Engaging Virtual Communities: Web 2.0 Brian Kelly, UKOLN, University of Bath Bath Email [email_address] UKOLN is supported by: http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/events/conferences/cilip-cdg-2007-04/ About This Session This session will provide an introduction to Wikis, showing how Wikipedia can be used to promote your college and, having learnt about Wiki concepts, how Wikis can be used in e-learning This work is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 licence (but note caveat) Resources bookmarked using ‘ cilip-cdg-2007-04 ' tag

About Me Brian Kelly: UK Web Focus: a national Web advisory post Based at UKOLN, a national centre of expertise in digital information management Located at the University of Bath Funded by MLA and JISC Involved in Web since Jan 1993 Currently advising on best practices for Web 2.0 Introduction

Brian Kelly:

UK Web Focus: a national Web advisory post

Based at UKOLN, a national centre of expertise in digital information management

Located at the University of Bath

Funded by MLA and JISC

Involved in Web since Jan 1993

Currently advising on best practices for Web 2.0

About You How many of you have heard of Web 2.0? How many of you have read content in a blog or wiki? How many of you publish a blog or have updated content in a wiki? How many have used MSN Messenger, Skype, …? What do you hope to gain from this session? Introduction

How many of you have heard of Web 2.0?

How many of you have read content in a blog or wiki?

How many of you publish a blog or have updated content in a wiki?

How many have used MSN Messenger, Skype, …?

What do you hope to gain from this session?

Contents Web 2.0 – What Is It? (Talking …) Blogs  Wikis RSS  Mashups Microformats  Comms tools Social networks  … Deployment Strategies (… doing) User focus Information literacy; staff development Risk assessment Safe experimentation

Web 2.0 – What Is It? (Talking …)

Blogs  Wikis

RSS  Mashups

Microformats  Comms tools

Social networks  …

Deployment Strategies (… doing)

User focus

Information literacy; staff development

Risk assessment

Safe experimentation

Let’s Do It Now! Let’s not just talk about Web 2.0 – let’s use it now (assuming WiFi network available!): Let’s Talk Go to http://www.gabbly.com/ and in box enter www.cilip.org.uk/ Let’s Share Resources Go to <http://del.icio.us/lisbk/ cilip-cdg-2007-04> to access resources Discussion Lecture theatres being WiFied; pervasive networking being deployed  students with laptops will expect to use them  we need to gain experiences to establish best practices & manage possible problems http://www.gabbly.com/www.cilip.org.uk/ 2 Mar 2007

Let’s not just talk about Web 2.0 – let’s use it now (assuming WiFi network available!):

Let’s Talk

Go to http://www.gabbly.com/ and in box enter www.cilip.org.uk/

Let’s Share Resources

Go to <http://del.icio.us/lisbk/ cilip-cdg-2007-04> to access resources

Web 2.0 What Is Web 2.0? Marketing term (derived from observing 'patterns') rather than technical standards - “an attitude not a technology” Web2MemeMap, Tim O’Reilly, 2005 Characteristics Of Web 2.0 Network as platform Always beta Clean URIs Remix and mash-ups Syndication (RSS) Architecture of participation Blogs & Wikis Social networking Social tagging (folksonomies) Trust and openness Web 2.0

What Is Web 2.0?

Marketing term (derived from observing 'patterns') rather than technical standards - “an attitude not a technology”

Characteristics Of Web 2.0

Network as platform

Always beta

Clean URIs

Remix and mash-ups

Syndication (RSS)

Architecture of participation

Blogs & Wikis

Social networking

Social tagging (folksonomies)

Trust and openness

Blogs The term ‘blog’ is well-known, but perhaps there’s a lack of awareness of the potential of blogs. There’s a need to: Explore how blogs can support business functions (support users, staff & organisation) There’s also a need for information professionals to: Understand blogging & related technologies (e.g. RSS, Technorati) Be able to find resources in the 'Blogosphere' Web 2.0 Openness Syndication Collaboration Key Characteristics http://annewelsh.wordpress.com/ http://communities.cilip.org.uk/ blogs/marks/

The term ‘blog’ is well-known, but perhaps there’s a lack of awareness of the potential of blogs. There’s a need to:

Explore how blogs can support business functions (support users, staff & organisation)

There’s also a need for information professionals to:

Understand blogging & related technologies (e.g. RSS, Technorati)

Be able to find resources in the 'Blogosphere'

Blogs & Marketing What happens: You’ve done some great research (not quite a cure for cancer!) You write a press release (job done?) http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/public-affairs/ press-releases/… Who needs to know about and use Web 2.0 apps from this example: PR & marketing; researchers; … Who is linking to & talking about this research (are they disagreeing?) http://blogsearch.google.com/blogsearch?... The Nourishing Balance blog has commented on this (That’s great – or are they misinterpreting the findings?) http://georgemandler.com/2007/02/17/chocolate-makes-you-smarter-at-least-temporarily/

What happens:

You’ve done some great research (not quite a cure for cancer!)

You write a press release (job done?)

Who is linking to & talking about this research (are they disagreeing?)

The Nourishing Balance blog has commented on this (That’s great – or are they misinterpreting the findings?)

Blogs - Reading How do you keep informed of developments? Do you use a dedicated blog reader? Are you alerted of changes to key blogs? Do you focus on the content, and avoid the distractions of ads, etc. Web 2.0 Bloglines – a Web-based blog reader. You are informed of changes since you last viewed the page. http://www.bloglines.com/myblogs Openness Syndication Collaboration BlogBridge – a desktop blog reader. You are informed of changes since you last viewed the page.

How do you keep informed of developments?

Do you use a dedicated blog reader?

Are you alerted of changes to key blogs?

Do you focus on the content, and avoid the distractions of ads, etc.

Blogs – Engaging With Users The ukwebfocus.wordpress. com blog provides: Comments option for all postings A realtime chat facility Benefits: Feedback on my thoughts and ideas Evaluation … http://ukwebfocus.wordpress.com/ 2007/01/25/experiments-with-meebo/ Blogs aren’t just one-way publishing, but an implementation of Tim Berners-Lee’s vision of a collaborative Web See (and discuss) UK Web Focus blog post 25 Jan 2007 Blended blogging

The ukwebfocus.wordpress. com blog provides:

Comments option for all postings

A realtime chat facility

Benefits:

Feedback on my thoughts and ideas

Evaluation

…

What Are They Saying About Us? Blogs are very interconnected with each other (bloggers discuss other’s blog postings). This can help to provide feedback; measure impact; engage in discussions; etc. You can also monitor what they are saying about your Web site. Web 2.0 Find out what bloggers have been saying about your blog or your Web site – possibly minutes after they’ve said it. You can then take the praise – or issue a rebuttal in a timely fashion http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/ Criticism : this may be comment spam. This may be true for popular home pages, but not for many other pages

Blogs are very interconnected with each other (bloggers discuss other’s blog postings).

This can help to provide feedback; measure impact; engage in discussions; etc.

You can also monitor what they are saying about your Web site.

Finding Resources Technorati can help find blog articles, RSS feeds, etc. Technorati search for “ SHERPA JISC &quot; finds: 11 blog posting postings, most recent 196 day ago (nothing new since then?) Web 2.0 RSS Syndication What do users want: the home page and what people are saying today. Google & Technorati are valuable tools, so organisations should ensure that their Web site can be found in both. A search for “ JISC ” finds a posting from 6 hours ago Note you can receive RSS alerts of new search results http://www.technorati.com/ search/sherpa+jisc

Technorati can help find blog articles, RSS feeds, etc.

Technorati search for “ SHERPA JISC &quot; finds:

11 blog posting postings, most recent 196 day ago (nothing new since then?)

Social Networking Software (1) But what if: Students aren’t interested in university-provided blogging services? Students use commercial social networking services such as Facebook? Web 2.0 Should we: Make use of these environments (save money by not reinventing wheels) Inform students on integration of our information? Ignore? Note museums (Walker Art Center) are experimenting with Facebook 18 Feb 2007

But what if:

Students aren’t interested in university-provided blogging services?

Students use commercial social networking services such as Facebook?

Should we:

Make use of these environments (save money by not reinventing wheels)

Inform students on integration of our information?

Ignore?

Social Networking Software (2) What are they saying about your institution in social networking services, on blogs, …? Do you (and your departments) provide business intelligence services to find out what your users are saying about you? Do you have policies on rebuttal? http://kera.name/articles/2007/01/ 404-university-of-nottingham-not-found/ http://kera.name/articles/2006/12/uni-tech-team-storms-student-underground/ BUCS set up a feedback page in Facebook - without being aware of this page!

What are they saying about your institution in social networking services, on blogs, …?

Do you (and your departments) provide business intelligence services to find out what your users are saying about you?

Do you have policies on rebuttal?

Wikis Wikis – collaborative Web-based authoring tools I use Wikis for: Collaborative papers (avoiding emailed MS Word file around) Web 2.0 Writely – Web-based word processor or Wiki? Does it matter, it does the job http://www.writely.com/ Openness Syndication Collaboration http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/interop-focus/community/index/ IWMW2006_Discussion_Group_Notes_for_Group_A Note-taking at events Remember when notes were trapped in the non-interoperable world of flip charts & paper. This need no longer be the case. Social discussions at events http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/interop-focus/community/index/ IWMW2006_Information_About_Social_Aspects

Wikis – collaborative Web-based authoring tools

I use Wikis for:

Collaborative papers (avoiding emailed MS Word file around)

Note-taking at events

Social discussions at events

Wikipedia Wikipedia – a community-developed encyclopedia … and also a well-linked Web site, which boosts Google rankings Note created by Owen Massey in June 2004 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CILIP Issues (philosophical): Should we be doing this? Who should create & maintain pages? Issues (practical): Who maintains this page? What else should be in Wikipedia related to the university’s key interests & expertise?

Wikipedia – a community-developed encyclopedia … and also a well-linked Web site, which boosts Google rankings Note created by Owen Massey in June 2004

Issues (philosophical):

Should we be doing this?

Who should create & maintain pages?

Issues (practical):

Who maintains this page?

What else should be in Wikipedia related to the university’s key interests & expertise?

Sharing - Flickr Web 2.0 includes community-building You can help support your community-building by making it easy to share photos at events (e.g. this seminar) Simply suggest a tag e.g. ‘cilip-2007-04’ and encourage delegates to upload their photos with this tag Web 2.0 http://www.flickr.com/search/ ?w=all&q=iwmw2006&m=text Openness Network effect Syndication Collaboration http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/ iwmw2006/interesting/?page=6

Web 2.0 includes community-building

You can help support your community-building by making it easy to share photos at events (e.g. this seminar)

Simply suggest a tag e.g. ‘cilip-2007-04’ and encourage delegates to upload their photos with this tag

Sharing – del.icio.us Another aspect of sharing is sharing bookmarks This can be used to: Manage your bookmarks Allow others to contribute resources Allow lists of bookmarks to be repurposed Carry out impact analysis Web 2.0 Openness Network effect Syndication Collaboration Note also that the bookmarks can be embedded (‘mashed-up’) elsewhere http://del.icio.us/lisbk/cilip-cdg-2007-04

Another aspect of sharing is sharing bookmarks

This can be used to:

Manage your bookmarks

Allow others to contribute resources

Allow lists of bookmarks to be repurposed

Carry out impact analysis

Sharing – Slides Slideshare.net: Repository for PowerPoint slides Find (and reuse) slideshows of interest (I like your Web 2.0 slideshow – so maybe I’ll like yours, or others that you like) Add comments, questions, etc. Use as planning, feedback, etc. Can assign Creative Commons rights http://www.slideshare.net/lisbk/

Slideshare.net:

Repository for PowerPoint slides

Find (and reuse) slideshows of interest (I like your Web 2.0 slideshow – so maybe I’ll like yours, or others that you like)

Add comments, questions, etc.

Use as planning, feedback, etc.

Can assign Creative Commons rights

Google Maps Mashups Google Map ‘mashup’ used for IWMW 2006 event: ~ 20 lines of JavaScript. Code taken from Googler Maps Web site and coordinates added Web 2.0 http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/events/ workshops/webmaster-2006/maps/ Openness Mashup APIs http://northumbria.ac.uk/browse/radius5/ More sophisticated mapping applications are being developed, such as Radius 5 at Northumbria Univ.

Google Map ‘mashup’ used for IWMW 2006 event:

~ 20 lines of JavaScript.

Code taken from Googler Maps Web site and coordinates added

Location Metadata Embedded location metadata can now by exploited by 3 rd party tools Web 2.0 Openness Mashup Open source APIs Why don't all our organisation provide location data in this way? Note issues about quality of data & responsibilities for providing the data (e.g. is this the right address?) This service is based on the following HTML content: <meta name=&quot;geo.position&quot; content=&quot;50.824843, -0.139274&quot; /> The Greasemap script processes this data as shown http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/ events/conferences/cilip-cdg-2007-04/

Embedded location metadata can now by exploited by 3 rd party tools

This service is based on the following HTML content:

<meta name=&quot;geo.position&quot; content=&quot;50.824843, -0.139274&quot; />

The Greasemap script processes this data as shown

Takeup Of New Technologies The Gartner curve Developers Rising expectations Trough of despair Service plateau Enterprise software Large budgets … Early adopters Chasm Failure to go beyond developers & early adopters (cf Gopher) Need for: Advocacy Listening to users Addressing concerns Deployment strategies … Let’s now look at approaches for avoiding the chasm

The Gartner curve

Chasm

Failure to go beyond developers & early adopters (cf Gopher)

Need for:

Advocacy

Listening to users

Addressing concerns

Deployment strategies

…

Beware The IT Fundamentalists We need to avoid simplistic solutions to the complexities: Open Standards Fundamentalist: we just need XML Open Source Fundamentalist: we just need Linux Vendor Fundamentalist: we must use next version of our enterprise system (and you must fit in with this) Accessibility Fundamentalist: we must do WAI WCAG User Fundamentalist: must do whatever users want Legal Fundamentalist: it breaches copyright, … Ownership Fundamentalist: must own everything we use Perfectionist : It doesn't do everything, so we'll do nothing Simplistic Developer : I've developed a perfect solution – I don't care if it doesn't run in the real world Web 2.0 : It’s new; its cool! IT Services Barrier

We need to avoid simplistic solutions to the complexities:

Open Standards Fundamentalist: we just need XML

Open Source Fundamentalist: we just need Linux

Vendor Fundamentalist: we must use next version of our enterprise system (and you must fit in with this)

Accessibility Fundamentalist: we must do WAI WCAG

User Fundamentalist: must do whatever users want

Legal Fundamentalist: it breaches copyright, …

Ownership Fundamentalist: must own everything we use

Perfectionist : It doesn't do everything, so we'll do nothing

Simplistic Developer : I've developed a perfect solution – I don't care if it doesn't run in the real world

Web 2.0 : It’s new; its cool!

The Librarian Fundamentalists Librarians: Think they know better than the user e.g. they don't like people using Google Scholar; they should use Web of Knowledge (who cares that users find it easier to use Google Scholar & finds references they need that way?) Think that users should be forced to learn Boolean searching & other formal search techniques because this is good for them (despite Sheffield's study). Don't want the users to search for themselves (cf folksonomies) because they won't get it right. They still want to classify the entire Web - despite the fact that users don't use their lists of Web links. Want services to be perfect before they release them to users. They are uneasy with the concept of 'forever beta' (they don't believe that users have the ability to figure things out themselves and work around the bugs). Library Barrier

Librarians:

Think they know better than the user e.g. they don't like people using Google Scholar; they should use Web of Knowledge (who cares that users find it easier to use Google Scholar & finds references they need that way?)

Think that users should be forced to learn Boolean searching & other formal search techniques because this is good for them (despite Sheffield's study).

Don't want the users to search for themselves (cf folksonomies) because they won't get it right.

They still want to classify the entire Web - despite the fact that users don't use their lists of Web links.

Want services to be perfect before they release them to users. They are uneasy with the concept of 'forever beta' (they don't believe that users have the ability to figure things out themselves and work around the bugs).

Deployment Strategies Interested in using Web 2.0 in your organisation? Worried about corporate inertia, power struggles, etc? There’s a need for a deployment strategy: Addressing business needs Low-hanging fruits Encouraging the enthusiasts Gain experience of the browser tools – and see what you’re missing! Staff training & development Address areas you feel comfortable with Risk management strategy … Deployment Challenges

Interested in using Web 2.0 in your organisation?

Worried about corporate inertia, power struggles, etc?

There’s a need for a deployment strategy:

Addressing business needs

Low-hanging fruits

Encouraging the enthusiasts

Gain experience of the browser tools – and see what you’re missing!

Staff training & development

Address areas you feel comfortable with

Risk management strategy

…

IWMW 2006 & Risk Management IWMW 2006 has taken a risk management approach to its evaluation of Web 2.0 technologies: Agreements : e.g. in the case of the Chatbot. Use of well-established services : Google & del.icio.us are well-established and have financial security. Notification : warnings that services could be lost. Engagement : with the user community: users actively engage in the evaluation of the services. Provision of alternative services: multiple OMPL tools. Use in non-mission critical areas: not for bookings! Long term experiences of services: usage stats Availability of alternative sources of data : e.g. standard Web server log files. Data export and aggregation: RSS feeds, aggregated in Suprglu, OPML viewers, etc. Deployment Strategy

IWMW 2006 has taken a risk management approach to its evaluation of Web 2.0 technologies:

Agreements : e.g. in the case of the Chatbot.

Use of well-established services : Google & del.icio.us are well-established and have financial security.

Notification : warnings that services could be lost.

Engagement : with the user community: users actively engage in the evaluation of the services.

Provision of alternative services: multiple OMPL tools.

Use in non-mission critical areas: not for bookings!

Long term experiences of services: usage stats

Availability of alternative sources of data : e.g. standard Web server log files.

Data export and aggregation: RSS feeds, aggregated in Suprglu, OPML viewers, etc.

Tools For Your Staff A simple approach for your organisation staff: provide Firefox to give a rich client environment: All these FireFox extensions are available for free! RSS Panel : immediate display and access to RSS feeds on pages Blogger Web Comments : immediate access to blog comments on pages Various bookmarklets : such as Webmaster tools Various sidebars : such as the Meebo chat tool

A simple approach for your organisation staff: provide Firefox to give a rich client environment:

RSS Panel : immediate display and access to RSS feeds on pages

Blogger Web Comments : immediate access to blog comments on pages

Various bookmarklets : such as Webmaster tools

Various sidebars : such as the Meebo chat tool

Conclusions To conclude: Web 2.0 is here and many people are using it Information professionals need to understand Web 2.0 to support their professional activities Information professionals can benefits from the social networking aspects of Web 2.0 Just do it!

To conclude:

Web 2.0 is here and many people are using it

Information professionals need to understand Web 2.0 to support their professional activities

Information professionals can benefits from the social networking aspects of Web 2.0

Just do it!

Questions Any questions?

Any questions?