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5 CONCLUSIONS
The process of designing social software is highly
complex because we must consider human factors,
group dynamics, social and psychological aspects to
understand how to design a system that effectively
satisfy the needs of their users and that really meet
the demands imposed by the “social”. In this paper
we aimed at putting focus on possible factors that
influence the success (or failure) of social software
systems which depend on the effective participation
of users. The paper discussed elements necessary for
the functioning of social software and briefly
suggested theories that can guide and give basis for
understanding how to design successful systems. We
observed that the object of interaction and the
symmetry of interests in the shared object are
decisive factors in determining how a system should
be designed, which elements should be considered
and how these elements should be implemented to
provide an effective, productive and continuous
interaction. Moreover, the process of designing
social software needs to address the view of a
Socially Aware Computing, otherwise, it seems to
be impossible the development of systems that
completely satisfies the users requirements, needs,
and expectations to fulfil social demands.
In the same way as the discussion on the shared
object need to be expanded, the discussion presented
in this paper is a just starting point in defining a
conceptual framework to help in the understanding
and design of social software. With this framework,
it is possible to analyze these systems and to infer
why people use (or do not use) them to meet their
personal and social goals. The next steps of our
approach involve expanding the framework
proposed by Smith (2007) where some elements
should be added and other must be reconsidered and
strongly discussed (Object, Awareness, Emotional
and Affective aspects, Personalisation to name a few
others). Additionally, discussion around the theories
we mentioned in this paper (Socially Aware
Computing, Organizational Semiotics and Object-
Centred Sociality) are being considered as
theoretical referential.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This work is partially funded by Microsoft Research
– FAPESP Institute for IT Research and CAPES
(Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de
Nível Superior).
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