Using Enterprise Social Media for Conference Participants

I've been investigating how to use enterprise social media to facilitate real-time collaboration and information sharing among work teams and specialized groups. Enterprise social networking focuses on the use of online social networks or social relations among people who share business interests and/or activities. 

Companies are starting to investigate and use them to promote real-time collaboration, file sharing, and relationship building. They are starting to implement social networks to promote collaboration amongst their employees. The networks are being implemented to get employees collaborating and sharing tips and ideas about how to improve the workplace and are being used to increase transparency across the organization.

The two tools I'm currently investigating are SharePt and Yammer. Even though SharePt is mainly a document management and collaboration, it does have some social media components: blogs, wikis, and discussions. Yammer is a mico-blogging tool that allows users to instant message conversations and files (including photos and videos). 

From my investigation, here are some "kewl" recommended uses of each tool. The recommendations are based on the scenario of using these tools for a focused group of individuals participating in a real-world conference.

SharePt:

• Use the blog for key note speakers to post articles based on book chapters or concepts they will discuss during the conference. Allow conference attendees to read post in advance in preparation for the conference so they can comment and post responses. This serves two purposes: it gets the participants engaging ahead of time and it gives the speaker ideas about the conference attendees (which may help in the planning of the presentations).
• Use the blog for the company CEO or other leaders to post kick-off blog about the conference theme and how valuable the conference and their participation is to the organization. 
• Use the discussion area to pose questions for the key note speakers or panelists and conference organizers.
• Use the wiki for whole group work or assignments throughout the conference. For example, an exercise could be for participants could be asked to post ideas about key topics to come up with a consolidated list of best practices or ideas on the topic.

Yammer:

• Use during the conference to pose questions for conference participants.
• Use to take polls on effectiveness of the conference or to get participant feedback on the sessions, presenters and overall experiences.
• Use to announce updates or changes in the conference agenda.
• Use to allow real time conversations between conference participants.

I am still investigating other tools. I think the functions I've listed above are a good start for incorporating social media into traditional conferences.

To come, a more in depth comparison of costs and security...

How to "Train" Learners about Policies

Scenario: A new federal policy is implemented across the organization. The automatic response from management is, "we need training".

My Approach: Most people reading this blog are probably familiar with the ADDIE model. This is the model I use when approaching projects that entail developing learning solutions of some sort. For a project of this nature I have a multi-prong approach to the analysis phase. During the discussion of objectives and desired outcomes, I insert design approaches and concepts based on Gagne's events of instruction. I use this time as an opportunity to educate management or the subject matter experts I am working with on the best possible approach to the "training issue" they have identified.

My Recommendation: Rather than present the policy, I recommend presenting real life situations the policy is designed to address and how these situations impact the various audiences on the job performance. The details of the policy will be added as reference materials for further study if the learners are actually interested in reading all the "legalese".

Here is a high level outline of what this recommendation will look like:
1) Introduce new policy by providing learner with an actual problem that has occurred in the workplace. By providing an real life problem, I gain the learner's attention right at the start of the course and I provide the context which drives home the importance of engaging in the learning activities to come and completing the course.

2) Break the policy up into chunks in the following modules. In addition to providing the background and context, use other real life situations  to present the learners with challenges and have learners answer questions based on the scenarios.

3) Provide instructions for what to do if the learner needs assistance. Also provide job aids and reference sheets highlighting the key points of the policy, major categories or examples and escalation path.

4) End with some type of assessment to see if learner met the objectives defined for the course.