Talked with Andrew Hoppin the other day about microblogging, Jaiku, and Nasa. Here are some notes:
Manypeople still think of it as a frivolous technology.
Used internally at organizations, it can help to break through hierarchy. It creates ”situational awareness.” This kind of thing can be really critical at a place like NASA where there are 1000 stovepipes operating independently. It helps build links between them, enhancing community and collaboration.
There is always more going on that you can keep track of. MB creates an organic passive awareness. It allows you to help someone or communicate with someone without making a specific effort to do so.
Virtual offices are so common these days and you don't have the benefit of dynamic social interaction. Products like basecamp are great, but they require specific and somewhat structured action. It's work. MB is simple. It's not a lot of work.
Jaiku has some advantages over Twitter b/c you can create groups which makes it easier to prioritize the information coming in.
At NASA, in Andrew’s “CoLab” working group, MB is the heartbeat. It's unfiltered and uncensored. This is great for public outreach b/c NASA has been so insular over the years—a black box to the public. We can now share the direct experience of what it's like to work at NASA with people who love to be insiders. It's like they're in on the CB radio of the organization. They can feel part of it, get back stage access.
MB is a moment to moment tool.
Biz Stone (of Twitter) has a crushed ice theory, which explains the value of Twitter. The more surface area you expose, the greater effect you have by exposing more points of contact. You can solve problems so quickly by spreading them out to lots of people. You're going to bounce into a bunch of different conversations.
Possible uses * broadcast news * promotions: events/marketing * networking * breaking news * mobilizations
In the future it will probably integrate with open ID - and there will be aggregations of MBs.
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