Avoiding the pitfalls of social networking

Thanks to all those who volunteered to run special interest and regional groups on The Communicators' Network site, launching in June. You'll be the first to know when the site soft-launches in the next few weeks. If you are still interested but have not got in touch, please contact me as soon as possible.

And thanks also for the off-line comments and suggestions about what people like/dislike about existing social networking sites out there, we are trying our best to incorporate as many as possible into the site.

1. Protecting your privacy: you tell us that you don't want to be bombarded by 'requests to be friends' from people you don't know. Not only will the Communicators' Network allow you to change your privacy settings at any time so you stay in control, but we are making the site invitation-only but still free to join. So the door-policy will help ensure the quality of the membership. Every little helps.

2. Search: if you are looking for someone or something, you expect to find it quickly. We specifically chose SmallWorldLabs because of their search technology which finds anything anywhere very quickly.

3. Networking is nice but not the be all and end all: you told us that networking with others is fun but not enough to keep you coming back. You are busy. We understand. So there has to be more. And The Communicators' Network will be much more. It will be a constantly evolving directory of useful resources as rated and reviewed by YOU, saving you the time and effort of scouring the web for the answer. That means the best blogs, books, articles, events, service providers, you name it, you can rate it.

But it's not too late, if there is anything we can build to make sure the Communicators' Network is not just "useful" or "fun" but "indispensable" and "helping me make better business decisions", then tell us now.

But you better hurry, beta-testing proper starts next week.

Robin Crumby.

Comments

[Tom Keefe]

Robin,

You certainly are wise to check with potential users regarding the features and services that will make your site indespensible.

Two reasons I can think of right away are:

1) Time is too precious to waste. We will spend more time with something at first because of the excitement it provides (being new and undiscovered). As time goes on, however, we decide whether the benefits we gain from the experience is worth the time spent.

2) Companies block access to some social media sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn. Some communicators may need to obtain approval to access your site (among others). That approval will be easier to obtain if the site clearly shows business value--as yours will when it launches.

This is very exciting; keep us informed!

[Robin Crumby]

I will indeed keep you informed Tom. Rest assured. You will be one of the first to know. Changes are being made as we speak.

[Judy Gombita]

This past Friday my association sponsored a symposium for accounting academics from across Ontario (an experiential-learning "Knowledge Cafe"), with the objective of determining the most effective ways to teach competency-based accounting and financial studies (plus related curriculum) at the undergraduate level, now and in the future.

Robin, in his introductory segment the facilitator, Dr. Nick Bontis, made two important points that I think might be relevant for the launch of The Communicators' Network.

1. The nature of education is changing dramatically in terms of the percentage of time spent on search (i.e., research) and critical analysis/synthesis. Whereas students used to spend disproportionate amounts of time in the library, looking up books, making use of "reference-only" materials or waiting for items to come back from other students, now almost everything is available within a few minutes via search engines and fast/inexpensive document orders. Whereas search used to take up something like 65 to 75 per cent of a student's time, now it is in the area of five to 10 per cent. What this means is that the time that is freed up can be devoted to the ANALYSIS of the materials, as well as the synthesis of original and critical thoughts and ideas. If you are moving the already "search-friendly" platform towards being a ready-made depository of useful and targeted materials, I think this could prove to be a tremendous resource for communicators and related disciplines of all stripes. (I think the senior practitioners will also appreciate the "peer-review" aspect.) Anything that will save us time, yet produce relevant and applicable materials, should be heartily welcomed by all.

2. The other point that Nick brought up--which I don't think Melcrum has considered--is that the unilingual Anglophones in the various disciplines are missing out on all kinds of tremendous documents and research published in other languages. If it is at all possible to build in a basic translator tool (or widget) into the platform, that would be wonderful. Alternatively, perhaps some of your registrants whose first language is something other than English, would be willing to translate their own (or their peers') documents into a second langauge.

(The related story told by Nick Bontis is that he presented what he thought was a bleeding-edge paper on knowledge management--his specialty--at a conference in South Africa. Afterwards, a German colleague asked if they could have coffee and chat. The German pulled out an abstract he had written 15 years prior on the same topic. When requested, he translated it. Nick indicated that the scholar's thoughts of 15 years ago were more advanced than the paper he had just presented as being ground-breaking.)

Just like Tom, I'm looking forward to seeing The Communicators' Network in action. All the best for its launch!

[Sohbet]

Thank you