Small World Social
{{Short description|Technology company based in Australia}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{undisclosed paid|date=June 2019}}
{{COI|date=May 2019}}
{{Infobox website
| name = Small World Social
| logo = Small World Social Logo.jpg
| company_type = Private
| foundation = 2008
| founder = Kathy Phelan
| location_city = Sydney, Australia
| area_served =Melbourne, Australia and San Francisco, California
| industry = Internet, Technology, Contextual Computing
| num_employees = 50
| url = {{URL|SmallWorldSocial.com}}
| screenshot = Small World Social Teamwork.JPG
| caption = Small World Social Teamwork
}}
Small World Social is a technology company based in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 2008, the company now has offices in Melbourne, Australia and San Francisco, USA with staff based all over the world.
Company history
Small World Social originally focused on using social media to change people's behaviors primarily in the area of health, health promotion and public policy.{{cite web|url=http://www.afgventuregroup.com/dispatches/afg-venture-group-newsletter/january-2011-social-media-social-networking-and-social-capital/|title=January 2011: Social Media, Social Networking and Social Capital|date=January 2011|publisher=AFG Venture Group Dispatches|accessdate=28 April 2014}}{{Failed verification|date=May 2019}}
In 2009, the company patented a method and system for explaining complex concepts online.{{cite web|url=http://www.ipaustralia.com.au/applicant/social-it-pty-ltd/patents/|title=SOCIAL IT PTY LTD PATENTS IN AUSTRALIA|publisher=IP Australia|accessdate=29 April 2014}}{{Failed verification|date=May 2019}} It now holds a portfolio of technology patents and has continued to have a research and development center based in Melbourne, Australia.{{cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/companies/a-small-world-with-high-hopes-and-even-bigger-ambitions/story-fn91v9q3-1226862715481#|title=A Small World with high hopes and even bigger ambitions|last=Kitney|first=Damon|date=24 March 2014|work=The Australian|accessdate=29 April 2014}}{{Failed verification|date=May 2019}}
In 2010 the company conducted research to develop a social networking training curriculum for Sydney teachers.{{cite news|last=Macgibbon|first=Ainslie|title=Teaching the Facebook generation|url=http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/teaching-the-facebook-generation-20110227-1ba19.html|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|publisher=Fairfax Media|accessdate=28 April 2014|date=28 February 2011}} Between 2010 and 2015 Small World Social worked with a variety of clients, including creating a professional training app with Genentech and working with New Balance to educate podiatrists, retail sales staff and fitness trainers about the scientific benefits of lightweight, low profile footwear.
In 2016 Small World Social partnered with Lexus to convert their user manual into Lexus Now, an app for drivers with how-to guides.{{Cite web|url=https://idesignawards.com/winners/hmention.php?compNum=IDA%2015|title=International Design Awards - Architectural, Interior, Fashion, Product, Graphic Design Competition - International Design Awards|website=idesignawards.com|access-date=2019-04-09}}{{Failed verification|date=May 2019}}
Current work
Today the company continues to work in the fields of health, science, medical device and manufacturing. Small World Social's staff includes CEO Kathy Phelan, Project Lead and Director of HelpMe Feed Maddy Sands, and Head of Maternal Child Health Karina Ayers. Small World Social is currently working on HelpMe Feed, an app for health professionals supporting mothers to breastfeed.
Small World Social's technology is used in applications where tacit knowledge transfer is required.{{Cite web|url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/south-east/google-glass-app-helps-pakenham-mum-get-breastfeeding-right/news-story/0e366f825e49f5a9127dc3b383523bc5|title=Google Glasses help feeding mums|date=2014-04-06|website=www.heraldsun.com.au|language=en|access-date=2019-04-10}}{{Failed verification|date=May 2019}} The SaaS technology platform works across a range of mobile and wearable technology, providing content relevant to each of these different form factors.
Awards
=2014=
In July 2014, Small World Social's Breastfeeding Support Project was awarded a bronze medal at the 2014 IDA International Design Awards for excellence in Multimedia Interface design.{{cite web|title=iDA International Design Awards 2014 Grand Award Winners|url=http://idesignawards.com/|accessdate=16 February 2015}}
In October 2014, Small World Social's Breastfeeding Support Project received honorable mention at the 2014 Victorian Public Healthcare Awards for optimizing healthcare through e-health & communications technology excellence.{{cite web|title=2014 Victorian Public Healthcare Awards|url=http://www.health.vic.gov.au/healthcareawards/|accessdate=16 February 2015}}
=2015=
On June 3, 2015, Small World Social was named a finalist for LTEN's 2015 Excellence Awards.{{cite web|title=AbbVie, Bayer Healthcare, Gilead Sciences, Medtronic, Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics, UCB Among Those Receiving Top Honors|work=LTEN Annual Conference - Life Sciences Trainers Conference & Exhibition |url=http://ltenconference.com/awards/|accessdate=15 June 2015}}
Later in the same year Small World Social received honourable mention in Website Design Competition at Annual International Design Awards for Lexus Now: Reinventing the Car Owner's Manual.{{Cite web|url=https://idesignawards.com/winners/hmention.php?compNum=IDA%2015|title=International Design Awards - Architectural, Interior, Fashion, Product, Graphic Design Competition - International Design Awards|website=idesignawards.com|access-date=2019-04-08}}
=2016=
In April 2016 Small World Social was awarded the Hermes Creative Award (Gold) - Mobile Information Experience for the LEXUS NOW: THE FUTURE OF THE AUTOMOTIVE EXPERIENCE app.{{cite web|title=Hermes Creative Awards 2016|url=http://enter.hermesawards.com/winners/#/gold/2016}} That was followed by being awarded the winner for Mobile Sites - Guides/Ratings/Reviews in the 22ND Annual Communicator Awards.{{cite web|title=22ND ANNUAL COMMUNICATOR AWARD OF DISTINCTION WINNERS 2016|url=https://www.communicatorawards.com/winners/list/?l=S&event=11&category=10&award=D}}
In November 2016, Small World won a Gold MarCom Award in the Mobile Website Information category for Lexus Now,{{cite web|title=2016 MarCom Awards Gold Winners|url=https://enter.marcomawards.com/winners/}} earning two awards within the W3 creative awards, one Silver Award (third tier award) in the General Website-Automotive category and one Gold (second tier award, one of hundreds given out) in the Mobile Apps/Sites-Innovative/Experimental category.{{cite web|title=2016 W3 Gold Winners|url=http://www.w3award.com/winners/gallery/?event=57&award=1&_p=10#}}
Impact
Small World Social's Australian programs have affected the behavior change of an estimated 4 million people in Australia{{cite journal|last=Hull|first=Daryll|date=April 2009|title=Youth Online Participation And Consultative Processes: Report On A Pilot Project In "Better Futures"|journal=Information Systems, Technology and Management|publisher=The University of New South Wales}}{{Failed verification|date=May 2019}} The company now works across the world with a focus on adopting the latest technology so that enterprises can achieve their business objectives.{{Cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/turns-out-google-glass-is-good-for-breastfeeding/|title=Turns Out Google Glass Is Good for Breastfeeding|last=Pangburn|first=D. J.|date=2014-04-21|website=Motherboard|language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-10}}{{Failed verification|date=May 2019}} The company employs many wearable and mobile computing devices to achieve this end.
Diversity
The company consists of over 50 employees of 25 different nationalities and a diverse range of disciplines and backgrounds represented. This includes content researchers, designers, videographers, computer scientists, engineers and business analysts. The company's innovation approach follows a design thinking methodology. It approaches innovation challenges by structuring teams into small cross-disciplinary groups of 6 to 8 people that work together on projects, akin to the skunk works teams used by Lockheed Martin during the 1950s.{{cite journal|title=Innovation Workshop Presentation|date=February 2014|publisher=Westpac Bank Leadership Team|location=Sydney Technology Park, Australia}}{{primary source inline|date=May 2019}}