significance is functioning?

Chapter 7: Conclusion

I. Summative discussion — lessons learned and how to apply them to designers’ work
II. How RIBS can be used to think about designing for emerging media and delivery systems—particularly those involving mobile computing and video
III. RIBS’ potential for the future of virtual community and social interface design