ReduceFriction

The critical mass of broadband services and applications is contributing to a more sustainable economy. A recent study by the American Consumer Institute finds that "wide adoption and use of broadband applications can achieve a net reduction of 1 billion tons of greenhouse gas over 10 years, which, if converted into energy saved, would constitute 11% of annual U.S. oil imports."

One example offered by the study: "Teleconferencing could reduce greenhouse emissions by 199.8 million tons, if 10% of airline travel could be replaced by teleconferencing over the next 10 years." Rapidly declining price points for teleconferencing and other online collaborative tools make them a core part of the NG culture of participation, so there is no excuse not to consider deploying them.

The ability of the web to engage potential customers is "fractal": self-similar at every scale. I saw this on a recent trip which required my wife and me to seek out accommodations in small towns outside the scope of the large travel websites.

Lacking any other way to evaluate such lodgings, we quickly found ourselves judging potential accommodations through the websites turned up by online search. Our thought was that if proprietors took the time to present themselves online, then they might be equally attentive to their facilities. An offer of free wireless was another key criteria, indicating awareness of what contemporary travelers are seeking.

The websites of the places we chose were simple and with few NG features, but were personal, reassuring, and best-in-class. We were not disappointed, enjoying quality motel-style accommodations run by interesting people. Engaging online content addressing prospects' core concerns reduces the friction of doing business for enterprises of all scales.

The Nordic Inn, Alpine WY (pop. ~780)   D-K Motel, Arco ID (pop. ~980)

Should your organization be using Internet NG features to harness the collective wisdom of the global village?

Knowledge-intensive enterprises have begun to adopt these techniques, sometimes called crowdsourcing, to tackle their R&D challenges.

An opportunity to speak about NG concepts at the Wisconsin Biotechnology & Medical Device Association annual conference introduced me to InnoCentive, a spin-off of pharma giant Eli Lily, which offers the Open Innovation Marketplace to unite "seekers" of solutions and "solvers" of problems in the life sciences and other disciplines.

Here is a good non-technical explanation of RSS:

This video illustrates how NG's "Reduction of Friction" in the creation of Rich Media Experiences facilitates the online presentation of new concepts.