Humanizing the Web—Change and Social Innovation

The authors describe how the web is transforming from a one-way information delivery channel to a socially rich communication vehicle, resulting in the humanizing of the web and fulfilling the web's original promise. They explain how the web continues to change businesses, software design, the way we perceive people and the skills required of us. The web's key challenges are defined as six paradoxes and its role as an innovation ecosystem is introduced, emphasizing the consideration of the social web as a software platform, user experience, and business ecosystem. The volume explores the challenges related to the search for Zero-to-One innovations, breakthroughs, and the key strategies for discovering these kinds of innovations for the social web (or through the social web for non-web environments). It also envisions the next generation of the web, including both transformations that are already ongoing and visible as well as new expectations. An important message for companies and organizations is to adopt a set of core business values that will facilitate innovation processes in this future humanized web. These business values are very humane. Finally, the authors discuss key threats and opportunities for this future.

HARRI OINAS-KUKKONEN is Professor of Information Systems at the University of Oulu, Finland. He has been listed among the hundred most influential ICT experts in the country, and a key person to whom companies should talk to when developing their strategies for web-based services. In 2005, he was awarded The Outstanding Young Person of Finland award by the Junior Chamber of Commerce for his achievements inhelping industrial companies to improve their Web usability. His current research interests include human-computer interaction, persuasive design and behavior change.

HENRY OINAS-KUKKONEN is a Senior Lecturer in History and an Adjunct Professor of History of International Relations and Information Networks at the University of Oulu, Finland. His current research interests include the history of computing, social web and innovation. He has also worked on the history of the Occupation of Japan, US- Finnish relations, and American plans to resettle Finnish World War II refugees into Alaska. He has many years of experience in carrying out original research in American, Scandinavian and Japanese archives.