Social Software for Grown-ups

I'm at Lotusphere 2007 in Orlando.

For those not "in the know", Lotusphere has been for a number of years the prime event for IBM Lotus Software, and is particularly relevant this year, due to a particular announcement made last monday.

Basically, IBM is launching a new social software oriented to businesses. Relevance of that "modest" announcement might be bigger than it sounds.

In the recent couple years, we've seen sites like MySpace, Facebook, Hi5 and the such, growing and creating a loyal and faithful user-base.

A user-base largely formed by teenagers talking about topics as relevant to them a dating, popularity, sports, and their favorite music or shows. But not only that. Also, has provided a platform to expand their social network, creating personal connections in several levels (our friends are my friends and their friends are now my friends and so on...).

Does this mean that a big corporate giant like IBM will now cater to the needs of 15-year olds?

No. But social software can and will be a big part of corporate life. Just like "grown-ups" caught up with teens in the use of now widespread technologies like e-mail or instant messaging -and more recently blogging, and wikis-.

We'll be seeing how this social software will be more and more relevant to such important issues like innovation, cost-reduction, efficiency and collaboration.