Principled Innovation LLC

Use Ning to prototype networks and communities

March 5th, 2007

Some other association community bloggers have written about Ning in the last few days, so I thought I’d jump on the bandwagon. If you have not read those posts, however, let me bring you up to speed. Ning is a Web-based application that makes it incredibly simple for anyone to create an online network in a very short time. Blogger buddy Ben Martin has created his CAE and Proud network, which I encourage you to join. I am working on a Ning-based network of my own that I expect to launch in about two weeks.

The specific purpose of this post is to encourage all associations, and not only organizations with limited resources, to consider Ning as a free/low-cost tool for experimenting with building networks and communities. Associations can capitalize on Ning as a ready-made prototyping platform that removes the need to make significant upfront investments in community technologies. And even if your association has a “technology architecture” for communities in place, you can still consider using Ning as a proving ground for new groups in their formative stages. Either way, organizing simple Ning-based communities is a great way to get everyone focused on what’s most important, which is building a vibrant “social architecture” for these groups.

Ultimately, your association’s networks and communities will succeed or fail not on the basis of technology alone, but on how well the technology supports the kind of open, trusting and collaborative environment that is critical to creating real value for community members. Ning offers organizers just enough technology to support basic functions such as profiles, blogs and forums. Too many bells and whistles too quickly creates a “gee whiz effect” that either erects unnecessary barriers to community participation or distracts members from the true purposes of their groups. Ning’s simple yet robust technology architecture challenges creators to build actual community through a rhythm of interaction, rich content and valuable conversation.

In short, by using Ning, associations may be able to innovate the way their members connect with each other. I strongly recommend that your association consider designing a focused community-building experiment using this platform. If you need advice or guidance on how to move forward, please e-mail me.

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Entry Filed under: Principled Innovation Blog, What's New?, Social Media, Innovation, Associations, Extreme Makeover, The Association Innovator, Simplicity, We Have Always Done It That Way