Learning Clinic:

Social Reporting Around Events

Process

Welcome, introductions, overview & approach What is social reporting? Why (and why not) incorporate social reporting

into an event? Social reporting considerations Making a case of social reporting

Welcome, Introductions, Approach

Who are we and why are we here? What’s driving the organisation of this clinic What’s our approach?

This is an opportunity to exchage experiences in social reporting - what worked and hasn't worked so well

Facilitated conversations (not "teaching") We are not ‘experts’ in this domain but keen to improve our practice Quick pace: 3 hrs is short!

What is social reporting?

“Social reporting is an emerging role, a set of skills, and a philosophy around how to mix journalism, facilitation and social media to help people develop conversations and stories for collaboration. While mainstream reporting is usually about capturing surprise, conflict, crisis, and entertainment, and in projecting or broadcasting stories to audiences, social reporters aim to work collaboratively with other people, producing words, pictures and movies together. They may challenge and even provoke, but social reporters are sensitive to the resources and parameters of the group, community or organisation they reporting for. They are insiders rather than outsiders.”

Excerpt from: Social Reporting Toolbox

Why make social reporting a part of an event? A record or archive of the event Better conversations among participants Capture good ideas and content before people return

home Share content (during the event) to people who could not

attend Keep conversations going after the event Support accountability A mix of the above?

Why not?

You are ‘afraid’ of losing control over content - possibility of having to deal with -ve feedback

Quality is a huge concern Concerns about privacy or security A lot of upfront planning and possibly skills training Issues that are sensitive or strategic that you don’t want

shared Limited or no access to technologies/applications

Getting organised

Planning checklist Roles Event type

Planning checklist*

Why are you planning to do some social reporting? Who is the social reporting for? What sort of content? What restrictions, encouragement? What resources do you have available to you (HR, financial, time…) Where will content be available? How will content be captured and organised? When will content be available? How will you engage audiences/participants

*Source: SRToolbox wiki: http://srtoolbox.wikispaces.com/

Roles

Editor Technical support Social reporters

New additions: Coordinator (visionary) Ombudsperson (dealing with privacy, conflict resolution)

What kind of sessions are being planned?

Traditional: Tight management, high profile, little, if any, interaction (presentations and panels)

Creative event: Open to contributions from participants (roundtables and marketplaces)

Fully interactive: Participants drive agenda (open space and unconference)

Social media tools

Blogs (wordpress) Photo/video/audio sharing sites (flickr, blip.tv) Texting (twitter, sms) Social networking sites (Crowdvine, ning) Structured reporting (pbworks, google docs)

Social Media Flower

Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/briansolis/2735401175/sizes/l/

Group exercise: Making a case

Make the case for using social reporting to document the event ie. what are the benefits for organisers? Participants?

State what resources they feel would be needed to successfully capture the event

What are some ways in which you might apply social media tools to best support their social reporting objectives?

Groups will be invited to do short report backs (5 mins) and document the key points in the event website

(http://panall.crowdvine.com/)

Case: M is for Mobile Conference

The M is for mobile conference is the brain child of social entrepreneur Jarlith Tierney. One of the leading lights in the heady days of Ireland’s rise as the Celtic tiger, he has become a strong supporter of ICT4D focusing on his expertise in mobile technologies. The conference is the first of it kind. It will bring together representative from industry, civil society and the research community to discuss how to harness the wide spread use of mobiles to promote equitable development. Part trade show, part traditional conference, organizers are exploring the use of social networking tools before and after the conference. The conference organizing committee has clear objectives, a defiend program that will feature well known keynote speakers.

Event Type: Some might call this event a traditional or formal conference. It is characterised by Tight management, high profile people, little, if any, interaction among participants during the sessions (presentations and panels)

Case: Priming Development 2.0

The priming development 2.0 workshop came about as a result of discussions that went on along the fringes of World Social Forum. The workshop organizers wanted a forum where activists could learn hands-on skill and share practical experiences in using social networking tools to bring about change. The participant-driven event will bring together software developers and designers with social innovators and entrepreneurs. By providing spaces for people to meet, the workshop will help to participants transform their ideas into technologies or techniques to solve social problems.

Event Type: Some may call this event fully interactive in that participants are driving the agenda. They are open to whatever emerges.

Case: Access for all workshop - Strategic Communication Primer

Access for all is a network of Southeast Asian researchers whose focus is the reform of national telecommunications policies and laws that limit access, especially by the poor, to the benefits of information and communication technologies. Funded by the International Centre for ICT reform (ICICTR), the network has recognized the need to build the capacity of its members to communicate the results of their research especially to policymakers. The workshop is for members only and will be facilitated by an outside expert in communications. The expected output is a short primer on strategic communications.

Event Type: Some might call this event a creative seminar or workshop. Organisers are open to a contributions from participants.

Sources

Developing a social reporting plan Social Reporting Toolbox and related wiki Blog Entry: Turning old style conferences into new convening spaces

Choosing tools Blog entry: Commonly used tools Social Media Flower

Events in which social reporting has played an active role. No cost for tools. ICT-KM Mozambique: External social reporter hired to dynamic record event in a blog; wiki for

information dissemination pre-event Knowledge Sharing Workshop: Wiki used for content capture by workshop participants IFAD's APR 09: Internal social reporters trained prior to the event and dynamically captured text

and media in a blog PAN All : Crowdvine social networking site used to connect and capture content related to the

event