Week 9: Participatory Media (Blogging@work) – Reading

 

Business & Networking 

Business is about people relationships and communication thus using social web applications at the workplace is a natural extension in the office world.    Smith’s article states how companies can and should “leverage the power of social media as a new external communication channel.”  The first step is to ensure employees are “familiar with social media and how it’s being used.”  IBM is an example of an early adaptor of social media at work.  Slowly others are catching onto the Web 2.0 wave. 

Web 2.0 @ work 

Currently King County Library System (where I am employed) is participating in Learning 2.0 – 27 Things (“an online learning program to learn more about emerging technologies on the web that are changing the way people, society and libraries access information and communicate with each other”), which introduces various Web 2.0 features like Flickr, YouTube, RSS, tagging and more.   Participants create a blog (link to my Learning 2.0 work blog: http://swkcls.blogspot.com/) to document their experience and complete exercises.   The goal is to integrate Web 2.0 technology throughout the library system using features such as IM (instant communication), Wikis (used by individual libraries to share timely information relevant to one or more branches such as alternate closing times on snow days), MySpace (used as a library social network to attract teens to the library), Library Thing (used to share booklists) and be part of the “Library 2.0” revolution. 

Laws & standards

Official “blogging@work” will begin soon according to the KCLS blogging committee who has mentioned adopting wordpress as the blog format.  Standards for blogging will be an issue as well as whether or not employees will be anonymous.  Currently there are no laws about blogging.

Be Smart!

The Electronic Frontier Foundation provides tips for being a smart blogger and avoid getting fired!  When it comes to social networks and the workplace, using common sense is a must!  Ask who do I want to see this?  What are the consequences of sharing this information?     

Debate about blogging at work 

Pros Social interaction is key to successful work environment,  Improving workplace collaberation 

Cons Snooping on workers  Paper – The Causes and Consequences of Social Networks in the Workplace

Relevant Images

QUESTIONS

1. In what ways do you see companies utilizing social networking technology (real examples or projection)?

2. How do you practice safe blogging?

3. Does social networking provide more negative or positive aspects for the work world?

Week 8: Online Credibility (What do you trust?) – Reading

 

INTERNET TRUST – Who and what do you trust? – What is your reputation? 

Online credibility is something of concern to anyone with content on the Internet.  With millions turning to online search as their “all-in-one” encyclopedia, recommender, and know-it-all “friend,” creating a website that oozes a feeling of trust is essential. 

How do you obtain trust online?  The articles reveal that every element of website design and content creation is vital in devising and/or persuading the user of the site’s trustworthiness, “persuasion scholars have shown how various elements of messages such as language, intensity, style, attractiveness, and quality all effect message perceptions” (Eastin).  “Ease of use” is an important factor for credibility (Chandran). 

As an online user, I agree that design and navigability are critical for trust; I expect trustworthy sources would invest time and money in creating a good site.  However, if a professor has a simple site, I am still likely to “trust” it because of association.  In addition, I could be easily fooled (hopefully not!) by a well-designed hacker site. 

Something that is easily identifiable for online trust association is the ending of a URL, whether it is “.com”, “.net”, “.org”, “.edu”.  For instance, I am likely to trust a “.edu” which indicates education over “.com” which is more widespread. 

For myself, trust comes from a balance of good website design, name recognition and association. 

QUESTIONS

1) What site do you trust?

2) Are there certain designs or elements that elicit trust?

3) Do brand names influence trust regardless of site design?

Discussion Leader (Week 7): Reflection

Overall: The discussion leader exercise allowed me to practice researching and presenting in all areas: written, visual and spoken form.  It was helpful in forcing me to speak in front of an audience which is an essential skill that I need to master.  Presentation is a whole package of communicating thoughts and ideas.  Those who are successful can seamlessly use all presentation elements. 

Research:  Searching for scholarly articles on the topic of flash was not as efficient as I would have hoped.  I came across working papers and our class article.  However I was able to find relevance to flash and journalism from journalism.org’s annual report on “The State of the News Media” which I came across form other communication websites.  Searching other individuals blogs provided a good flash site example, a digital yearbook of a high school affected by Hurricane Katrina.  Also, it was interesting to receive a comment from the author of one of the blogs I linked to. 

Presenting:  Deciding and balancing what information to present was a challenge (similar to Goldilocks – too much/too little/just right?) as well as feeling comfortable in front of the class (being in the spotlight still makes me nervous).  Once the presentation was over I thought “that’s not as overwhelming as I made it out to be” and realized the usual saying “practice makes perfect,” the more I present, the better and more comfortable I will be with it.  Eventually/hopefully I can become a master.  Not that I will stop learning, rather I will be more proficient and have a comfort level like the “back of my hand” or so easy “I can do it in my sleep” as the saying goes.

Discussion Leader (Week 7 – Reading): Flash! – Worth a million words?

Week 7: Moving Pictures and SoundDiscussion Leader (Group 4):

• Gigabit Networks (Kevin): Providing Ubiquitous Gigabit Networks In The United States (pdf)
• Flash Journalism (Stephanie): Flash Journalism: Professional Practice Today
• PowerPoint: Link

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PICTURE: http://www.macloo.com/images/flashbook.gif 

Thanks to Gigabit Networks we have FLASH JOURNALISM! 

If a picture is worth a thousand words then picture combined with sound must be more, a million words.  Flash transforms journalism by enabling this multimedia synthesis thereby transforming the media and reporting world.  More than just a newspaper or typical television broadcast, flash combines/encompasses everything:

• Text
• Picture
• Sound

The State of the Media 2007 categorizes some of the digital journalism phenomena:

1. User customization
2. User participation
3. Use of multi media
4. Site depth
5. Editorial branding
6. Revenue streams

Relevant Blogs:

http://tojou.blogspot.com/2006/12/multimedia-lives-of-new-orleans-teens.html

http://cyndygreen.wordpress.com/ 

SOURCES 

Goldblum, J., Cogan, J., & Lee, D. (2006). Yearbook 2006: Benjamin Franklin High School New Orleans, Louisiana. Retrieved May, 8, 2007 from http://www.y06.org 

Project for Excellence in Journalism. (2007). The state of the news media 2007: an annual report on American journalism. Digital journalism: a topography of news websites. Retrieved May, 8, 2007 from http://www.stateofthenewsmedia.org/2007/narrative_digital_intro.asp?media=2 

QUESTIONS

1)     What are the best uses of flash?

2)     How does flash change media?

3)     Where do you see the future of journalism?

Week 6: Rhetoric and Storytelling – Reading

The Elements of Good Storytelling by Kimberly Applecline

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How do you write a good story? 

 

http://battellemedia.com/images/book_open-4.jpg 

Storytelling is a natural part of life, something humans have been doing for generations.  Good storytelling is a skill that can be used in any setting whether it is storytelling for educational purposes, storytelling for business or storytelling for fun; having the right components is key to achieving the “perfect” story!  In the article, Appelcline describes the necessary elements of a good story (setting, character, plot, backstory, detail).  To incorporate these successfully, one must analyze the audience and genre – i.e. what and for whom are you writing?  For example a newspaper article, poem, textbook, novel all may have stories to them however; they are completely different styles of writing.  Additionally, the audience and genre will help determine the best sequence of events such as chronological, anachronous, using flashbacks and backstory (think Lost episode format) etc. 

Digital storytelling

http://digitalmedia.jhu.edu/files/Image/Gallery/DigitalStoryIntro.gif  Digital storytelling adds new dimensions to the traditional writing such as what media format would be best to express the story? Visual, audio, written???  The digital media center atJohn Hopkins University has personal student examples: http://digitalmedia.jhu.edu/taxonomy/term/23S

The best story ever told!  

http://www.shakespeare.org.uk/gallery2/d/1713-1/shakespeare_pn_187ed1.jpg 

The literary world has many great examples of storytelling – what would be your pick?  Scott Dudley (PhD Literature) says he’s read thousands of stories and the Bible is the best one he’s read; it has the best action, the best plot, the best character development, the raciest scenes you’ll ever read (Mark Twain said “the bible is the dirtiest book he ever read”) and behind it all one major theme (God – a God of love, a warrior God to stamp out evil, a faithful God etc.).  It is one exciting continuous story from the Old Testament (recounts Gods dealings with the people of Israel) to New Testament (life of Jesus, the apostles and growth of Christian Church) organized into genres (mythic, history, writings, prophets, letters to churches etc.) with one plot (a God that never gives up).See Journey through the Bible http://www.fpcbellevue.org/sermons/index.php   Finally editing! An important part to remember!  Ask – is this a good story?…http://edcommunity.apple.com/ali/galleryfiles/504/stellingwkstp2.gif 

Questions:

1)     What is/are the best and favorite story/ies you’ve ever hear/read/seen?

2)     What is your preference of order e.g. do you prefer flashbacks, anachronous or chronological timeline?

3)     Does digital storytelling change any of the elements?

Individual Project: Story (Draft)

see “individual project” under pages

OPTION 1  Story: The Internet Job Search 

Page 1: The evolution of the job search 

• Brief history of applying for jobs and employment agencies
• How the Internet adds new resources (monster.com, jobster.com).

Page 2: Following someone on the job hunt 

• Picture of student applying for job (soon to be MCDM graduate Jyotsna who is kindly willing to share her job hunt experience).
• Video clip of interview with soon to be MCDM graduate.

Page 3: Resources 

• Advice for job seekers and links to resources.
• Link to online portfolio example.

OPTION 2  Story: Job search and social networks 

Page 1: The evolution of the job search with online social networking 

• Brief history of online social networking
• Example of facebook and myspace, biznik

Page 2: Following someone on the job hunt 

• Picture of student applying for job (soon to be MCDM graduate Jyotsna who is kindly willing to share her job hunt experience).
• Video clip of interview with soon to be MCDM graduate.

Page 3: Resources – how online social networking can be good or bad in the job search 

• Advice for job seekers in using online social networking for better or worse
• Link to resources such as Biznik

IMAGES:

Week 5: Visual Storytelling – Reading

• Jean Vanderdonckt, “Visual Design Methods in Interactive Applications” and Information Design in Motion from Content and Complexity: Information Design in Technical Communication by Michael J. Albers and Beth Mazur (ed) (eReserve)

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Visual design is a critical component of visual storytelling.  Placing text and images strategically requires technique in layout.  As a web user who views multiple sites I can begin to relate to the design concept.  When looking at a site it will strike me as either visually pleasing or not; however I normally do not recognize or categorize the specifics of the layout. 

The article by Vanderdoncki introduces a variety of methods: physical techniques (balance, symmetry, regularity, alignment, proportion, horizontality), composition techniques (simplicity, economy, understatement, neutrality, singularity, positivity, transparency), association and dissociation techniques (unity, reparation, grouping, sparing), ordering techniques (consistency, predictability, sequentiality, continuity), photographic techniques (sharpness, roundness, stability, leveling, activeness, subtlety, representation, realism, flatness). 

The methods discussed are used in the application of graphic design and digital storytelling.  As an artist/designer learning these techniques is important just as much as common sense and following your gut – if it looks right, must be something good; however in order to teach others it is helpful to describe one’s craft using defined techniques J 

QUESTIONS: 1) How does web-design affect audience perception of content?

2) Is human perception of visual design similar or more influenced by culture?  

3) Is design simply a question of personal taste?

Week 4: Digital Asset Management – Reading

·                     Executive Guide: Content Management *unknown article?

·                     Manage, Don’t Mangle, Your Digital Assets

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Ah-ha 1:  Online content should be easy to use and management’s job is to ensure that!  Computer users do not want to be bothered with excessive clicking, registration, software updates, technical malfunctions and the like.  Most use Internet as a fast source for information to answer problems, questions etc.  To maximize one’s audience, content should be readily available for seamless use with different browsers and technology equipment.  In addition subject matter must be balanced between what is interesting and necessary.  Testing content in the eyes of a user is essential. 

Ah-ha 2:  People are not willing to pay for virtual content (only physical)!  This generalization holds true because individuals want to feel like they get their money’s worth which usually constitutes something tangible one can touch.  An example of this can be seen with photographs; most do not pay for digital storage of their photos on sites like flickr but will pay to have their photos developed at a store, filing the printed photos away in a storage unit with a physical location.  One interesting contrary reality is that people are willing to pay to download music such as i-tunes and one-time use of a movie such as through Amazon.com’s Unbox.  What causes this disparity in willingness to pay for some content but not others?  The answer may rest on the fact that ideas and information are limitless, as the saying goes “a dime a dozen” i.e. cheap and of little value.  People will only pay for something of unique value to them like a niche hobby magazine, however those days may be numbered as well.  Magazines are becoming free and online such as the Ralph Lauren Polo.com Magazine or the online Streaming Media Magazine. 

QUESTIONS: 1) What services/goods are people willing to pay for online? / What should the criteria be for paid content? 2) Will magazines become free online? 3) How can delivering free online content pay for itself in a profitable business format? 4) How can online content be user friendly for all computer formats?

Week 3: Hypertext – In-class Assignment

Analyze these stories. How have they used hypertext? How well does the navigation work? The design? What do you like, dislike and why? How do these stories reinforce or counter your best practices/learnings from last week’s discussion? Post to your blog; tag as “assignment”

• Entertainment Promo : Sideways v. IMDB v. Grey’s Anatomy
• Medical/Health Story : Guy Simplant v. NIH v. AHA

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ENTERTAINMENT

• Sideways uses unclear hypertext; the only way to tell if a word is linked is to hover over it.  The design is colorful and all the links work making it simple to use if one is interested enough to hover and click on the attractive text.  One positive is that most hypertext does not take one away from the main navigation or link out without opening a new window.  One negative is that the links do not always work.
• IMDB uses classic hypertext with links indicated by blue font.  The design is not complicated or flashy and there are many ways to search and return to the original page.  I like its classic simple design.
• Grey’s Anatomy is flashy synonymous with what I would expect from a television show site.  The design stays within the character of the show with hypertext links allowing one to watch episodes and learn about characters.  The site combines flashy style with classic web design, something that I find neutral as a user; I neither like or dislike it.

MEDICAL 

• Guy Simplant is an interesting interactive site which allows one to link linearly similar to a book or slide show.  It is easy to get distracted/confused with the design.  I do not easily recognize how to use it at first making me dislike the site, after clicking more I find it amusing. 
• NIH design is simple and classic with left navigation and blue hypertext.  Interactive capabilities include taking tests, quizzes, creating a diet and more.  I like the site because I find it easy to use without getting lost in any of the hypertext. 
• AHA has a likeable modern-classic design.  I feel comfortable using the site.  However, each page changes the navigation making it a bit more complicated.  Another negative is the site prompts signing in to access much of the information.

Individual Project Proposal Pitch

You’re Hired!…online 

Topic: Careers and the Internet: The hiring process online

Audience: Job seekers and recruiters

Pitch:  In today’s world everyone is online.  This affects every aspect of human life including the workplace where people spend a significant portion of their life.  Finding the right job and career is a crucial desire for individuals in the modern world and in this information age the steps to finding the perfect job can all be done online.  Sites such as Monster.com, Yahoo! Hot Jobs, Careerbuilder.com, and Recruiters Online Network bring bring the job seeker and recruiter together.  Other sites such as Biznik bring “who you know” to the online world offering social business networking opportunities. 

Both companies and job candidates have an online presence thus successful navigation and promotion on the Internet are essential to match employers with the right employee and visa versa.

Questions:  How has this reality changed the process of finding, applying for and getting hired for jobs?  What are the legal implications of seeking and recruiting for careers online?  What is the future of the resume (from paper to online text to audio/video)?

Research method and delivery: Written and audio of responses to questionnaire on human resource procedures related to applying for and recruiting for jobs.  Survey on how adults and recent graduates find jobs.