SBIR Phase I: Social media platform for structured information worker communication

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will develop and test a cloud-based communication tool for managing handshakes between information workers. Handshakes are goal-oriented interactions that occur frequently in the course of collaborative information work, such as questions, requests, or notifications requiring acknowledgement. Using email, workers must track, organize and manage handshakes manually. For workers who handle hundreds of messages per day, these routine tasks consume large amounts of time and contribute to information overload. This project will test the feasibility of using a cloud-based communication tool to automate the tracking, organization and management of handshakes. By modeling the structure of worker interactions as they unfold, the technology can determine how and by whom work is being performed, guide worker attention to where it is needed, and reduce information overload. Handshakes can be reused, further improving productivity. The research will include development and pilot testing of a prototype system. During the pilot test, data will be collected to measure the usability of the technology, as well as the effects of the technology on worker communication patterns and productivity. The results will establish the feasibility and effectiveness of a handshake-based approach to structuring information worker communication. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is to advance the state of scientific and technical knowledge about computer-assisted information work, thereby increasing information worker productivity and economic growth. The technology area, tools for facilitating collective intelligence, currently comprises three paradigms: messaging, business process management, and project management. These paradigms model information work using messages, processes, and tasks, respectively. The proposed innovation introduces a new paradigm that models information work using structured handshakes. This paradigm defines a new unit of analysis for scientific study of information work and enables the automation of routine handshake management tasks. The target market sector for the technology is high-end information workers such as corporate lawyers, management consultants, and financial advisors. Based on the revenue generated by leading information worker communication tools in this technology area, the commercial potential of the technology exceeds one billion dollars per year. Many high-end information workers have more business opportunities than they have time to pursue, so increasing information worker productivity will lead directly to improved business performance and faster economic growth. Increasing the marginal product of high-end information workers will also lead to higher demand for such workers, and thereby to creation of high-value jobs.