BuInspiration

Literature review – Author Jenny Preece

Hooi Kah Suit

Title: Literature review on the concept Sociability by Jenny Preece

The One Academy of Communication Design

‘Online Communities - Designing Usability, Supporting Sociability’ is a book mainly focuses on the concept of usability and sociability. This literature review concentrates on the concept of sociability. This topic is important because it provides an understanding on the concept and also as a key to one of the author’s research project objective, which is, identify the sociability of Facebook group. Therefore, it provides information and different prospects to study an online community.

In Facebook, we can find many particular associations or organizations in creating their own online community to build their relationship with the members. In regards to an effective online community has to be fulfill their followers needs and to the group. According to Preece’s concept, sociability is concerned “with planning and developing social policies that are understandable and acceptable to members, to support the community’s purpose” (Preece, 2000). A disclaimer that the particular organization provides will helps members understand how to perform, what to expect from each other, and delivers an outline for social growth. For example, the policies of Lego collector/fan of Malaysia closed group in Facebook are specifically only share post about Lego collection or latest news and if want to sell their Lego need to create an album in the group. Therefore, every member will only post stuff about Lego and create an album if they want to sell.

In addition, Preece extend that “community developers also have to design software with good usability so that people can interact and perform their tasks intuitively and easily” (Preece, 2000). For example, make sure everyone can post on the wall in the group and able to see each post or photos that post by other member. With this, they can interact with each other without any limitation.

In conclusion of this concept, sociability concentrates on social interaction whereas usability focuses on human-computer interaction but however this concept has it limitation where it claimed as a newer concept that still needs to be operationalized (Preece, 2000).

Reference:

Preece, J. (2000). Online communities Designing Usability, Supporting Sociability. New York: John Wiley & Sons, pp.26-27.