How the WOMMeN (Word of Mouth Mammogram e Network) team developed a strategy to embed SoMe in their project. Using SoMe in research ensures activity is collaborative at all stages of the research cycle: we have therefore called this a sociological research cycle.

1. Using SoMe within research
Dr Leslie Robinson
@LeslieRob10

2. • 72% of UK adults have SoMe Profile (Ofcom 2015)
• SoMe now widely used for professional networking –
connecting professionals, researchers
• SoMe can also be used as a research tool for
undertaking research activity
• Range of platforms can be used: their strengths and
limitations should be matched to the research activity
• Create a SoMe communication strategy
• For brevity here: Twitter, Facebook, Researchgate,
Wordpress
• By example – WOMMeN project

8. Example of WOMMeN SoMe communication strategy
Purpose Platform Examples Communication strategy
Promotion of project,
participant recruitment
Twitter Tweet about things we’ve done,
blogs to read, invitations to join
project
Informal but professional
Facebook open
page
Reporting activity of user design
group to the wider breast
screening community,
Informal but professional
Wordpress blog Short overviews of focussed
aspects of the project
Informal but professional,
adapt to suit audience (e.g. for
practitioners or service users)
Researchgate Published papers/presentations Formal, peer review
Team ideas and
resource sharing
Facebook private
page project team
Links to web sites, reports and
resources we might find useful.
Discussions about project activity
and progress
Informal
Research data collection Facebook closed
page User Design
Group
Ultimately to get opinions related
to three key research questions
Need to develop a community
through ‘social’ means first.
Quick communication to
whole group
Email Meeting rooms, forwarding emails
that can’t be uploaded easily to
the Facebook project team page
Informal but professional
(mindful of NHS firewalls)
Project organisation,
storage of documents
Blackboard Minutes, meeting dates, ethical
approval, project proposals and
bids, consent forms

10. Initiate/Concept
Establishing
collaborators
Exploring current
field, people not
just literature
Recruiting
participants, users
as researchers
On-line data
collection
Communities &
focus groups
Data analysis
Collaborative
authorship of
outcomes
Sharing findings
Output:
‘Open’
publicity
‘Open’
publicity
‘Closed’ User
Design Team
(participants)
Core project team communicate
through ‘private’ FB throughout
‘Closed’ User
Design Team
(participants)

11. https://mammographybreastscreening.wordpress.com/

12. https://www.facebook.com/BreastScreeningProject

14. Researchgate
metrics

15. Facebook open site metrics

16. WOMMeN
Blog metrics

17. Symplur for Health-related Twitter
metrics
WOMMeN project 8th in list of
worldwide mammogram
influencers
Symplur Healthcare Hashtag
Project (think MeSH!)

18. Will SoMe impact
become part of formal
citation metrics?