Embracing social media in the enterprise Matthew Hodgson ACT Regional-lead, Web and Information Management SMS Management & Technology ACS Canberra, March 2009 Management & Technology

Being ‘social’ is in our DNA Survival in groups Sharing survival behaviour Language Social learning Social cohesion

Social needs motivate our behaviour Source: Wikipedia (Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs)

This wireless “thingerdoodle” is awesome! Who needs a fridge when we’ve got radio!?

The observation . . . Social context Business context?

Social context

Business context?

Social media in a business context?! … I think Web 2.0 is really dangerous… You will just waste company time You are here to do work not play Interacting directly with the public?

The 21 st century online environment ‘ Read only’ Controlled by you & centralised One-to-many communication Expert’s view of knowledge Read, comment, rate, share Community controlled Many-to-many communication People’s view of knowledge Enabler of human social interaction online VS

‘ Read only’

Controlled by you & centralised

One-to-many communication

Expert’s view of knowledge

Read, comment, rate, share

Community controlled

Many-to-many communication

People’s view of knowledge

Enabler of human social interaction online

Public view of many existing websites I don’t understand “public service speak” Your stuff is hard to find Why is it arranged in terms of your programs? It’s boring & uninteresting Please make it: Simple, plain-English Discoverable thru Google Informative, relevant Interesting, appealing VS

I don’t understand “public service speak”

Your stuff is hard to find

Why is it arranged in terms of your programs?

It’s boring & uninteresting

Please make it:

Simple, plain-English

Discoverable thru Google

Informative, relevant

Interesting, appealing

How do you proceed? Start from the research – it’s objective, unlike fears/opinions about social media Create a business case – it’s the argument to use social media in your project Adopt project approaches that works well with social media Agree on the scope – social media is pretty big! Actively communicate outcomes internally and externally Ensure technology aligns with users’ social needs , not the other way around

Start from the research – it’s objective, unlike fears/opinions about social media

Create a business case – it’s the argument to use social media in your project

Adopt project approaches that works well with social media

Agree on the scope – social media is pretty big!

Actively communicate outcomes internally and externally

Ensure technology aligns with users’ social needs , not the other way around

RESEARCH Looking at the facts about social media & online culture

Looking at the facts about social media & online culture

Stats on our ‘Social’ Online Culture Globally: 6.5 billion people on the planet 1 billion people have access to the web 670m people use social media on a daily basis Australia: 6.2m households that have internet access 3.7m people use the web to engage socially with each other – up by 10% from 2007/08 Source: Nielsen, 2009

Globally:

6.5 billion people on the planet

1 billion people have access to the web

670m people use social media on a daily basis

Australia:

6.2m households that have internet access

3.7m people use the web to engage socially with each other – up by 10% from 2007/08

It’s not just for the kids Globally: Men and women aged 65 – up by 7% Under 17s – dropped by 9% Biggest increase in 08/09 is 35-49 y.o. demographic – up by 11.3m Largest demographic – 35-44 y.o Use of social media now ahead of email usage in 2009 Source: Nielsen, 2009

Globally:

Men and women aged 65 – up by 7%

Under 17s – dropped by 9%

Biggest increase in 08/09 is 35-49 y.o. demographic – up by 11.3m

Largest demographic – 35-44 y.o

Use of social media now ahead of email usage in 2009

Fear of being social at work Global Secure Systems (GSS) and Infosecurity Europe survey: 776 office workers spend 30 min/day visiting social networking sites Lost productivity: 3 weeks/yr or £6.5b annually Similar research in Australia by SurfControl: Australian employees spend approximately 1 hr/day Lost productivity: $5b Australian a year

Global Secure Systems (GSS) and Infosecurity Europe survey:

776 office workers spend 30 min/day visiting social networking sites

Lost productivity: 3 weeks/yr or £6.5b annually

Similar research in Australia by SurfControl:

Australian employees spend approximately 1 hr/day

Lost productivity: $5b Australian a year

What they’re not telling you Decades of social psychology research: Source: Aral, Brynjolfsson & Van Alstyne. 2007 Social networks strongly influence information diffusion ... and access to novel information Availability of social networks is a highly significant predictor of worker productivity Social networks increase the diversity of the information you have access to People who use social networks multi-task better and get more done as a result

Decades of social psychology research:

The facts on being social at work MIT research: 40% of productivity is directly explained by the amount of communication people have with others to discover, gather, and internalise information Employees with the most extensive digital networks are 7% more productive than their colleagues Source: Harvard Business Review, 2009

MIT research:

40% of productivity is directly explained by the amount of communication people have with others to discover, gather, and internalise information

Employees with the most extensive digital networks are 7% more productive than their colleagues

The nature of information flow Information: Doesn’t diffuse randomly into and within organisations Reflects the nature and structure of human relationships Providing the right tools (internally or externally) that support social interaction: Increases information flow Increases social cohesion Increases productivity Source: Aral, Brynjolfsson & Van Alstyne. 2007

Information:

Doesn’t diffuse randomly into and within organisations

Reflects the nature and structure of human relationships

Providing the right tools (internally or externally) that support social interaction:

Increases information flow

Increases social cohesion

Increases productivity

BUSINESS CASE Putting your argument and the research together

Putting your argument and the research together

Why a business case? It’s about justifying your argument: Establish the merits of your social media project Outline scope Justify the commitment of resources Explain risks Articulate options and recommendations

It’s about justifying your argument:

Establish the merits of your social media project

Outline scope

Justify the commitment of resources

Explain risks

Articulate options and recommendations

Merits? Do it for the ‘Google factor’! Search engine optimisation (SEO) favours social media : Standard web Content is only updated when experts write No encouragement, some discouragement/control Primarily just standard navigation No trackbacks No ratings CMS generated URLs Social media Content is updated regularly due to conversations Encourages sharing links into other social spaces Tags with links/interlinking to complement the navigation “ Trackbacks” Ratings (E.g. DigIt!) Readable URLs

Search engine optimisation (SEO) favours social media :

Standard web

Content is only updated when experts write

No encouragement, some discouragement/control

Primarily just standard navigation

No trackbacks

No ratings

CMS generated URLs

Social media

Content is updated regularly due to conversations

Encourages sharing links into other social spaces

Tags with links/interlinking to complement the navigation

“ Trackbacks”

Ratings (E.g. DigIt!)

Readable URLs

End game for the Google factor? Helps direct traffic to your site Higher level of exposure of your programs, content, issues, strategy, media campaign

Helps direct traffic to your site

Higher level of exposure of your programs, content, issues, strategy, media campaign

Google, blogs and print media New York Times versus blogs: 5 keywords that represented the top five news stories of 2007 from Associated Press list Duration: 2002 to 2007 Assessed Google ranks Results? Blogs rank more highly 4 times out of 5 Blogs page rank 13.2 vs NY Times 56.2 Source: Long Now Foundation, 2008

New York Times versus blogs:

5 keywords that represented the top five news stories of 2007 from Associated Press list

Duration: 2002 to 2007

Assessed Google ranks

Results?

Blogs rank more highly 4 times out of 5

Blogs page rank 13.2 vs NY Times 56.2

Risks of doing social media Turn fears into risks and show how they can be mitigated Risk Mitigation Inappropriate behaviour of authors Education (play), Code of conduct Inadequate recordkeeping controls Archiving policies, version control, open APIs, technology alignment Ediscovery (tracking who did what/when) Appropriate identity management (don’t forget OpenID) Vandalism, abuse (e.g. What if they say bad things about us, our boss, CEO or Minister?) Interaction rules, rollbacks, transparent and open communication

Turn fears into risks and show how they can be mitigated

Risks of doing it wrong National Australia Bank (NAB): Project - myfuturebank.org and UBANK Openly invited community input about the bank Result: NAB employees posed as anonymous customers Admonished those who criticised the bank Shut down after one month amidst criticism over the way it allegedly treated commentators Negative publicity in media and blogosphere

National Australia Bank (NAB):

Project - myfuturebank.org and UBANK

Openly invited community input about the bank

Result:

NAB employees posed as anonymous customers

Admonished those who criticised the bank

Shut down after one month amidst criticism over the way it allegedly treated commentators

Negative publicity in media and blogosphere

What are ‘interaction rules’? FutureMelbourne Wiki’s participation guidelines and rules for interaction: Civility Criticise ideas, not people Consensus No copyright material Use your real name No sock-puppetry Be bold Connect with others Build the web Dispute Resolution Source: FutureMelbourne Wiki, 2009

FutureMelbourne Wiki’s participation guidelines and rules for interaction:

Civility

Criticise ideas, not people

Consensus

No copyright material

Use your real name

No sock-puppetry

Be bold

Connect with others

Build the web

Dispute Resolution

PROJECT METHODOLOGIES Choosing the right project approach for social media

Choosing the right project approach for social media

The basics of Social Media projects Planning Project Execution User-engagement Forrester’s POST methodology Involve Steering Committee regularly PMBOK for governance , managing risk, reporting and scheduling Agile for delivery Jesse James Garrett’s Elements of User Experience for user-centred design Engage with users regularly Use Web2.0 tools for communication Identify goals of tools through applying Karl Long’s Building Blocks of the Social Web

Applying Forrester’s POST People: Assess your users’ social activities Don't start a social strategy until you know the capabilities of your audience . Objectives: Decide what you want to accomplish Is this about listening to citizens, talking with them, collaboration? How you will measure success? Strategy: Figure out what will be different after you're done Closer, two-way relationships? Better access to your information ? Technology: A community. A wiki. A blog or a hundred blogs as a reflection of user interaction requirements

Assess your users’ social activities

Don't start a social strategy until you know the capabilities of your audience .

Decide what you want to accomplish

Is this about listening to citizens, talking with them, collaboration?

How you will measure success?

Figure out what will be different after you're done

Closer, two-way relationships?

Better access to your information ?

A community. A wiki. A blog or a hundred blogs as a reflection of user interaction requirements

Using a typical waterfall approach? Too many unknowns to document all requirements up front Too late to change your mind if you get it wrong by UAT stage

Agile approach helps to uncover the solution/design a piece at a time

How to identify users’ needs? Employ user-centred design principles

Employ user-centred design principles

Activities to identify users’ needs

But who are the ‘users’ ???

Six archetypes in social media 13% 19% 15% 19% 33% 52% Source: Forrester Research, 2008

SCOPE . . . because social media is big

. . . because social media is big

10 years of our stuff online One-way communication Static web 330,000 inaccessible PDFs 106,000 Word docs 6,330 PowerPoint 500,000 static HTML Government voice Bureaucrat-speak Manual processes Careful editorial processes Disclaimers Program-based navigation Complex navigation Crafted communications Reactive Unresponsive Government voice Information-based Risk averse

the web today? the web today? Social bookmarks Music Pictures Wikis Video casting Events Documents Video Video aggregation Events Customer service networks Niche networks Social networks SMS & voice Twitter Lifestreams Micromedia Blog Communities Blogs/ conversations Blog Platforms Comment and reputation Crowdsourced content

Breaking down scope & requirements What part of the “honeycomb” do you need to support ... Business goals? Strategic drivers? Users’ needs/expectations?

What part of the “honeycomb” do you need to support ...

Business goals?

Strategic drivers?

Users’ needs/expectations?

COMMUNICATIONS & CHANGE Communicating outcomes internally and externally

Communicating outcomes internally and externally

User-centred design as change management Involving people: Helps to set expectations Raises awareness of project issues, timelines, risks Increases ownership of the end product Creates champions – the ‘I did that’ factor

Involving people:

Helps to set expectations

Raises awareness of project issues, timelines, risks

Increases ownership of the end product

Creates champions – the ‘I did that’ factor

Communication is critical To raise awareness of the change the project will bring, you need to communicate: Project progress and milestones Lessons learned (and record them for others to use ) What other ‘comparison organisations’ are doing How you compare to ‘comparison organisations’ How feedback was used Keep the Steering Committee educated, informed and involved Be innovative with your engagement styles – video, blogs, wikis, workshops, newsletters, prizes & rewards

To raise awareness of the change the project will bring, you need to communicate:

Project progress and milestones

Lessons learned (and record them for others to use )

What other ‘comparison organisations’ are doing

How you compare to ‘comparison organisations’

How feedback was used

Keep the Steering Committee educated, informed and involved

Be innovative with your engagement styles – video, blogs, wikis, workshops, newsletters, prizes & rewards

How to communicate expectations? Watch, listen Play , try, experience, understand Champion and teach others

Watch, listen

Play , try, experience, understand

Champion and teach others

Agile, Executive support & communication

Communicating what’s going on Obama’s presidential campaign: Twitter, YouTube, Blog, MySpace Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) VEET project: Blog, Twitter, FriendFeed Local Government Shires Association (LGSA): Twitter, Flickr

Obama’s presidential campaign:

Twitter, YouTube, Blog, MySpace

Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) VEET project:

Blog, Twitter, FriendFeed

Local Government Shires Association (LGSA):

Twitter, Flickr

TECHNOLOGY What widgets are the right ones?

What widgets are the right ones?

Identifying widgets Look for: Interoperability Open Source Free online stuff – e.g. Flickr, Twitter, Wordpress, Basecamp, GovDex What fits with users’ needs , not your desire for ‘toys’ 

Look for:

Interoperability

Open Source

Free online stuff – e.g. Flickr, Twitter, Wordpress, Basecamp, GovDex

What fits with users’ needs , not your desire for ‘toys’ 

The ‘Open Web’ What technologies? Web standards: (X)HTML, CSS, JavaScript, DOM, Atom, XMPP (e.g. GTalk) Open specifications: OpenID, Microformats, OAuth Open architecture: URLs for SEO, APIs, REST Not just deploying: Blogs, Wikis, Twitter, and Facebook clones – understand what will meet your requirements Reinforces and promotes: Use, re-use, invention

What technologies?

Web standards: (X)HTML, CSS, JavaScript, DOM, Atom, XMPP (e.g. GTalk)

Open specifications: OpenID, Microformats, OAuth

Open architecture: URLs for SEO, APIs, REST

Not just deploying:

Blogs, Wikis, Twitter, and Facebook clones – understand what will meet your requirements

Reinforces and promotes:

Use, re-use, invention

Source: www.futureexploration.net Use others Web 2.0 frameworks

Information Architecture Connects the technology to the users’ social interaction preferences Content page Profile page My blog page(s) My intersections with other communities All my comments All my articles

Connects the technology to the users’ social interaction preferences

CONCLUSIONS Final thoughts

Final thoughts

The landscape has changed In our modern world, people can: Blog, write in wikis, tag photos in Flickr, share, collaborate, socialise online ... easily, for free, at home It’s an integral part of our modern online global culture People expect: What they can do at home to be in your organisation Organisations can: Be responsive to this need through learning from others, understanding the research and doing strategic planning

In our modern world, people can:

Blog, write in wikis, tag photos in Flickr, share, collaborate, socialise online ... easily, for free, at home

It’s an integral part of our modern online global culture

People expect:

What they can do at home to be in your organisation

Organisations can:

Be responsive to this need through learning from others, understanding the research and doing strategic planning

Google is your front door Optimise your website’s page ranking by: Using social media components Encouraging user interaction & building trust Complementing your own content with users’ contributions – comments, links, ratings

Optimise your website’s page ranking by:

Using social media components

Encouraging user interaction & building trust

Complementing your own content with users’ contributions – comments, links, ratings

Can’t I just ... . . . install a wiki or a blog and see what happens? Planning for success ensures you know how you’re meeting strategic goals by aligning appropriate resources ... ... it ensures you can reproduce the results! Yes ... that’s good for play and pilot projects

Fin Questions? Management & Technology

Questions?

Embracing social media in the enterprise Management & Technology

Matthew Hodgson ACT Regional-lead, Web and Information Management SMS Management & Technology Blog: magia3e.wordpress.com Twitter: magia3e Slideshare: www.slideshare.net/magia3e Email: mhodgson@smsmt.com Mobile: 0404 006695 Management & Technology

Blog: magia3e.wordpress.com

Twitter: magia3e

Slideshare: www.slideshare.net/magia3e

Email: mhodgson@smsmt.com Mobile: 0404 006695