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TED2007 comes to a close

TED 2007 has come to an end after 4 days of intense community building. During the 4 day period, several examples of online and offline community building were presented for discussion and contemplation. A few will stay with me forever and one or two will pull me in for contribution of my time. Pangea is a film that was created by award-winning documentary filmmaker Jehane Noujaim. She has a belief, which I share, that the global community would interact more peacefully if everyone understood each other better, which can happen through film.

In May 2008, a moving film will be shown in most every country on the planet. This film will be the composition of short clips from know and unknown filmmakers, professionals and amateurs, that will capture the struggles, dreams, fears and hopes of individuals in their global communities. The ability to capture this global perspective and the ability to deliver it everywhere is a function of online community building intermixed with offline, in-person, collaboration. Imagine thousands or millions of short video clips being captured, shared and reviewed for consideration of the film. This could only happen through an online community which includes the ability to upload, share and review video.

Though I tend to think of social networking and online communities as business tools and consumer facing tools, the positive social impact that these tools have will be incredible. I will be hosting an event on Pangea Day in 2008, so expect to hear more from me on this as the date nears. The event that I will host will likely take place in an outdoor venue, such as Dolores Park, which can support thousands of people. Please feel free to suggest alternate locations.

Community From The Perspective Of A TEDster

I am fortunate to be spending my week at the TED conference. Though I know that I should have been blogging for more than I year now, TED compels me to begin today. TED is community. As President Clinton, one of this year’s TED prize winners, describes his current passions and goals, he conveys a perfect description of what a successful community is all about. President Clinton’s passion is bringing resources and systems to those who need it, particularly within Africa. While describing the gaps between the rich and poor, not only between nations but within countries, he describes the need to build stronger communities.

Though his description of community is based on the physical world and not the online world, I believe his description is spot on and directly transfers to the online world. He describes the purpose of community as sharing in the benefits of collaboration, sharing in its responsibilities and having a sense of belonging. These themes are also the building blocks of TED. Having the privilege of attending TED for my second year, it seems that everyone is interested in collaboration, participation, giving and receiving. The ratios vary by person, of course, but seem to be common among everyone with whom I have interacted. Whether it’s Dean Kaman's amazing contribution of new prosthetics to the recovery of the injured returning from war or world renowned photographer James Nachtwey's asking for help from the TED community to help him meet his goals, everyone wants to participate, share and contribute.

These themes are exactly those that are required to build an effective online community. Successful online communities and social networks are those wherein all stakeholders have the opportunity and desire to benefit, share responsibility and feel a sense of belonging. It is the responsibility for the community host to enable and nurture this environment. When done well, everyone benefits, including the host.