Can social networks replace proximity?



Contributing Writer
Illustration: Dancing Girls Credit:Cécile Graat


Researchers at the University of Michigan recently published a paper discussing the collaborative advantages to working in closer proximity to co-workers.

The paper, entitled ”A tale of two buildings: socio-spatial significance in innovation” includes a very interesting discussion about impromptu and face-to-face interactions, concluding that they appear to be advantageous for innovation.  They describe “electronic interactions” as scripted, and I immediately wondered if people with a high investment in their social networks might be capable of mimicking impromptu and face-to face interactions without the benefit of physical proximity.

Great social collaborations

I thought about some great ideas whose inception and / or collaboration happened through technology-enabled social channels:

Buffer App, which queues social actions with unprecedented ease of use; created collaboratively by Joel Gascoigne and Leo Widrich.

Triberr, which allows web publishers to co-opt the social networks of other web publishers to increase their reach; created collaboratively by Dino Dogan and Dan Cristo.

Board My Biz, which allows businesses to find appropriate members for their advisory boards via an innovative integration with LinkedIn (and also allows people to volunteer to serve on advisory boards); created collaboratively by Bill Bubenicek and Kathy Murray.

…and that’s simply off the top of my head.  (I caveat that by saying that I don’t know the extent of any of those folk’s involvement in their products, only that they’re the principals and that their products are phenomenal).  It appears that some of the innovation and management of these tools necessarily occurs through technology and social media, presumably creating impromptu and face-to-face conversation without the benefit of proximity.  The three companies that I mention are an infinitesimally small sample of innovation without colocation.

Can social networks substitute for proximity?

With tools like Twitter, Yammer, Skype, Hangouts, and other applications that facilitate real-time social interaction, I wonder if technologically-immersed company cultures (a la “social businesses” as described by Brian Solis in the End of Business as Usual) could realize the collaborative benefits described in this study without physical proximity of co-workers.

What do you think?  Can social and technological tools mimic proximity, or is working in the same space the best opportunity for innovation?  If technology can mimic proximity – which applications are best to facilitate impromptu and face-to face conversation?

Photo Credit 

Jim Dougherty

Jim Dougherty

Writer and chief of miscellany at leaderswest.com

I aspire to give people something to think about rather than tell them what to do. My favorite Google Alert is “social media research,” I am increasingly compelled by Gen Z, and I appreciate good writers agnostic of where they write. At one time I was Kred’s 12th most influential social media blogger and Klout’s most influential person on the topic of David Hasselhoff. Transplant from Seattle living in Cincinnati. Haven’t entirely adopted the local sports teams yet.

Jim Dougherty

@jimdougherty

Writer about social media and tech at Leaders West, I also tweet as @leaderswest.

@danpurvis They want their pound of flesh…. :) Thanks for sharing! – 13 hours ago

Jim Dougherty

Jim Dougherty

  • http://www.CeciliaEdwards.com/ Cecilia Edwards

    Jim,

    I think a person’s comfort level with social technology has more to do with their ability to approximate proximity than does the technology.

    There are those, primarily of the younger generation that are extremely comfortable with”speaking” to each other electronically in a way that simulates proximity very well. Just look at sentence structure and spelling that would make any language arts teacher cringe.

    Others who are more wedded to proper grammar and paragraphs that must have a topic sentence and at least three supporting facts are more likely to feel the need to crips themselves rather than share casually and off the top of their minds.

    There are so many technology options that far exceed our current level of comfort with casual written conversations. However, those presence indicators and the ability to video chat, along site of the written opportunities will continue to increase our ability to minimize the importance of proximity over time.

  • jimdougherty

    Great insights Cecilia! I understand that for me to be most successful I need to be in proximity to people, but I share your feeling that Gen M has ease and comfort with technological tools that unprecedented. It’s pretty extraordinary to see their accomplishments!

Top