Role of social tools in the current awareness process

Penny Edwards, Lars Plougmann, Stuart Barr www.headshift.com, September 2008

/http://flickr.com/photos/_fabrizio_/786526891/in/photostream/

Challenges for Current awarenessKnowledge and information sharing

• Ubiquity of informal knowledge sharing

• Building the business case around current awareness

Challenges for Current awarenessChallenges for current awareness

• Timeliness

• Cost effective delivery

• Innovative value-added service

• Original targeted content

(cc) http://www.flickr.com/photos/iconolith/458099966/

Some thoughts: internal CA

• A networked approach:

- Collaborative filtering

- Shared awareness

- Aggregated signals

• New ways of working

- Self-service

- Publish then filter

- Personalisation

Benefits for external CA

• Dynamic content and process

• Less volume -> greater relevance

• Delivery formats to suit preference

• Conversations rather than broadcasts

http://www.flickr.com/photos/victoriapeckham/164175205/

How to kick start change...

• Integrated lightweight solutions

• Building on existing systems

• Involvement of key user groups and IT

• No ‘one size fits all’ solution

Social tools in the CA process: Demo

(cc) http://www.flickr.com/photos/limowreck666/157909490/in/set-72157594146274206/

Recap...

• Flexible lightweight tools

• More intimate personalised information

• Feeds and flows

• Collective intelligence

Many thanks for the photos made available under a Creative Commons license. Regardless of the CC

license, if any photographer objects to the inclusion of their material then we shall happily remove it.

Thank you!