Groundswell – How to evaluate new technology
As I think about evaluating new technology concepts, I look back to Charlene Li’s Groundswell
In the book she talks about asking the following questions when evaluating new technology:
1. Does it enable people to connect with each other in new ways?
2. Is it effortless to sign up for?
3. Does it shift power from institutions to people?
4. Does it enable people to connect with each other in new ways?
5. Does the community generate enough content to sustain itself?
6. Is it an open platform that invites partnerships?
She goes on to mention that there are several more things that you obviously have to evaluate but these six questions are surefire tests.
If you’re evaluating a new technology, I suggest you run it through this test and see how it matches up. Btw, put Twitter through these questions, I think you’ll find it passes with flying colors…
