The success of our idea depends on the acceptance of the target market. We believe the value that we are offering is quite attractive and fulfills an existing need of Web users. But in order to attract people to enjoy our new social network we will ensure that we choose appropriate steps to pass.
Diffusion of Innovations is a theory that helps how, why, and at what rate our new technology idea would spread through cultures. Everett Rogers, a professor of rural sociology, defines diffusion as the process that an innovation is communicated through certain channels over time among the members of a social system. There are four main elements in diffusion research: Innovation, Communication channels, Time and Social system.
We will focus on “Roger’s adoption curve” which is also known as “Rogers’ 5 Factors”. Roger defines five factors that influence an individual’s decision to adopt or reject a technology related innovation.
- Relative Advantage: How improved an innovation is over the previous generation.
- Compatibility: The level of compatibility that an innovation has to be assimilated into an individual’s life.
- Complexity or Simplicity: If the innovation is perceived as complicated or difficult to use, an individual is unlikely to adopt it.
- Trialability: How easily an innovation may be experimented. If a user is able to test an innovation, the individual will be more likely to adopt it.
- Observability: The extent that an innovation is visible to others. An innovation that is more visible will drive communication among the individual’s peers and personal networks and will in turn create more positive or negative reactions.
Here we examined the intrinsic characteristics of our new social network, Hive, against Rogers’ 5 Factors.
| Rogers’ 5 Factors – Hive | |
| Relative Advantage | We strongly believe that Hive’s idea to combine traditional social networks with interest-based social networks will have a big advantage from existing web sites |
| Compatibility | Hive will in some ways be similar to Facebook in that it is an online social networking site where users post about things, but with a completely different focus. Facebook has integrated itself into the lives of millions of people, and we are confident Hive can achieve this also. |
| Simplicity | Hive will provide it’s features to the users with the simpliest way as possible, so it is not complicated for users |
| Trialability | It will be easy for users to try Hive before committing to it. Hive will not only allow users to sign in using their existing Facebook account, but also import their interests from that account, or from other social networks, speeding up the set-up process of the new user considerably. |
| Observability | Hive will be visible to users through effective branding and possible interaction through other site, e.g. a Hive button on a web page with a possible interest could add that interest to the user’s interest list. |