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

by Tharon Howard

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.

Genres: Design, Social, Website Design, Business

248 pages, Paperback

First published December 8, 2009

Reviews

[Stringy · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent guide to building an online community instead of just another social network. The ebook edition could have done with a little more care in the formatting, though. The frequent sidebars and asides often blended into the main text.

I liked the RIBS model and it backs up my own experiences. It was great to see useful techniques developed and expanded from the general principles, and I was able to adapt them to my own situation. it was also refreshing to read about community building from someone who sees it as an intrinsically good idea, rather than just a get-rich-quick method.

It was a little bit dated in the details, but as the final chapter points out: technology changes but people don't. I'd love to see a revised edition to take some of the new web-based tools and methods into account, as they're qualitatively different to email lists in my opinion. But that's a minor quibble about a very useful resource, and anyone with half a brain will easily be able to figure it out themselves.

[Dr. Dena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Useful reference with themes for community and continuity, or designing social networks to last (1) and wherein people contribute to community (2) as defined by cooperation, collaboration, creating content, etc. I liked the sections on storytelling, trajectory (types of life cycle of members), renumeration (giving back), ritual, and the basis of the technique, task, and interaction: relationship. A needed reminder to tune into the social in all biz dealings.

[Cody · Rating 5 out of 5]

Top-notch book. If you're looking into understanding any community (Online or otherwise), this easy-to-read book is perfect for you. Includes both understandable, easy-to-follow theory and practical applications for it.