This is the opening set of slides on the "Math of Social Software" which is part of the "Social Software Design for One" presentation as the keynote at DCampSouth 2 June 2007. This bit is to focus the social software design has 2 sets of math: 1) for the people using the service/tool/software; 2) the designers and developers. We must always keep our focus on the people interested in and using what we design and build.

1. Social Software Design for One
Thomas Vander Wal
Presented to: DCampSouth
2 June 2007 :: Raleigh, North Carolina
InfoCloud Solutions, Inc. - 2007

2. Who is
Thomas?

3. Person
Focus on the User

4. +
∓
x ∑
∛
÷ -
+ ∑ ÷
∫ ∫
The Math of ÷
∛
Social Software... ∑
+
÷
-
∓
∛ ∑
- ÷ + ∛
∫
∓
∫ +
∛ ∓

5. +
∓
x ∑
∛
÷ -
+ ∑ ÷
∫
∫
∛ Design with + not x, ÷
nor complex algorithms ∑
+
÷ -
∓
∛ ∑
- ÷ + ∛
∫
∓
∫ +
∛ ∓

6. +
∓
x ∑
∛
÷ -
+ ∑ ÷
∫
∫
÷
∛
1 Person
∑
+
÷
-
∓
∛ ∑
- ÷ + ∛
∫
∓
∫ +
∛ ∓

7. +
∓
x ∑
∛
÷ -
+ ∑ ÷
∫
∫
÷
∛
1 Service
∑
+
÷
-
∓
∛ ∑
- ÷ + ∛
∫
∓
∫ +
∛ ∓

8. +
∓
x ∑
∛
÷ -
+ ∑ ÷
∫
∫
÷
∛
1 “Friend” +
∑
+
÷
-
∓
∛ ∑
- ÷ + ∛
∫
∓
∫ +
∛ ∓

9. +
∓
x ∑
∛
÷ -
+ ∑ ÷
∫
∫
÷
Person now sees “2”
∛
+
- Self & Friend
∑
+
÷
-
∓
∛ ∑
- ÷ + ∛
∫
∓
∫ +
∛ ∓

10. +
∓
x ∑
∛
÷ -
+ ∑ ÷
∫
∫
+
Designer & Developer
÷
∛
see this as doubling
∑
use in the service
+
÷
-
∓
∛ ∑
- ÷ + ∛
∫
∓
∫ +
∛ ∓

11. +
∓
x ∑
∛
÷ -
+ ∑ ÷
∫
∫
+
Designer &
÷
∛
Developer see “3”
∑
+ (2 people and the tool)
÷
-
∓
∛ ∑
- ÷ + ∛
∫
∓
∫ +
∛ ∓

12. +
∓
x ∑
∛
÷ -
+ ∑ ÷
∫
∫
∛ Designer & Developer÷
usually see in multiples ∑
+
÷ -
∓
∛ ∑
- ÷ + ∛
∫
∓
∫ +
∛ ∓

13. +
∓
x ∑
∛
÷ -
+ ∑ ÷
∫
∫
Person adds 1 more
÷
∛
“friend” & finds +
∑
richness
+
÷
-
∓
∛ ∑
- ÷ + ∛
∫
∓
∫ +
∛ ∓

14. +
∓
x ∑
∛
÷ -
+ ∑ ÷
∫
∫
Designer &
÷
∛ Developer see
+
service multiplying ∑
+
÷
and scaling -
∓
∛ ∑
- ÷ + ∛
∫
∓
∫ +
∛ ∓

15. +
∓
x ∑
∛
÷ -
+ ∑ ÷
∫
∫
Designer & Developer
÷
∛
follow costs & revenues
∑
+ through formulas
÷
-
∓
∛ ∑
- ÷ + ∛
∫
∓
∫ +
∛ ∓

16. +
∓
x ∑
∛
÷ -
+ ∑ ÷
∫
∫
Designer & Developer
÷
∛
sees social network as
∑
spikes in service use
+
÷
-
∓
∛ ∑
- ÷ + ∛
∫
∓
∫ +
∛ ∓

17. +
∓
x ∑
∛
÷ -
+ ∑ ÷
∫ People view social
∫
÷
networks as single
∛
connections with
∑
+ other people ÷
-
∓
∛ ∑
- ÷ + ∛
∫
∓
∫ +
∛ ∓

18. +
∓
x ∑
∛
÷ -
+ ∑ ÷
∫
∫
I met Zorba on the
People express the beach in Greece as
he was dancing
and singing by
himself
÷
∛
richness with another
+
person by a story
∑
+ about the person ÷
-
∓
∛ ∑
- ÷ + ∛
∫
∓
∫ +
∛ ∓

19. +
∓
x ∑
∛
÷ -
+ ∑ ÷
∫ People value the
∫
÷
∛ relationship
between others
∑
+ & services ÷
-
∓
∛ ∑
- ÷ + ∛
∫
∓
∫ +
∛ ∓

20. +
∓
x ∑
∛
÷ -
+ ∑ ÷
∫ People see a
∫
÷
connection to their
∛
network through
∑
+ the tool/service
÷
-
∓
∛ -÷∑ + ∛
∫
∫∓ +
∛ ∓

21. +
∓
x ∑
∛
÷ -
+ ∑ ÷
∫
∫
A person’s network
÷
∛is comprised of
∑
individuals (1s)
+
÷
-
∓
∛ ∑
- ÷ + ∛
∫
∓
∫ +
∛ ∓

22. +
∓
x ∑
∛
÷ -
+ ∑ ÷
∫
∫
People use the social tool if it
÷
∛
works for managing & connecting
∑
the individuals in their life
+
÷
-
∓
∛ ∑
- ÷ + ∛
∫
∓
∫ +
∛ ∓

23. +
∓
x ∑
∛
÷ -
+ ∑ ÷
∫
∫
People see 1 + 1
÷
∛
& Designer & Developer
∑
see multiples
+
÷
-
∓
∛ ∑
- ÷ + ∛
∫
∓
∫ +
∛ ∓

24. +
∓
x ∑
∛
÷ -
+ ∑ ÷
∫ Successful service ∫
÷
∛
designers & developers
have their sight on the
∑
+ person & personal needs
÷
-
∓
∛ -÷∑ + ∛
∫
∫∓ +
∛ ∓

25. +
∓
x ∑
∛
÷ -
+ ∑ ÷
∫
∫
÷
∛
Are you focussed on 1 + 1?
∑
+
÷
-
∓
∛ ∑
- ÷ + ∛
∫
∓
∫ +
∛ ∓

26. Contact
E-mail: thomas@infocloudsolutions.com
E-mail: thomas@vanderwal.net
AIM: vanderwal
YIM: tjvanderwal
Skype: tjvanderwal
InfoCloud Solutions, Inc. - 2007