Were they a myth, or were we just not ready for them?  That's the question that I've been asking myself. 

I'm currently in a position where I'm working on developing communication with groups in a socialnetworky way.  I have about a half dozen projects that need a solution, and I'm looking for a tool.  In the past, it would have been an easy decision.  I'd start a Facebook group and never look back.  However, things change and Facebook has changed. 

Facebook is not the friend-network that it used to be.  It's so much busier and the desirable content seems to get buried under clickbait.  Facebook clearly isn't designed as an efficient communication channel, but rather as a boggy and mired pit that you can't easily escape.  When I hunt around on Facebook for needed information, I'm reminded of stories about how casino gambling floors are designed with no clocks, confusing floor layouts, and obscured exits. 

For a period of time in the early 2010s there was this concept that I called the micro-social network, which sure sounds appealing.  I counted Path, Glassboard, and Yammer in this category.  None of them have really worked out.  

Even before these tools, I was developing a network of WordPress sites at my school district (circa 2008).  I used the Buddypress WordPress plugin to create a social network for students and staff.  I'm pleased to see that BuddyPress seems to still be humming along.  The allure of the micro-social network is still appealing to me.  Honestly, how great would it be to have a social network of just the people who you really wanted to communicate with?  How great would it be to have access to some sort of mindshare across your organization?  However, I'm beginning to think that I've been going about this the wrong way.

What if the social features aren't actually that productive?  What if it's more important for tools to help provide context and process?  What if micro-social networks are a myth, and what I really need are good project management tools.  Maybe in these small group settings we don't need social features as much as we need well defined purpose and intent.   

To be fair, I did make that term micro-social network up for myself about ten years ago...however, smart people over here seem to think it's going to catch on.

@damonhargraves | hargraves@hey.com