Developing Applications for Existing Communities
There are many different types of communities active both on and off the web. Some examples include Business Communities, Health Communities, and most importantly, your Local Community. While many of these communities are beginning to find their way onto the Social Web, it goes without saying that very few have access to a Development Department. What does this mean for Development Communities who are, by their very nature, a Development Department?
To find an answer, Google: ‘iVolunteer‘ and you will find a number of iVolunteer organizations, ranging from Holocost Victim Survivors to Professional Youth Organizations. At the very top of this list you will find my favorite iVolunteer organization: ActionFeed.org, who are developing an iVolunteer application for the iPhone and iTouch. The catch is that none of these iVolunteer organizations are related to one another, apart from their name, and their passion to support the Volunteer Community.
While some might have an issue with sharing their identity, those who call themselves something are unlikely to give up their name. Developing applications for existing communities can strengthen each one that is connected by their common identities, by providing access to resources that they might not otherwise have access to. For all of the Business and Health and Local Communities, this means access to a Development Department. And to the Development Communities, access to the most important thing for an application: Users.
