ANN ARBOR – We did it! The IT Zone’s first Virtual Reciprocity Ring (VRR) was launched in a three-hour session on September 28.
A group of 50 networking aficionados gathered at MITC (Michigan Information Technology Center) with their wireless laptops to explore the workings of Humax Corporation?s Virtual Reciprocity Ring software. With the help of our instructor, Toben King from Humax, the requests and responses began tallying up fast about midway through the workshop.
Virtual Reciprocity Rings are social networking tools that help individuals and businesses network, communicate and problem solve more effectively. The VRR software the IT Zone is using was developed by Humax and evolved from the social networking and virtual reciprocity research of Wayne Baker at the University of Michigan.
As of this writing, the IT Zone VRR has 48 participants, the participants have made 95 requests and the requests have received a total of 329 responses ? not bad for just 15 days. Requests can be business related or personal. The workshop participants were given instructions on how to present an effective request.
Requests logged during the workshop included fun items, such as:
Locating a vegan caterer for a wedding
Arranging a sailing charter in the North Channel
And serious business requests, such as:
Recruiting volunteer mentors for startup technology companies
Locating global cultural training programs
Help in developing web server applications
Being a group of IT-minded professionals, the ring participants are already providing feedback on the software. Top recommendations include adding a method to sort and file requests and increasing the two-way communication features to encourage dialog on requests.
For more information on Virtual Reciprocity Rings and the latest research on success through social capital and networking, go to
www.humaxnetworks.com and www.waynebaker.com
If you?re interested in joining the next IT Zone VRR, please contact Diane Durance at
