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1. Introduction
The theoretical consideration of this paper is anchored on that of
the sociologist Christian Fuchs on self-organization. Even the domain of
information technology is no exception to the challenge and influence of
emergence brought about by self-organization as societal systems are
commonly and necessarily permeated, after all, information technology is
part of the social system.
The process of self-organization is dialectical; a new order emerges
from an existing order, thus, transition results.

The complexity of the

modern world necessitates the capacity to be better than or other

than the present status quo lest one perishes or disintegrates.
It is in this tenor that this paper explores the structure,
organization and operations of deviantART, a popular online community.
Whether a given system such as deviantART measures up to the
prototype of a self-organizing system depends on its manifestation of the
multiple indicators enumerated by Fuchs as characterizing every selforganized system there is.
The core of Fuchs theory provides that (2008), "Self-organization is
a process where a system reproduces itself with the help of its own logic
and components, that is, the system produces itself based on an internal
logic." Self-organizing systems are those by which their internal structure
and functions are able to change consequential to external circumstances.
The elements of a system are able to influence the organization of the
other elements by stabilizing either structure or function of the whole
against external fluctuations (Banzhaf, 2009).
Self-organization is used in some software applications to provide
the solution to problems of diverse types. Self-organization is highly
needed

in

contemporary

distributed

software

with

high

changing

environments, large numbers of heterogeneous components software

systems commonly consist of, and where central control is difficult to
impose (Serugendo, 2011).

Fuchs further makes an enumeration of the characteristics of a

system that bears a self-organized behaviour, and they are as follows:
Systemness,
Intensification,

Complexity,
Feedback

Control
Loops,

Parameters,
Circular

Fluctuation

Causality,

and

Nonlinearity,

Bifurcation Points, Selection, Emergence of Order, Information Production,

Fault Tolerance, Openness, Symmetry Breaking, Inner Conditionality,
Relative Chance, Cohesion, Hierarchy, Globalization and Localization and
Unity in Plurality (Fuchs, 2008). It is notable, however, that not all of these
features are present in systems which are able to self-organize.
It is observed that self-organization and emergence are not perfect
due to the conflicting actions that usually occur to the elements in a selforganizing system and their behavior may induce needless redundancies.
Self organization has significant advantages to complex systems that
operate in dynamic environment such as increased scalability and
robustness and reduced communication and unit processing costs
(Serugendo, 2011).
2. deviantART: A Network of Artists
deviantArt (dA) is one of the largest and the most vibrant online
community focused primarily on ART. dA was founded by Scott Jarkoff,
Angelo Sotira and Matthew Stephens in California on August 7, 2000. dA
maintains a catalogue of over 55 million deviations or usually called
artworks, creative expressions such as animations, photographs, web
skins, film, and literature contributed by over 38 million members that
creates center of attention of over 65 million unique visitors every month.
Over 160,000 artworks and creative expressions are uploaded everyday
by members known as deviants. Artworks and creative expressions are
categorized within customizable dA gallery according to a comprehensive
structure. Membership in dA is free, however a small group of its
members decided to subscribe (with minimal membership fee) and

become Core Members, which came with more benefits (deviantART,

2015).
2.1.

Key Features and Functionality

The following discussion elaborates the features and functions

identifiable to deviantART from other online communities that may be

operating similarly as it does.
2.1.1.
Main Page. Nearly all the features are accessible directly in
the main page. The username directs one to the user page and all
deviants are referred by their chosen username.
2.1.2.
Deviants pages. Users personal webpage contains the
user profile information, gallery of users art, favourites, journals,
list

of

friends,

recent

work,

recent

wachers,

comment,

questionnaires and statistics when subscribed. The deviants

feature their most prized and valuable work as a 'Featured
Deviation'.
2.1.3.
Deviations. Artworks such as photos, images, text or video
files and other arts that a member can upload in deviantArt.
[Link]. Collections
Collect functionality is drag and drop interface where both
new and default favourite collections are organized. The two most
recently added art thumbnails are immediately available on ones
personal page in the Favorites section. This allows making various
deviations more accessible.
Prints. Prints refer to deviations that are for sale, if the user is
subscribed then he can establish a selling price for a print. If the
user is not subscribed the price is attributed by the website and it
seems to be based on the quality of the uploaded file and
dimension. The proceeds obtained from the sale in this latter case
goes to deviantArt and not to the artist.
2.1.4.
Search. Use to find a specific art piece.
2.1.5.
Wishlist, is a list of art that one can acquire and as a way of
showing by others their appreciation for a work well done.

2.1.6.

Editing

functionalities.

Interfaces

for

managing,

submission, updating and editing of deviations, prints, journal,

settings, profile and accessing the shopping account.
2.1.7.
Categories and subcategories. The main categories include
the Traditional Art, Digital Art, Photography, Literature, Artisan
Crafts,

Designs

&

Interfaces,

Flash,

Film

&

Animation,

Manga/Anime, Anthro, Cartoons & Comics, Fan Art, Customization,

Resources, deviantART Related, Community Projects and Scraps
or unfinished work. Paintings, graffitis, body painting, make up,
tattoos,

photography,

flash

animations,

films,

skins

for

applications, wallpapers, typography, tutorials on several topics

and so on are available in deviantArt. Tutorials cover user support
such as how to draw anything and how to make a video,
photography and digital art. Subcategories list is endless and it
gives a pretty good idea of how diverse is this community and its
activities.
3. deviantArt as a Self-Organizing System
Whether deviantART is a self-organizing system is the crucial issue
addressed here.

The indicators enumerated by Fuchs are considered in

relation to the structure, organization and operations of deviantART.

3.1.
SYSTEMNESS
Systemness is the condition of a complex system with a set of
unified elements that appear to be a whole with behaviour distinct from
the behaviour of its parts. A self-organizing system has parts, interactions,
structural relationships, behavior, state, and border that delimit it from its
environment (Fuchs, 2008).
3.1.1.
deviantArt Community
Communication and interaction
Asynchronous technologies, such as Chat rooms, Forums,
Shout box, Personal notes, Comments on deviations or journals, and
Boards are where dA communication system was based. Emotional
communication such as avatar or online personages is used for textbased or non-verbal communication. A watchlist maintain a list of

friends or fans and is a means for members to become closer to

each other and follow easily each others activities. The foregoing
communication tools enable deviants or DA members to discuss
their critics or observations, however, most user page comments
rely on just thanking for an addition of their work to the Favourites
Gallery, for the addition to the Watchlist or friends greetings
(Frietas, 2009).
Relationships
The user can create his friends list by organizing it by
groups. Deviants added to the watchlist, are also deviants added to
the friends list. Adding someone to the watchlist will become your
friend and consequently you become his fan, extending your
appreciation to his work. It seems to be a compliment and also a
matter of reputation, many watchers seem to represent more
success and consequently more acceptability in the community. The
acquaintances formed in dA belong to the weak tie groups.
According to Granovetter(1973), weak tie groups include people
who share common interest but lack strong emotional support.
Weak tie groups are more important than strong tie groups
because the former is most likely to provide awareness about new
ideas, new contacts and are more willing to exchange information
with them. From this theory the two types of ties (strong and weak)
can be seen in deviantArt. Weak ties relate to the commercial
aspect of the website such as art exposure and share, artists
promotion and divulgation and strong ties are constructed through
the exchange of personal information, thoughts, experiences, and
interests (Frietas, 2009).

Community activities
Community individuals can monitor and observe social

activities that occur around the within and outside dA, such as
community mood, latest news, popular journals, last 2-second

comments, number of online deviants by Deviant type and popular

forum threads. Art contests and events are developed within the
deviantArt website, face to face encounters and events have place
outside dA. Videos and photos of these events are presented in the
website in the deviantArt related category (Frietas, 2009).
dA is a community of practice because members or users
can share their problems, passion, tips how to deepen their
knowledge and expertise by means of interacting with each other.
The film making board and the sharing of tutorials in dA are proofs
of being a community of practice. (Frietas, 2009).
3.1.2.
Artists
dA community is not only diverse in the art it shares but also
embraced artists regardless of nationality, age and professional status.
Some members have formed interest group on other websites such as
Facebook, Twitter or Flickr without intention to leave dA. This strategy
creates a portal for all art enthusiasts around the globe to discover dA.
Artist in dA not seen as an individualized user, but instead they call dA
community as We. This feeling has been preserved by members and
serves as a main encouragement of users jointly with the opportunity
of showing their art to the world (Frietas, 2009).
3.1.3.
Opportunities
The rising popularity of dA raises the probability of finding job
or career opportunities. For example, an art student, was hired to work
as a visual developer and character designer in Disney. His career
started when he divulge his artworks in dA and eventually noticed by
employers. Another example is from a user presented with a work
opportunity, as he referred in his journal and shown on Popular Journals
topic (Frietas, 2009).
3.1.4.
Moderation
Online ethics and website policies are observe among dA staff
and users. They do behavior regulation and moderation based on
company established rules and policies. For security purposes, every
user may block users or violators account but cannot delete (only data

may be deleted by the account owner) if he thinks the rules and

policies are violated. Relatively to work protection users have the
option to license their works. (Frietas, 2009).
3.2.

COMPLEXITY
According to Fuchs (2010), the system is complex if there are

millions of actors and interactions; nobody can be fully aware of and can
fully control these interaction flows. The system is dynamic; it is
permanently reproduced by human actions and communications.
dA community is constantly growing in membership and the
quantity of materials added by its members and site staff. dA provides
various communication means to facilitate online interactions among its
millions users. Artists interact highly with other site users including
visitors, usually about the art they post, literary and the like, thus creates
relationships and expands acquaintances and connections. dA provides
extensive forums and chat rooms to facilitate site-wide discussion.
deviantART is also a medium for everyday communication between
artists. Through deviantART, newcomers to art worlds gain access to oldtimers, who in turn could serve as role models, sources of inspiration,
mentors, and even fans. Reciprocally, members with more experience
could find new audiences for their work, cultivate existing fans, become
mentors, discover new distribution outlets, and continue their artistic
trajectories.
3.3.
CONTROL PARAMETER, CRITICAL VALUE, FLUCTUATION
and INTENSIFICATION, BIFURCATION POINTS and EMERGENCE
OF ORDER
deviantART started small and less known to the community. Its
primary function was to bring people with common interest together as
Bowness and Heinich identified as peers. The rapid increase in
membership from tens to 100s to millions, the sites increasing
significance and varying position in the world of art and commerce have
created certain technical concerns, however these did not have serious
impact in the operation of the site. When the servers are overloaded, the

newly submitted deviations, new favourites additions and comments may

not appear right away.

Also, there are irregularities in the way

deviantARTs metrics had been implemented. For example, a 16-years old

girl was cheating dAs technical systems. She was consistently appeared
at or near the top of a list of deviantART though her artworks are not that
impressive; She had created work and featured on another site, thus
directing a steady volume of traffic back to her dA userpage. What she
had done was to reveal the problem with pageview counter of the system
that is the inability to handle numbers over a certain threshold.

Theft

have been a repeated discourse throughout the site providing proof to the
fact that concern about the protection of ones art is a pervasive concern.
With the help of online users feedback, these system concerns
were immediately identified and fixed. Today the system is more resilient
than before and now able to handle its function as a complex intersection
of art and become an arena at the intersection of multiple art worlds and
related institutions. dA is now more welcoming and friendly system.
Members now have more freedom, options and increased control over
their work. At the same time some of its participants tried to fashion it
into their own world. It is now also an environment to facilitate selfpromotion, marketing, educational environment and even commerce. dA
now provides a platform for community spirit to find or identify those
deviants who are good at reaching out to others, and matches them with
new members who may benefit from a kindred guide. Recently the new
dA attracted more than 2.5 billion monthly pageviews from 67 million
unique visitors and consequently, dA has recently raised $10 million from
Autodesk and private investors.
3.4.

FEEDBACK LOOPS, CIRCULAR CAUSALITY

In self-organizing system, interactions in the existing structure

cause a new structure to emerge (Fuchs, 2008). Posting a piece of art

online via dA establishes virtual connections and socializations with
others. Virtual interactions triggers the conception of new ideas and once

these ideas are recognized and realized, new structures may immerged.
dA as a pedagogical tool, a space for producing content (not just passive
users), and an avenue for promotion and study of art are structures that
have formed as a result of interactions. Newly formed structures have
made deviantArt a better place for helping one another to become a
better artist, widen their market and raise the probability of finding job or
career opportunities. As a result, artists will become devoted to dA and
encouraged to create and share more works online.
3.5.
NONLINEARITY
Due to the networked structure of deviantArt, small causes can
have large effects for example, a single upload of artwork may spread
rapidly through the network, intensify collective social interaction. The
artworks through the share facility may be visible not only within
deviantArt but also to other social network sites such as facebook and
twitter. Based on perceived quality, an artwork may receive hundreds or
thousands of criticism or approval and may bring a lot of opportunities to
its creator by means of the sale on prints.
3.6.
RELATIVE CHANCE
There is dialectic of chance and necessity in self-organizing
systems; certain aspects are determined, whereas others are relatively
open and according to chance (Fuchs, 2008). Certain aspects that are
determined in dA is the formation of friends list or groups of friends.
Friends

formation

call

for

creation

of

sub-communities

organized

according to interests.
As the most famous distribution site of digital media, literary and
art, dA immerged as a pedagogical tool for learning or a site of emerging
New Literacies. New Literacies Studies (NLS) provides a framework for
identifying and describing behaviors related to the acquisition of skills,
knowledge, and dispositions emerging in social technologies (Cazden,
1996). This emergence was due to an unexpected turn of events,
members who at the same time member of the academic community took
advantage of the potential of dA as an educational tool.
3.7.
INFORMATION PRODUCTION

dA is constantly changing through membership growth and the

sheer quantity of materials added such as new profiles, artwork, journal
entries, news articles, forum threads, and comments. In this sense, the
site is co-created (Banks, 2009) or produced (Bruns, 2008) by its staff and
deviants. Co-created in the sense that through dA members and staff are
brought together to jointly create and produce a mutually valued
information and outcome.
3.8.
FAULT TOLERANCE
It is certain that deviantArt has bugs, however these do not affect
entirely the operation of the site. Along with newly submitted deviations,
new favourites additions, forum postings or comments may not always
show immediately when servers are overloaded from time to time.
Additionally, bugs in the way deviantARTs metrics had been implemented
(e.g. the pageview counter could not handle numbers over a certain
threshold). These disturbances are local to the system and they do not
affect the structure of the system, hence maintains the system stability.
3.9.
OPENNESS
Openness means that the system imports something that doesnt
exist yet. In deviantArt, receiving comments on deviations is the most
rewarding aspects, thus, deviants conceived the idea of having bonds
between new deviants and help people find similar artists to grow with.
deviantArt made this idea into reality by importing in the site a platform
for community spirit (Figure 1) in order to identify deviants who are good
at reaching out to others, and matches them with new deviants who
might benefit from a kindred guide. This new feature helps deviants grow
as an artist and meet new people (deviantArt, 2016).
Figure 1. dA new feature for community spirit.

Source: [Link]
3.10. SYMMETRY BREAKING
deviantArt use simple route in which a deviation could list multiple
deviants as contributors to the final deviation, however such an approach
is that the deviation would only appear in one deviants gallery, and only
that deviant would receive comments and favourites, thus, this isnt an
ideal approach. A common request from dA members or deviants is to
post collaborative deviations, where more than one deviant has worked to
create the end product and all participants are receiving comments and
favourites as well (deviantArt, 2016).
deviantArt pursued complex collaborative approach deviations in
satisfaction to the deviants request, thus the simple approach was
removed. The removal of the simple approach didnt cause problem and
the collaborative deviations mechanism lives on (deviantArt, 2016).
3.11. INNER CONDITIONALITY
It was noted earlier that the collaborative deviations mechanism
had shifted from simple to complex approach. The complex approach
faced with more complex options and circumstances. All deviants would
need to confirm that they worked on the deviation, in order for them to be
cited, conditions who can edit the deviation various details, and how are
profits dealt with if the collaboration is set for sale.

There are established boundaries in dA that are varied and formless.

Adding art or engaging with others through the dA platforms requires
joining which is easy, and free to everyone. Its boundaries extend into
other sites as well, such as conventions where deviants meet together,
swap usernames, give each other business details, and where dA has
sponsored events.
3.12. COHESION
Cohesion means that the closure of the causal relations among the
dynamical parts of a dynamical particular that determine its resistance to
external and internal fluctuations that might disrupt its integrity (Fuchs,
2008).
Involvement thru the different clubs is the cohesive force of dA.
Artist community opens and extends arm to any member who wants to be
involved by offering them the areas where they could be interested.
Members are free to join one or more clubs that they could be interested
or they may create their own clubs and invite others to collaborate.
Groups of dA members usually meet offline organized specifically
around people affiliated with dA, called devMeets. There are groups of
deviants, such as Bay Area Artists Unite, meet up for reasons not directly
related to their shared membership. Artists meet up, network, and sell
their work. These meetings help localize the site to particular places or
types of media production.
3.13. HIERARCHY and GLOBALIZATION AND LOCALIZATION
dA members are not only organized into various categories
according

on

their

relationship

to

the

company

or

community

management but also as clubs based around particular interests and

activities.
These clubs varied tremendously in term of type, size, scope and
have different degrees of organizational structure. Some of these clubs
are art collectives, artists engaged in similar type of project while others
are based around particular media fandoms. ArtistsHospital and dAMentors provide different forms of help. RoninUltramix formed around
contests and competitions or tournaments. Bay Area Artists Unite, a club

formed one of several ways to enhance dAs activities. ArtistsForCharity,

formed around causes, such as broad political and social causes.
PolicyRapistNoMore or the Anti-Editing-Club formed around to help
combat alleged policy violations on the site. These groups have different
degrees of organizational structure. dA is hierarchical: a site where
multiple hierarchies formed and developed (Bruns, 2008). Some of these
hierarchies are fluid, while others are relatively stable.
3.14. UNITY IN PLURALITY
Over the past decade, various site developments have been
deployed to facilitate the distribution of content among members, readers
and users. The new generation of digital tools is allowing learners to
become generators of content (Frey, 2007), instead of passive consumers
of knowledge, indicating a preference for active approaches to learning
(Klamma, R., Cao, Y. and Spaniol, M., 2007).
Many members of dA turn to designing and producing learning
resources,

such

as

user-made

tutorials

and

how-to

documents.

Collective Learning Resources offered a practical way for members to

provide expertise to novice members (Perkel, D., & Herr-Stephenson, B.,
2008).
4. Applicable Social Theories
4.1.
PROCESS VIRTUALIZATION
Engaging in the distribution and promoting of artworks in virtual
galleries provides an opportunity to discover the potentials of amateurs
by other artists, to become popular, and involved in a greater community
of artists. Most of the amateurs consider physical exhibition and online
existence an important exposure in becoming an artist, however,
professional artists tend to give importance to the online existence more
than physical (Zontea, 2010).
dA eliminates the physical interaction characteristics of a traditional
museum. Artwork descriptions are made available via web pages for
evaluation without the need of face-to-face encounter.
4.1.1.
Sensory Requirements

The processes of dA are more amenable to virtualization because

the artworks it share and maintain require low sensory requirements.
Artworks may be easily represented digitally such as audio, video,
haptic, and olfactory senses are not necessary. This idea coincides with
the dont touch policy strictly enforced by most physical museums
particularly on paintings and other photographic artifacts. Tactile
experience is entirely banned including those visually impaired to
avoid breakage and contamination that may damage certain fragile
and sensitive materials (Dennis, 2013).
4.1.2.
Relationship Requirements
The virtual environment is a reflexive place where the self
multiplies and allows the creation and formation of an identity
sustained through an online facework. In the goffmanian sense, online
identity is developed through the interactions inside the gallery such
as giving and receiving feedback, following others galleries, joining in
contests, becoming a member in other online groups. Studies show
that

face-to-face

interaction

can

transmit

broader

range

of

communication reminders (gestures, posture, and inflection) which is

limited

in

virtual

environment,

however,

processes

with

high

relationship requirements can be virtualized (Overby, 2005). Research

suggests that to satisfy relationship requirements in a virtual process is
to have the participants meet face-to-face in addition to interacting
virtually (Orlikowski, 2002).
4.1.3.
Synchronism Requirements
A vast collection of artworks can be exhibited online via the
Internet more rapidly than physical gallery. One of the difficulties in
virtualizing non-downloadable artifacts for sale is the delay between
when a customer makes an order of the items and when he receives
them, meanwhile videos, skins and literatures that are highly
represented through digital interface technologies appears to have no
problem with process virtualization(Overby, 2005).
4.1.4.
Identification and Control Requirements

The anonymity and the pseudonimity complicate the identity

issue of a participants digital personality. The digital personality may
be completely distinct to the individuals offline identity, thus virtual
processes may suffer from control problems because it is difficult to
detect the one engaging in an activity or influencing their behavior.
Virtual galleries imply a visual rhetoric specific to the
advertised product. Artists post their most appreciated artworks
making their gallery attractive to users.

dA earned fame for being

awarded as the most visited gallery of the month. The online gallery
represents the users online identity, thus appreciating his artworks
reflects his qualities as artist (Zontea, 2010).
4.2.
deviantArt as PEDAGOGICAL TOOL - TASK-TECHNOLOGYFIT
THEORY
4.2.1.

Individual Characteristics

Jenkins, Purushotma, Weigle, Clinton, and Robinson (2009)

argued that dA as a site of emerging New Literacies is described as a
participatory culture that offer increased opportunities for peer-topeer learning or learning from each other, a changed attitude toward
intellectual property, the diversification of cultural expression, the
development of skills valued in the modern workplace and a more
empowered conception of citizenship.
4.2.2.

Technology Characteristics
dA is a site of emerging New Literacies. Today, New Literacies

Studies (NLS) serves the framework for identifying and ascribing

behaviors for the acquisition of skills, knowledge, and dispositions
emerging in social technologies (Cazden, 1996). New Literacies
involves actual technologies (actual hardware and software), and
ethos of human behaviors and practices occurring on those social
technologies

(cyberspacial-postindustrial

mindset)

Purushotma, Weigle, Clinton, and Robinson, 2009).

4.2.3.

Task Characteristics

(Jenkins,

NLS serves the framework for identifying and understanding the

distribution of expertise such as collective intelligence that emerges
from collaboration for solving problems; the role to inspire and
motivate played by peers; the preference for collaboration; the
dispersion of user-made resources; the sharing through stock images,
memes, and tasks; the presence of minimal policing; and the high
tolerance for others artistic freedom (Kress & van Leeuwen, 2001).

4.2.4.

Technology Use

NLS analysis reveals various educational implications for art

education arising within social technologies like dA. These implications
involved the production of formal resources; remediation; multimodal
assessment; teaching as participatory sharing; improvement as
achievement; collective learning; and autonomous learning. They also
provide insight into possible uses of social technologies in the
classroom (Jones, B., 2015).
4.2.5.

Performance Benefits

Apart from revealing 21st-century literacies including creating

formal authoritative and multimodal learning documents attuned to the
learning needs of peers, CLRs stimulate

encourages peer-to-peer

learning, self- and peer-assessment, authentic learning experiences,

self-motivation, and the inclusion of content youth value.
4.3.

deviantArt

AS

TRANSDISCIPLINARY

PLATFORM

MIKROPOLIS MODEL
Information Systems (IS) have been subjects of studies. Various
theories have been adopted for the study of IS, however majority of
theories used in IS research (ISR) is focused on the individual, group, or
organizational level, thus, limited to the study of IS and their interplay
with their immediate (business and organizational) contexts. The process
of design and development of software and information technology, social
and organizational contexts must necessarily be taken into account
(Dwivedi, 2012).
4.3.1.
It

The Socio-Technical Core

describes

the

transformation

of

human

actions

into

technological artifacts and the process of embedding technological

artifacts into social contexts. Human actions are decontextualized and
transformed into technological artifacts; technological artifacts are in
turn recontextualized in their context of use by human actors (Dwivedi,
2012).

Online gallery is a virtual environment, that allow individuals to

dramatically alter their self-representation (Yee, N., Bailenson, N.,
Ducheneaut, N., 2009).So, virtual environment or identitary is a
reflexive place where the self multiplies and permits the creation of an
online identity through computer mediated communication such as dA.
It is a place where an identity is formed and sustained through an
online facework, in the goffmanian sense, developed through the
interactions inside the gallery (Zontea, 2010).
4.3.2.

Micro-Context

This phase describes the interplay between development and

use of ICT and IS on an organizational and inter-organizational level.
The focus here lies on the interactions that form a process of
incremental development of technology and organizations (Dwivedi,
2012).
By tracing FAQs and feedback sections of dA reveals numerous
systems shortcomings, bugs and deficient features. This shows that
previous decisions regarding IT support had seldom been discussed
with a substantial number of network members, but rather been made
by the same group of few individuals who were especially competent
with, and interested in, manifested in IT. A dedicated feedback section
particularly for bug fixes is provided as a basis for system improvement
and bugs shall be gradually fixed.
4.3.3.

Macro-Context

This phase focuses on the implications of ICT for the society at

large, and vice versa. It describes the interplay between technological
and organizational innovation and social change. At this level, social
norms, patterns, standards, and cultural values that guide individuals
are focused as well as societal sub-systems, like economy, science,
and public administration (Dwivedi, 2012).
The deviants in the same interest and market do not consider
themselves as competitors. Artwork contributions and information are

not

withheld

by

the

deviants

due

the

intrinsic

and

extrinsic

motivations. The system usage is satisfactorily high as reflected by the

increasing number of artwork contributions, membership and visitors
each day. This result is a sign that DiaviantArt is a suitable platform in
satisfying the needs of artists and the right site where members learn
to become better artists.

6. CONCLUSION
Based on the indicators cited by Fuchs, deviantArt (dA) clearly
shows a self-organizing behaviour for the capacity as such is an
imperative that cannot be foregone in a society where innovation and
transition are spontaneous.
The systemness, openness and non-linearity of deviantArt make it a
complex system. The complexity of dA is evidenced by its unpredictable
behaviour due to the uncontrollable interactions of the members. There
are various communication means which facilitate online interactions and
which further build relationships and expand acquaintances. These
acquaintances are composed mostly of the weak tie groups that are
organized into various categories based on their relationship to the
company

or

community

management;

and

clubs

based

around

particular interests and activities. According to Granovetter(1973), weak

tie groups are important because the more weak ties we have, the more
connected to the world we are and are more likely to receive important
information about ideas, threats and opportunities in time to respond to
them.
The system can now spontaneously cope up with external
disturbances and is able to handle temporary destabilization and quickly
regain their balance because of the immediate execution of actions for
fixes of bugs(deviantART, 2015). Consequent to the bugs fixes and major
changes made, dA is emerging as a more welcoming and friendly
environment to facilitate self-promotion, marketing, educational and even
commerce.
Process Virtualization: dA facilitates an online evaluation of
artwork without the need of face-to-face interactions. The processes of dA
are more amenable to virtualization because artworks require low sensory
requirements that may be easily represented into digital format. In this
case the sense of touch and smell or olfactory senses are not necessary.
For the relationship requirement, virtual environment (user page) serves
as reflexive place where the self multiplies and permits the creation of an

online identity. Virtual processes suffer from control problems due to

anonymity and pseudonimity of identity, that is the difficulty to detect the
person engaging in an activity or influencing their behavior. To address
control problems, artists post their most appreciated artworks making
their gallery attractive to users (visual rhetoric), thus appreciating his
artworks reflects his qualities as artist regardless of his offline identity.
Transformative

Use

of

deviantArt:

The

main

goal

of

transformation is empowerment. It is the equipping of a person with the

necessary skills and knowledge so that he can stand on his own and make
confident informed decisions founded on experience. In deviantArt, the
artists identity bestowed by the education system that separates
between the amateur and professional is immaterial. Through deviantART,
newcomers to art worlds gain access to old-timers, who in turn could
serve

as

role

models,

source

of

inspiration,

mentors,

and

fans.

Reciprocally, members with more experience could find new audiences for
their work, cultivate existing fans, become mentors, discover new
distribution outlets, and continue their artistic trajectories.

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