UGA Technology for the Turnaround: Event Summary and Twitter Definition

It was a wonderful, warm spring day in Athens, GA for the University of Georgia, Grady College, New Media Institute, Technology for the Turnaround event on April 25, 2009. Dr. Shamp did an outstanding job motivating the Professors, Students and Educators to come up with new, innovative ideas on how to change University Education now and in the future. I am very grateful to him for including me in this event.

As part of the day, we were asked to come up with a definition for a word provided by Dr. Shamp around a given topic area - Social Media, Gaming, Mobile, Music, Advertising and Video. We then presented our definitions during the "Crowdsourcing the Future: Snackable Prophecies" section of the day. My word was Twitter as part of the Social Media topic area and here was the definition I gave:

"Twitter - A Social Web, open communications platform and ecosystem that enables the creation of an infinite number of services and information resources by innovative individuals and groups. It also enables users the ability to deliver, consume, share, search and analyze information in real-time, participating in an open culture, unencumbered by geography or time. With every new, public message or "Tweet" value is derived by all exponentially."

The topic area discussions were lively and we all had to invest in a portfolio of topic areas. I invested my 300 UGA Dollars in the 60%/40% split Mobile/Gaming venture fund. However, I would have been more excited if one of the venture teams had put at least 10% into Social Media.

The UGA New Media Insititute Certificate Program Student Capstone projects were also thoughtfully presented. Each team developed an integrated, new media solution to solving a business problem. They all used a mashup of mobile, video, music and innovative access and delivery methods. Here are the projects:

• MyAcquarium: The Georgia Acquarium Mobile Hub - Integrated Quick Response (QR) Codes with a mobile delivery capability for a behinds-the-scene look at what is going on at the Acquarium.

• The Neighborhood: Mobile Audio Blog - A mobile, hyperlocal audio blog that leverages locally knowledgeable individuals like Starbucks Baristas to provide content. Uses Utterli group messaging service.

• ITwilight: Mobile Guide to the Athens Twilight - This mobile service could also be used for Football games and other large scale atheltic or artistic events. Provides information on closest restrooms, navigating traffic, and food as well as other necessity information for successfully attending a major event.

• ListenUpLocal: Mobile Local Music Programs - This mobile service provides information on local bands, gigs and concerts. Delivers behind-the-scenes videos and interviews. The artist they used to demonstrate the service is a local Athens, GA, Grady College student - Allison Weiss (@allisonweiss) - BTW: she is an excellent musician, do check out her work on YouTube and at her website.

• The Refuge Experience: US Fish & Wildlife Refuge Video - Beautiful videos at a wildlife refuge in Georgia.

Jennifer Dorian, Senior Vice President of Network Strategy and Brand Development, Turner Entertainment Networks presented on the topic of Innovation for the Turnaround. Here is a background article from the Atlanta Constitution Journal: Rebranded TNT Ignites Career Success. She felt it imperative to focus on small, marketing and new media experiments and tests, find the winners and grow from there. Do not invest too much otherwise the ROI becomes unachievable. I enjoyed her insights and the TNT Meta Tag project is an amazing case study in starting small and building up a revenue stream before extending a project or program too far.

Here are the relevant articles that Dr. Shamp had us read prior to attending the event and a couple that have come out since. These are all relevant to the ongoing discussion on how University Education must change for the benefit of all in the future.

• J-Schools Play Catchup - New York Times Online, April 14, 2009

• Are J-Schools Today Taking the Wrong Approach - Editor & Publisher, April 3, 2009

• End The University As We Know It - New York Times Online, April 26, 2009
  

Dr. Shamp is also proposing a new major at the UGA Grady College: Digital Mass Media Major. Makes me want to go back to school...wish this was available when I was in college.

Overall a fantastic day and event. We need more interaction like this between University and College Educators, Students and Professionals. Crowdsourcing ideas are the beginnings of bringing out the best in all of us.

A special and sincere thanks to Lizzie Azzolino (@lizazzolino) and Lindley Curtis (@Lindley), Grady College students, who introduced me to Dr. Shamp and got me involved in this effort.

Preparing For UGA Technology For The Turnaround Event

I am very excited about participating in the upcoming University of Georgia, New Media Institute, Technology For The Turnaround: A Crisis is a Terrible Thing to Waste event on April 25, 2009 in Athens, Georgia. The event is being led by Professor Scott Shamp (@sshamp) Director of the New Media Institute (NMI blog). The core discussion is around what will come out of the massive economic, technology and cultural changes we are currently going through? How will new media, social media, social web (see "Why Social Media Sucks" by Forrester Research Vice President and Principal Analyst Josh Bernoff (@jbernoff), or what I have been calling the social media ecosystem, impact and be impacted by the amazing amount of turmoil we are now experiencing in our society? We will also discuss the challenges this paradigm shift is bringing about in education.

With the theme of the event in mind, I have created the below list of blogs, blog posts, articles and videos I believe are foundational to the discussion. Of key importance to being included on this list is that the material be free, available and, of course, relevant and insightful.

• The Corporate Weblog Manifesto by Robert Scoble (@Scobleizer) February 26, 2003 is a seminal blog post on what it means to blog for your brand or company. This is the foundational document all bloggers should read before beginning their blog.

• 8 Principals for the Modern Blog ...At Least for 2009 by Jeremiah Owyang (@jowyang), the Web Strategist blogger and Forrester Research Principal Analyst for Social Media, Social Computing and Social Web Marketing. This article is an excellent update to the Corporate Weblog Manifesto. The blog is also a wonderful resource for all things social media/computing/web and social media marketing.

• Ask Jeremiah: The Comprehensive FAQ Guide to Twitter by Jeremiah Owyang is another great resource for those first timer Twitter users (or even a good refresher for long-time Twitter (Wikipedia Definition) users) to read before entering the very open and constantly shifting culture of Twitter.

• A Chronology of Brands that got Punk'd by Social Media by Jeremiah Owyang is a list of corporate brands that have been negatively impacted by social media. These brands either did it to themselves or something happened in the social media ecosystem to them. The list is a cautionary tale and a must read for those wanting to use social media marketing to benefit their brands, products and services.

• The Groundswell Blog by Josh Bernoff, Forrester Research Vice President and Prinicpal Analyst co-wrote the Groundswell: Winning In A World Transformed By Social Technologies book with Charlene Li (@charleneli), Altimeter Group and former Forrester Research Vice President and Principal Analyst. Josh and Charlene developed the POST methodology for marketing and communicating in a social web world. POST stands for People, Objectives, Strategy and Technology. It is a systematic process and approach that guides you through a straight forward and thoughtful process for reaching your target customers with social media marketing.

• The Pew Internet and American Life Project (@Pew_Internet) is another excellent resource for community, cultural and technology adoption research. Here are some recent reports that marketers and communications professionals should be reading: The Mobile Difference, Twitter and Status Updating, Generations Online in 2009, and Adults and Social Network Websites.

• Professor Michael Wesch (@mwesch), Cultural Anthropologist at Kansas State University runs the Digital Ethnography program that is proving to be an innovator and leader in university education on new media and its impact on cultures and society. These articles and videos are outstanding: From Knowledgeable to Knowledge-Able: Learning in New Media Environments, A Vision of Students Today (& What Teachers Must Do), An Anthropological Introduction to YouTube, A Portal To Media Literacy, A Vision Of Students Today, and The Machine is Us/ing Us. BTW - Prof. Wesch was just named one of the University Professors of the Year, November 8, 2008.

• Here is a video from Prof. Wesch's World Simulation Class Project and Learning Environment:
  

• The University of Pennsylvania, Wharton Business School (@wharton), Knowledge@Wharton is another excellent resource that delivers relevant research and analysis on the digital ecosystem. Here are some recent articles: All That Twitters Isn't Gold: A Popular Web Application In Search of a Business Plan, Advertising Yourself: Building a Personal Brand Through Social Networks. Also, keep an eye on The Wharton Interactive Media Initiative.
  

• I also like the social web ecosystem perspective shown in The Conversation Prism created by Brian Solis (@briansolis) and Jesse Thomas (@jessethomas):

The Conversation Prism by Brian Solis and Jesse Thomas

• Finally a fun blog post that shows the scale and scope of the social digital ecosystem: 49 Amazing Social Media, Web 2.0 and Internet Stats by Adam Singer (@AdamSinger) from his TheFutureBuzz blog.
  

I hope I am able to provide as much information, insights and perspective to this event as I expect to receive in return. I will blog and Tweet about it after attending.

Flutter - Nanoblogging: The Next Generation of the Blog

This is a very funny and maybe prescient video from the team at Slate as part of their article "Do I Really Have To Join Twitter?" by Farhad Manjoo. The article discusses the rapid rise of Twitter and whether you really have to join at this point in its evolution. Flutter is described as the next generation of blogging or "Nanoblogging." Blog posts are limited to 26 characters, equivalent to the English Alphabet. View and enjoy: LOL!!

Saturday Night Live Shout Out by "President Obama" for Paper Mate and Levolor Brands

Saturday Night Live opening skit on April 4, 2009 discussed the extension of the Federal Government Stimulus package beyond just the auto industry and financial services. The skit goes so far as to declare winning brands and companies in specific industries. Thankfully for Newell Rubbermaid, Paper Mate and Levolor brands are called out as "winners." It is a very funny and timely skit. Watch and enjoy.