An Overview of Microblogging Technology Update 3 April 09 Elizabeth Koh

Outline Introduction General Uses Technology Comparison Overview of the Microsphere Applications: Enterprise and Education Microblogging Reflections Issues Research Possibilities Future Getting started

Introduction

General Uses

Technology Comparison

Overview of the Microsphere

Applications: Enterprise and Education

Microblogging Reflections

Issues

Research Possibilities

Future

Getting started

Microblogging??? μ -blogging? Micro-messaging? Social Messaging? Micro-sharing?

Microblogging???

Microblogging???

Introduction to Microblogging Service which allows subscribers to post short updates online and broadcast them Answers the question: What are you doing now? A form of social networking Many services such as Twitter, Plurk, sfeed, Yammer, BlueTwit, and several International-based sites.

Service which allows subscribers to post short updates online and broadcast them

Answers the question: What are you doing now?

A form of social networking

Many services such as Twitter, Plurk, sfeed, Yammer, BlueTwit, and several International-based sites.

Popularity Twitter is the fastest growing social community in the U.S. In Singapore, Tan (2009) reports Hitwise statistics Users and visitors to Twitter's site jumped 602% between January 08 and 09 Plurk was even more popular, with 184% more users than Twitter last month Many microblogging services all over the world e.g. Fanfou (China), me2day (Korea), Kronologger (Indonesia)

Twitter is the fastest growing social community in the U.S.

In Singapore, Tan (2009) reports Hitwise statistics

Users and visitors to Twitter's site jumped 602% between January 08 and 09

Plurk was even more popular, with 184% more users than Twitter last month

Many microblogging services all over the world e.g. Fanfou (China), me2day (Korea), Kronologger (Indonesia)

General Uses Means of communication

General Uses Means of communication

General Uses To see what is going on in the world in real-time

To see what is going on in the world in real-time

General Uses To see what is going on in the world in real-time

To see what is going on in the world in real-time

Technology Comparison Microblogging with Blogging Email Instant Messaging (IM) Short Message Service (SMS) Internet Relay Chat (IRC)

Microblogging with

Blogging

Email

Instant Messaging (IM)

Short Message Service (SMS)

Internet Relay Chat (IRC)

Technology Comparison (1) Synchronity Text Length Asynchronous 140 characters μ-blogging Asynchronous Unlimited Blogging Asynchronous Unlimited Email Synchronous 300-500 characters IM Asynchronous 160 characters SMS Synchronous 256 characters IRC

Technology Comparison (2) None None None None Email Email, IM, SMS and other mobile applications Other methods to update the service Chat client IRC Mobile applications SMS Stand-alone clients, browser, mobile applications IM Email clients, Email Browser (webpages, RSS) Blogging Browser (webpages, RSS), Stand-alone clients, mobile applications μ-blogging Methods to access (read) the service

Technology Comparison (3) No Yes Yes Yes No Yes Friend/ Contact list N.A. Private Private Private N.A. Public to Private Visibility of Contact list Group, person (1 – 1) IRC Group, person (1 – 1) SMS Group, person (1 – 1) IM Community, group, person (1 – many) Email World, community, group, person (1 – many) Blogging World, community, group, person (1 – many) μ-blogging Audience/Reach

Overview of the Microsphere Mar 2006 Oct 2007 Jan 2008 Sep 2008 Jul 2008 Dec 2007 Oct 2008 Timeline

Categorizing the Microsphere Narrow focus Broad Focus Simple features Integrated/Additional features

Applications of Microblogging Enterprise External Communication Internal Communication Education Student-Teacher Student-Student Teacher-Teacher

Enterprise

External Communication

Internal Communication

Education

Student-Teacher

Student-Student

Teacher-Teacher

Applications: Enterprise External Communications Branding and Marketing Networking Customer Relationship Management (Social CRM) Direct Traffic and Sales Examples: Zappos (e-commerce footwear shop) Starbucks (coffee chain) Sweet Mandarin (restaurant) Starhub (telecommunications provider) G uy Kawasaki (alltop.com founder, @guykawasaki) Kevin Ong (business coach, @drdollars) Directory of businesses that use Twitter http://twibs.com/

External Communications

Branding and Marketing

Networking

Customer Relationship Management (Social CRM)

Direct Traffic and Sales

Examples:

Zappos (e-commerce footwear shop)

Starbucks (coffee chain)

Sweet Mandarin (restaurant)

Starhub (telecommunications provider)

G uy Kawasaki (alltop.com founder, @guykawasaki)

Kevin Ong (business coach, @drdollars)

Directory of businesses that use Twitter http://twibs.com/

Branding and Marketing

Social CRM

Direct Traffic and Sales

Applications: Enterprise Internal Communications Company-wide communication IT helpdesk track internal IT issues External stakeholder relationship management converse with partners, suppliers Knowledge management ask questions, share resources, locate expertise Presence awareness monitor employees Project management and collaboration project team updates

Internal Communications

Company-wide communication

IT helpdesk

track internal IT issues

External stakeholder relationship management

converse with partners, suppliers

Knowledge management

ask questions, share resources, locate expertise

Presence awareness

monitor employees

Project management and collaboration

project team updates

Company-wide communication

Knowledge Management NASA microblogs with Socialcast “ Using an online social networking approach to capturing and sharing knowledge during the course of business by an intact NASA knowledge workforce provides knowledge in context, is reusable by others in real-time or in the future, and cost effective.” Celeste Merryman (Principal Investigator; McConnachie, 2009)

NASA microblogs with Socialcast

“ Using an online social networking approach to capturing and sharing knowledge during the course of business by an intact NASA knowledge workforce provides knowledge in context, is reusable by others in real-time or in the future, and cost effective.” Celeste Merryman (Principal Investigator; McConnachie, 2009)

Project management and collaboration IBM microblogs with BlueTwit Internally created service that has its own private messaging and is integrated with Twitter

IBM microblogs with BlueTwit

Internally created service that has its own private messaging and is integrated with Twitter

s These tools will hopefully “provide a substitute for personal connectors that flew away with globalization – and help to build and strengthen far-flung teams.” (Baker, 2008)

These tools will hopefully “provide a substitute for personal connectors that flew away with globalization – and help to build and strengthen far-flung teams.” (Baker, 2008)

Applications: Education Student-Teacher Lecture backchannel Communication and broadcast channel Collaboration Grassroots Virtual Learning Environment Online course

Student-Teacher

Lecture backchannel

Communication and broadcast channel

Collaboration

Grassroots Virtual Learning Environment

Online course

Collaboration

Grassroots Virtual Learning Environment

Online Course Holotescu & Grosseck (2008)

Applications: Education Student-Student Follow the Expert Language Learning Teacher-Teacher Personal Learning Network

Student-Student

Follow the Expert

Language Learning

Teacher-Teacher

Personal Learning Network

A Caution on Microblogging Privacy Reliability of the service Etiquette Can be resource intensive

Privacy

Reliability of the service

Etiquette

Can be resource intensive

Emerging Research Areas Network Use and Effects e.g. Java et al. (2007), Krishnamurthy et al.(2008) Type of knowledge shared in microblogging e.g. Zhao & Rosson (2008) Enterprise Applications and Effects E.g. information, social and emotional effects (Zhao & Rosson, 2008) Educational Applications and Effects Preliminary reports by H olotescu & Grosseck (2008), Paul (2008) and Ullrich et al. (2008). Virtual Community and Effects Adoption – Individual and Organization Factors

Network Use and Effects

e.g. Java et al. (2007), Krishnamurthy et al.(2008)

Type of knowledge shared in microblogging

e.g. Zhao & Rosson (2008)

Enterprise Applications and Effects

E.g. information, social and emotional effects (Zhao & Rosson, 2008)

Educational Applications and Effects

Preliminary reports by H olotescu & Grosseck (2008), Paul (2008) and Ullrich et al. (2008).

Virtual Community and Effects

Adoption – Individual and Organization Factors

Future (1) The end of personal privacy? The challenge of Facebook and other social networking sites? More innovative mash-ups? Business intelligence tool?

The end of personal privacy?

The challenge of Facebook and other social networking sites?

More innovative mash-ups?

Business intelligence tool?

Future (2) Part of business solutions? Part of the enterprise? “ Companies without a microblogging system will seem as silly and disadvantaged in the future as companies do today that say "we don't need Instant Messaging, we have email," or "we don't need email, we have a fax machine."” (Kirkpatrick, 2009) The email of the future?

Part of business solutions?

Part of the enterprise?

“ Companies without a microblogging system will seem as silly and disadvantaged in the future as companies do today that say "we don't need Instant Messaging, we have email," or "we don't need email, we have a fax machine."” (Kirkpatrick, 2009)

The email of the future?

How to get started? Join one of the microblogging services e.g. Twitter (first mover, most number of users) or Yammer (self-serve private network for companies) Start posting Start following others Start replying to others Useful link to help you get started http:// howtwitterworks.com /

Join one of the microblogging services e.g. Twitter (first mover, most number of users) or Yammer (self-serve private network for companies)

Start posting

Start following others

Start replying to others

Useful link to help you get started

http:// howtwitterworks.com /

References (Images) Slide background: http://limeshot.com/2008/twitter-backgrounds Comic: Geek & Poke (2009) Bad Weeds Grow Tall http:// geekandpoke.typepad.com/geekandpoke/twitter / Tweet bird image: http:// www.hongkiat.com /blog/twitter-wallpapers-the-blue-bird/ Mumbai attack image: Minxuan Lee (2008) Failwhale image: Yiying Lu http:// yiyinglu.com /sc/illustration Bluetwit interface images: http://davanum.wordpress.com/2008/12/14/bluetwit-firefox-sidebar-supports-twitter-too/ Bluetwit users image: http://manyeyes.alphaworks.ibm.com/manyeyes/visualizations/bluetwit-user-distribution-by-countr-2 OraTweet image: http://pistachioconsulting.com/oratweet-oracles-enterprise-microsharing-application/

Slide background: http://limeshot.com/2008/twitter-backgrounds

Comic: Geek & Poke (2009) Bad Weeds Grow Tall http:// geekandpoke.typepad.com/geekandpoke/twitter /

Tweet bird image: http:// www.hongkiat.com /blog/twitter-wallpapers-the-blue-bird/

Mumbai attack image: Minxuan Lee (2008)

Failwhale image: Yiying Lu http:// yiyinglu.com /sc/illustration

Bluetwit interface images: http://davanum.wordpress.com/2008/12/14/bluetwit-firefox-sidebar-supports-twitter-too/

Bluetwit users image: http://manyeyes.alphaworks.ibm.com/manyeyes/visualizations/bluetwit-user-distribution-by-countr-2

OraTweet image: http://pistachioconsulting.com/oratweet-oracles-enterprise-microsharing-application/

References (Papers) Baker, S. (2008). Big Blue Embraces Social Media. Business Week, May 22, 2008. Retrieved 29 Mar 09, from http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_22/b4086056643442.htm?chan=technology_technology+index+page_top+stories Holotescu, C. & Grosseck, G. (2008 ) SERIOUS FUN IN EDUCATION: USING MICROBLOGGING. International Conference on Knowledge Based Organization Java, A., Song, X., Finin, T., and Tseng, B. (2007). Why we twitter: understanding microblogging usage and communities. In Proceedings of the 9th WebKDD and 1st SNA-KDD 2007 Workshop on Web Mining and Social Network Analysis (San Jose, California, August 12 - 12, 2007). WebKDD/SNA-KDD '07. ACM, New York, NY, 56-65 Krishnamurthy, B., Gill, P., and Arlitt, M. (2008). A few chirps about twitter. In Proceedings of the First Workshop on online Social Networks (Seattle, WA, USA, August 18 - 18, 2008). WOSP '08. ACM, New York, NY, 19-24 Kirkpatrick, M. (March 30, 2009) Status.net Could Point to the Future of Business Intelligence. Read Write Web. Retrieved 29 Mar 09, from http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/statusnet_could_point_to_the_future_of_business_intelligence.php

Baker, S. (2008). Big Blue Embraces Social Media. Business Week, May 22, 2008. Retrieved 29 Mar 09, from http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_22/b4086056643442.htm?chan=technology_technology+index+page_top+stories

Holotescu, C. & Grosseck, G. (2008 ) SERIOUS FUN IN EDUCATION: USING MICROBLOGGING. International Conference on Knowledge Based Organization

Java, A., Song, X., Finin, T., and Tseng, B. (2007). Why we twitter: understanding microblogging usage and communities. In Proceedings of the 9th WebKDD and 1st SNA-KDD 2007 Workshop on Web Mining and Social Network Analysis (San Jose, California, August 12 - 12, 2007). WebKDD/SNA-KDD '07. ACM, New York, NY, 56-65

Krishnamurthy, B., Gill, P., and Arlitt, M. (2008). A few chirps about twitter. In Proceedings of the First Workshop on online Social Networks (Seattle, WA, USA, August 18 - 18, 2008). WOSP '08. ACM, New York, NY, 19-24

Kirkpatrick, M. (March 30, 2009) Status.net Could Point to the Future of Business Intelligence. Read Write Web. Retrieved 29 Mar 09, from http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/statusnet_could_point_to_the_future_of_business_intelligence.php

References (Papers) McConnachie, D. (2009). NASA delves deeper into cyber-space. Technology & Business. Retrieved 29 Mar 09, from http://www.technologyandbusiness.com.au/broadband-business/Features/NASA-delves-deeper-into-cyber-space.aspx Paul, R. (2008). Twitter breaks down barriers in the classroom http://arstechnica.com/old/content/2008/03/twitter-breaks-down-barriers-in-the-classroom.ars Tan, W. (2009). Blogging is so dated - now you twitter. The Straits Times (Singapore), February 5. Ullrich, C., Borau, K., Luo, H., Tan, X., Shen, L., and Shen, R. (2008). Why web 2.0 is good for learning and for research: principles and prototypes. In Proceeding of the 17th international Conference on World Wide Web (Beijing, China, April 21 - 25, 2008). WWW '08. ACM, New York, NY, 705-714. Zhao, D. and Rosson, M. B. (2008). How Might Microblogs Support Collaborative Work? Computer Supported Cooperative Work Workshop 2008

McConnachie, D. (2009). NASA delves deeper into cyber-space. Technology & Business. Retrieved 29 Mar 09, from http://www.technologyandbusiness.com.au/broadband-business/Features/NASA-delves-deeper-into-cyber-space.aspx

Paul, R. (2008). Twitter breaks down barriers in the classroom http://arstechnica.com/old/content/2008/03/twitter-breaks-down-barriers-in-the-classroom.ars

Tan, W. (2009). Blogging is so dated - now you twitter. The Straits Times (Singapore), February 5.

Ullrich, C., Borau, K., Luo, H., Tan, X., Shen, L., and Shen, R. (2008). Why web 2.0 is good for learning and for research: principles and prototypes. In Proceeding of the 17th international Conference on World Wide Web (Beijing, China, April 21 - 25, 2008). WWW '08. ACM, New York, NY, 705-714.

Zhao, D. and Rosson, M. B. (2008). How Might Microblogs Support Collaborative Work? Computer Supported Cooperative Work Workshop 2008