http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/events/workshops/trieste-2005/talk-2a/ The Role Of Collaborative Technologies (or Why Email Should Die!) This talk: • Describes the limitations Brian Kelly of email UKOLN • Outlines areas in which University of Bath new.
Download ReportTranscript http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/events/workshops/trieste-2005/talk-2a/ The Role Of Collaborative Technologies (or Why Email Should Die!) This talk: • Describes the limitations Brian Kelly of email UKOLN • Outlines areas in which University of Bath new.
http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/events/workshops/trieste-2005/talk-2a/ The Role Of Collaborative Technologies (or Why Email Should Die!) This talk: • Describes the limitations Brian Kelly of email UKOLN • Outlines areas in which University of Bath new technologies can Bath provide benefits • Recognises difficulties Email • Suggests strategies for [email protected] change UKOLN is supported by: A centre of expertise in digital information management www.ukoln.ac.uk Why Collaborative Technologies? Why should we look at collaborative technologies in a workshop on e-learning • Learning is a social activity, so collaborative technologies are very important in e-learning • Developing e-learning resources can be a collaborative activity • You are taking part in a workshop with others and collaborative technologies can help you to engage with others This talk looks at a range of collaborative technologies and explores strategies for their deployment A centre of expertise in digital information management www.ukoln.ac.uk 2 Reflections On Email Let's Kill Email! Email has been a very useful tool Mailing lists Files … But: • Information overload Poor metadata • Duplication Poor management capabilities • Limited developments Viruses • Spam Flame wars Would email take off if it came out today? 3 A centre of expertise in digitalknowledge information management "E-mail is where goes to die" www.ukoln.ac.uk Reflections On Email Email Versus Web Architecture Email can be used by a wide range of clients. But such universality is at the cost of limited functionality Email Server 4 Web Scripts Integration Personalisation Authentication A centre of expertise in digital information management … Client Scripts Plugins Integration Personalisation www.ukoln.ac.uk … Replacements For Email Time To Progress? If email has its flaws, how can we progress? • Recognition of the problem (e.g. stress caused by information overload; difficulties in finding key messages; …) • Identify areas in which alternatives are better • Recognition of barriers to change • Strategies for addressing these barriers Note that examples of applications used by the author will be given. However this is not intended as an endorsement of any particular application. You should evaluate applications thoroughly before deploying them. A centre of expertise in digital information management www.ukoln.ac.uk 5 Replacements For Email RSS - Not Email! Why subscribe to email lists simply for announcements when RSS readers provide more control? Why use email lists alone when RSS is so easy to create? When new QA Focus documents published, RSS file is updated. See "RSS: Let's Clear The Confusion And Start Using!" slides handouts Intro To RSS briefing A centre ofand expertise in digital informationand management www.ukoln.ac.uk 6 Replacements For Email IM - Not Email! Use of instant messaging: • Provide immediacy (group working on topic together) • Dedicated channel – unlike email • Value-added services: Shared applications Voice & video … • Good user support – your children! (Don't believe the 'I'm spied upon; lot's of sounds, … myths) Worried about misuse? Read a case study and policy implement guidelines A centre of expertise in digital information management www.ukoln.ac.uk 7 Replacements For Email Sound & Video - Not Email! VoIP: future of telephony Popular applications such as Skype: • Integrated voice, IM, Web, (and now video) • Can be high quality • Free (or cheap to landlines & mobiles) • Conference calls • … VoIP is coming, so now’s the time to gain experiences. What are the implications of ‘free’ always-on telephony. You could all inbe broadcasting this talk now! www.ukoln.ac.uk A centre of expertise digital information management 8 Replacements For Email Blogs Not Email! http://www.tametheweb.com/ttwblog/ Want to keep up to date? • Find a good Blog • Add it to an RSS alerter (e.g. Bloglines) • Add comments Want to inform your users: • Save them email overload and create your own Blog! A centre of expertise in digital information management 9 www.ukoln.ac.uk Replacements For Email 10 Wikis - Not Email! Involved in joint work? Don't send Word documents by email, use a Wiki (we did!): • Small, trusted group • No bottleneck • Comments in single location, not scattered across emails • Can be complemented by email, IM & A centre of expertise in digital information management Skype www.ukoln.ac.uk Replacements For Email 11 Podcasting - Not Email! Can't attend a conference but interested in a talk? Viewed PowerPoints, but still don't fully understand? Why not: • Listen to an MP3 recording • Subscribe to a Podcast Really keen – record events you organise or your favourite talks (but seek permission first) Or use Skype for interviews, make recording & then Publish as Podcast, A centre of expertise in digital information with management www.ukoln.ac.uk CC licence to maximise use Barriers 12 Why The Reluctance? Tradition • We've always used email; everyone's happy with it Myths • IM means continual sound alerts; people knowing when you arrive & leave; constant interruptions; ... Inertia • I'd like to, but I can't find the time Trust • The Internet's a evil place Immaturity of technologies • Good in theory, but I'll wait for technology to improve Rights issues • We're worried about copyright issues Age, gender, … • It's toys for boys A centre of expertise in digital information management www.ukoln.ac.uk Deployment Strategies Strategies For Change Acceptance of truth in some cases: • Yes, Blogs are used by the vain • IM can be disruptive • You may receive spam, spim, … • Wikis may be vandalised • Blog comments may get full of Viagra spam But recognition that it's not always true: • Many Blogs have valuable information • You can normally configure applications (switch off alerts; hide identity & presence; …) • You can manage potential hacks: require authentication; disable features; use in a trusted environment such as on Intranet; … A centre of expertise in digital information management 13 www.ukoln.ac.uk Deployment Strategies Strategies For Change (2) Use with small scale experiment • Closed Blog for recording effort • Photo services for family pictures • Exploiting your phone, camera, PDA, … • Blog & RSS related to a conference event Observe wider use: • Popularity of Flickr during London bombings • Popularity of SMS Listening to and engaging with the gurus: • ILI conference • ILI speakers' Blogs and Podcasts • … A centre of expertise in digital information management 14 www.ukoln.ac.uk Deployment Strategies Strategies For Change (3) Legal Issues • Copyright is an issue • Need to be aware of business models (“I’ll not go to ILI next year, Joe will record it for me”) but: • You can be pragmatic • Remember how we made hyperlinks and installed caches – both possible copyright infringements • Does accessibility and widening participation trump copyright? Suggestions: • Have contingency plans in case of problems (Internet Archive did this) • Engage user community in discussions A centre of expertise in digital information management 15 www.ukoln.ac.uk Deployment Strategies Case Study (1) Institutional Web Management Workshop 2005: • Held at University of Manchester on 6-8 July • WiFi network available so we: Encouraged use of real time chat (using IRC) Hosted workshop Blogger Use of Wiki for note-taking during discussion groups and parallel sessions (no flip charts to be digitised) Published Podcasts prior to event Recorded some talks (with permission) • Also asked delegates to provide mobile phones nos. for use in emergencies (and 7/7 happened) • Evaluation on use of technologies mostly very positive (small no. thought it could be distracting) No commitment to Podcasting talks made. We feel delegates know such resources are only part of the learning process A centre of expertise in digital information management www.ukoln.ac.uk 16 Case Study (2) See <http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/events/workshops/swmlac-2005-10/> Workshop on 24 Oct 2005 in Truro, Cornwall: • Aim to present remotely using Skype and Video4M • Will have a SMIL & MS Producer presentations as backup Benefits: save time and travel costs; environmentally friendly, multimedia can be viewed by others; … A centre of expertise inpresentation digital information management www.ukoln.ac.uk 17 Deployment Strategies Case Study (3) http://ili2005.xwiki.com/ A centre of expertise in digital information management 18 ILI 2005 (unofficial) Wiki available: • Links to ILI site • Information about previous events • Social information (hotel, tourisms, …) Why not: • Add trip report • Share your thoughts • … www.ukoln.ac.uk Discussion Fora – A Half Way House Web-based bulletin boards may provide a useful half-way house: • Email interface for reading and posting • Web interface for reading and posting • Alerts of new postings (RSS, email, IM, ....) A centre of expertise in digital information management 19 www.ukoln.ac.uk Blogging For Librarians https://blog.lib.umn.edu/cgi-bin/ulib-directory.cgi http://blog.lib.umn.edu/wall0552/ http://blogs.warwick.ac.uk/groups/LB/ "That's a bit risky, isn't it?" http://blogs.warwick.ac.uk/lriu/entry/the_uk_a/ httpbloglibumneduwall0552Rhet3266/ "You don't provide Blogging? Weird!" Note: Day-long tracks on Blogs & Wikis at ILI 2005 and Online Information 2005 - the hour has arrived! See "Pen A Blog Buster" article in IWR, Sept 2005 A centre of expertise in digital information management www.ukoln.ac.uk 20 Conclusions To conclude: • Email has been useful • There are alternatives which can provide richer functionality, better usability, … • There are barriers to the deployment of new technologies, both real and imaginary • There is a need to develop deployment strategies for new technologies which can enhance your organisation or your working environment Once you've started to make use of the technologies, you'll face challenges in interoperability, finding the stuff, etc. But answers to these issues are the subject of another talk! … and ofemail can still be usefulmanagement – it doesn’t really have www.ukoln.ac.uk to die A centre expertise in digital information 21 Questions Any questions? A centre of expertise in digital information management 22 www.ukoln.ac.uk