Sunday, November 9, 2008

A-Space: A Collaborative Work Environment To Answer Intelligence Questions And Challenges

In today’s dynamic environment, in which emerging threats are often time-critical, old technology is not sufficient to achieve the multi- faceted collaborative analysis and discussion needed to meet the resulting challenges.

A-Space is an ODNI project to develop a common collaboration workspace for all Intelligence Community analysts that is accessible from current workstations and provides unprecedented access to interagency databases, a capability to search classified sources and the Internet simultaneously, web-based email, and collaboration tools accredited to the HUMINT Control System and Gamma Information Handling (HCS/G) level. The Defense Intelligence Agency is the Executive Agent for building the first phase of A-Space.

How can this help us?

A-Space will help individual analysts be more effective in the work of discovery and investigation. It is designed to give analysts access to a large and diverse corpus of intelligence, including text, graphics, and video, spanning multiple classification levels with appropriate controls. Agencies will be able to make internal databases accessible to A-Space, and programs such as the Library of National Intelligence and Catalyst will enhance the ability of analysts to sort through this information to identify the most relevant information

A-Space also will help analysts communicate and collaborate with colleagues across the Community. A-Space will encourage analysts to post their work to a shared space in a way that allows peers to see and comment on research in progress. This peer review will facilitate identification of alternative hypotheses and assumptions, accumulation of additional data and insight, and a focus on issues of source reliability.

Beyond Phase 1, A-Space also will be accessible to collectors, allowing more effective interaction between analysts and collectors and rapid support for tactical operations.

How does A-Space align to the DNI’s top priorities.

A-Space is a signature initiative of Analytic Transformation, which the DNI has identified as a top priority for the Community in FY 2008 and FY 2009.

When is this happening?

December 2007: Test A-Space design and deploy Phase 1 Pilot
2008: Refine the design and functionality and deploy subsequent pilots

Source

[http://analytic.insaonline.org/atprogram.pdf]

News Coverage

A-Space: Social Network for Spies
[http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Messaging-and-Collaboration/ASpace-Social-Network-for-Spies/]

CIA, FBI push 'Facebook for spies'
[http://edition.cnn.com/2008/TECH/ptech/09/05/facebook.spies/]

US launches ‘MySpace for spies’
[
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6e2648ea-5014-11dc-a6b0-0000779fd2ac.html]


Wikipedia: US intelligence community A-Space
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_intelligence_community_A-Space]

Friday, November 7, 2008

Not Just Facebook: Online Social Networks For Libraries

Colleagues/
I’m pleased to announce that a corrected / revised / expanded version of my pre-conference workshop presentation for Internet Librarian 2008 (October 18 2008) is now available:

_Not Just Facebook: Online Social Networks For Libraries_

[http://www.public.iastate.edu/~gerrymck/IL2008-DC.ppt]

ABSTRACT

While Bebo, Facebook, hi5, MySpace, and Orkut are among the better-known general online social networks, there is an ever-increasing number of online networks that have emerged for and within a wide variety of communities. Among many others, these include networks for academe and education (e.g., EduSpaces), people of color (e.g., Black Planet), Boomers (e.g., Boomj), business (e.g., Linked-In), LGBT groups (e.g., OUTeverywhere), religion (e.g., MyChurch), and researchers and scholars (e.g., Nature Network).This workshop provides an overview of the more significant niche online social networks, reviews their common and unique features and functionalities, and considers the potential opportunities for wider engaged library outreach to these communities.

OUTLINE
  • Web 2.0
  • Social Networking Services
  • Facebook
  • Librarian Facebook Presence
  • Library Facebook Presence
  • Facebook Library Groups
  • Facebook Pages
  • Facebook Applications
  • Facebook Apps for Libraries
  • NICHE Online Social Networks
  • Academe and Education
  • Books
  • Boomers
  • Business
  • Lesbian / Gay / Bisexual / Transgender
  • People of Color
  • Religion
  • Researchers and Scientists
  • Second Life
  • Ning
  • Mega-Sites
  • News
  • Library Outreach

Demonstration (Ning)

This is a LARGE Presentation (204 Slides).

The First Half Is Devoted To Web 2.0/SNS Background and a Review Of Facebook (Slides 1-89);The Second Half Is Devoted To Niche Online Social Networks (NSNS) (Slide 90->).

[http://www.public.iastate.edu/~gerrymck/IL2008-DC.ppt]

BTW: I am greatly interested in learning of Other Niche SNS / Please Nominate Any And All As A Comment On This Blog EntryThanks!

/Gerry

Forrester Report: Social Networks Should Find 'Significant Success' In Enterprise


Wikis, social networks should find 'significant success' in enterprise


Study says other Web 2.0 tools will take longer to be seen as cost effective by IT managers

Heather Havenstein / November 5, 2008 / Computerworld

While enterprises face growing demands from employees for the Web 2.0 tools they use at home, IT managers continue to doubt whether most of them can provide business value to a company, according to a Forrester Research Inc. report released this week. The report suggests that only two of the myriad tools commonly grouped in the Enterprise 2.0 category -- social networks and wikis -- will find significant success in the corporate market over the next few years.

Widgets, mashups, blogs, RSS and forums may find moderate success, while microblogs, prediction markets, social bookmarking and podcasts will have only minimum penetration in the enterprise, the report said.

"Wikis in particular have proven themselves to be successful," noted Gil Yehuda, a Forrester analyst and author of the "Forrester TechRadar for Information and Knowledge Management Pros: Enterprise 2.0" report. "For the most part, they have proven themselves more so than many of the other Web 2.0 tools."

The report predicts that social networks will find corporate success as users seek to find out more about colleagues who create and use the corporate content they are interested in, he added.

[snip]

Source

[http://tinyurl.com/6neyov]

PDF Available / Price: US $379

[http://www.forrester.com/Research/Document/Excerpt/0,7211,46894,00.html]



Not All Social Network Users Alike – Four Types of LinkedIn Users ...

First Ever Public Study Concerning Business Oriented Social Network Giant LinkedIn.com

Stamford, CT – November 5, 2008 – In the real world, different business people conduct business differently with their own strategies and tactics. Online, business people use Social Network Services (SNS), like the highly popular professional networking site LinkedIn, very differently too.

According to Anderson Analytics, the company that conducted the study in partnership with LinkedIn.com, using state of the art predictive analytics software from SPSS Inc., LinkedIn users tend to fall into four major types:

“Savvy Networkers” (est. 9 million) are likely to have started using social networking earlier than others, are more tech savvy, and more likely to be active on other SNS sites like Facebook. Savvy Networkers have the most connections (61 on average) and are more likely than other segments to use LinkedIn for a wide variety of purposes other than job searching. Savvy Networkers have the second highest average personal income ($93,500) and may often have the word

“Consultant” in their job description. “Senior Executives” (est. 8.4 million) are somewhat less tech savvy and is using LinkedIn to connect to their existing corporate networks. They have power jobs which they are quite content with, and are likely to have been invited by a colleague and then realized how many key contacts were on the site and started building connections (32 on average). Senior Executives have the highest average personal income ($104,000) and have titles such as Owner, Partner, Executive, or Associate.

"Late Adopters” (est. 6.6 million) are likely to have received numerous requests from friends and co-workers before deciding to join. They are somewhat less tech savvy and are careful in how they use LinkedIn, tending to connect only to close friends and colleagues and have the fewest number of connections (23 on average). Late Adopters have the lowest average personal income ($88,000) and have titles such as Teacher, Medical Professional, Lawyer, or the word “Account” or “Assistant” in their job description.

“Exploring Options” (est. 6.1 million) may be working, but are open and looking for other job options often on CareerBuilder.com, perhaps in part because they have the lowest average personal income ($87,500). They are fairly tech savvy and use SNS for both corporate and personal interests.

To find out which type you are most like, you may use the predictive tool available at Anderson Analytics

[http://www.andersonanalytics.com/litype]

[snip]

Some of the findings include:

  • Most users connect to people they know, including those they’ve met only over the phone

  • Users like the professional and business oriented look and feel of LinkedIn compared to other SNS

  • Users tend to be more senior (56% are “individual contributors”, 16% are management level, and 28% are director/VP level or above) The majority (66%) are decision makers or have influence in the purchase decisions at their companies (decision makers also tend to be more active on LinkedIn)

  • And perhaps most interestingly, the greater the number of connections the greater the likelihood of higher personal income - those with personal incomes between $200K-$350K were seven times more likely than others to have over 150 connections!

[snip]

Study Methodology

Total sample size of the study consisted of 65,873 records and provides statistics with an accuracy of +/-0.39%. Supplemental survey results represent +/-3.48% at the 95% confidence interval.

About Anderson Analytics

More than market research, Anderson Analytics is the first Next Generation marketing consultancy to combine new technologies, such as data and text mining with traditional market research.

[snip]

For more information, please visit http://www.andersonanalytics.com

Source

[http://tinyurl.com/57hyar]

PDF Version Of Press Release Available At

[http://tinyurl.com/66fpuh]

AMI Partners Study: Small Businesses Embrace Social Networking In The U.S.

The number of small businesses using such services will double in the next 12 months, says AMI.


New York, New York—November 3, 2008—More than 600,000 small businesses (SBs, or companies with up to 99 employees) in the United States will deploy integrated social networking services in the next 12 months—up from about 300,000 currently, according to the latest study by New York-based Access Markets International (AMI) Partners, Inc.

In percentage terms, 300,000 represents about 5% of the total number of SBs in the U.S. "As social networking evolves, we can see the emergence of targeted offerings for business users," says Nikki Lamba, New York-based analyst at AMI Partners. "In order to attract a greater share of SBs, social networking services must provide customized services that SBs can leverage in order to realize their business goals."

[snip]

The study also points out that over the next 12 months about 500,000 SBs will use social networking as a resource for advertising and promotional activities. As the number of social networking sites continues to multiply, particularly those aimed at SBs, the prospects of targeted advertising continue to remain positive. SBs can also tailor their social networking to create a stronger brand for their business and allow for communities to form around their product or service offering.

"As SBs struggle with the current economic downturn, business-focused social networking offers an effective, relatively inexpensive and lucrative opportunity to keep steady communication with existing partners and clients as well as incubating new relationships," says Ms. Lamba. "A growing number of businesses are already riding the wave and stand to gain from continued usage of social networking for business purposes. Those businesses not currently using social networking services will find that the resources available will be especially useful in competing under current market conditions."

[snip]

About the Study

AMI’s US Small Business Overview and Comprehensive Market Opportunity Assessment study highlights these and other major trends in the context of current/planned IT, Internet and communications usage and spending. Products and services covered include established and emerging hardware, software, applications and business process solutions.

Based on AMI’s annual survey of SMBs in the U.S., the studies track a broad spectrum of issues pertaining to budgets, purchase behaviors, decision influencers, channel preferences, outsourcing, service and support. Also covered are detailed firmographics and critically important technology attitudes and strategic planning priorities. This data points to key opportunities and messaging hot buttons for vendors and service providers seeking to match their offerings to SB market requirements.

For more information about this study, AMI-Partners, or our global SMB research, call 212-944-5100, e-mail ask_ami@ami-partners.com, or visit us at http://www.ami-partners.com.

Source

[http://www.ami-partners.com/ami/sections/Press/11-03-08_Social_Networking_USSB_w-slide.pdf]

Harnessing the Power and Potential of Social Networks

Harnessing the Power and Potential of Social Networks Research and Markets / Guinness Centre, Taylors Lane, Dublin 8, Ireland / October 31 2008.

Todays corporations are keen to invest in promising social network technologies and services. IT departments are being called upon to help their organizations embrace this emerging trend. However, in order to harness the opportunities social networks present, you must first gain a deeper knowledge of social networks, including an understanding of how they work and their inherent power.

Harnessing the Power and Potential of Social Networks examines how social networks are evolving and discusses their power and potential -- things you need to know before you define your corporate social networking strategy. This report takes a comprehensive look at social networks and reviews some of their major applications. It then explores what social networks have to offer IT professionals, enterprises, and entrepreneurs. Finally, it discusses some of the limitations and risks involved with social networks, such as harnessing social networks for advertising.

This report will help you:

- Make use of social networks in your own organization for internal and customer-facing applications

- Explore the key characteristics of successful social networking sites

- Determine which approach to take when creating your social network

- Consider new value-added features and services that will be competitive differentiators for your social network

- Gain an understanding of the staggering valuation of sites such as Facebook

- Create a trusted social network environment- Identify some of the privacy and security problems encountered by users

- Appreciate the draw of social networks for the individual, including the desire to develop ones own social capital for personal and professional goals

- Leverage social network analysis and the 'social graph'

- Identify how IT can help address the risks and challenges of social networks

Youll explore 7 key requirements to building and maintaining a powerful social network. Youll gain an overview of related 'social' terms that harness the collective contribution of users, such as social bookmarking, social citations, social computing, and more. And youll learn how to build the infrastructure needed for searching and mining information scattered in social networks.
Plus, youll discover how to avoid online manipulation, misrepresentation, and anonymous sock puppeting in social networks. And youll explore the dark side of social networks, including dangers, risks, and privacy and security issues.

Finally, this report looks at the future of social networks, identifying and discussing several yet-to-be explored trends and potential opportunities. It considers the emergence of A-list, invitation-only social networks and it explores various business and professional social networks, such as Doostang, LinkedIn, SiliconIndia, and others.

Table Of Contents

Chapter 1. Your Guide to Understanding the Evolution, Power, and Potential of Online Social Networks

- What Is Social Networking- Platforms and Tools for Developing Online Social Networks

- Enriching Networks with Value-Added Features and Competitive Differentiators

- Features of an Effective Social Network

- Analyzing Your Social Network

- Application of Social Networks

- Understanding the Basics

- The Dark Side of Social Networks

- The Future of Social Networks

- Emerging Trends and Opportunities

- Social Networking and the Business

- IT Opportunities in Social Networks

Chapter 2. Can User-Generated Online Content Sell Your Product?

- Eric K. Clemons

- Rob Austin

- Tom DeMarco

- Ron Blitstein

- Lou Mazzucchelli

- Lynne Ellyn

- Tim Lister

- Christine Davis

- Ken Orr

Chapter 3. How Social Computing Is Redefining Content

- Documents

- Memes

- The Web as a Platform

Chapter 4. Mining Blogs for Business Benefits

- The Social Connection in Blogs

- Some Benefits of Corporate Blogging

- A Suggestive Approach for Blog Mining

- Vendor Scan

Sources


Prices

Electronic: EURO €261.00
Hard Copy: €261.00 + € 50.00 Shipping/Handling

Brochure/Order Form

Network Citizens: Power And Responsibility At Work

Network Citizens: Power And Responsibility At Work

Peter Bradwell & Richard Reeves / London: Demos / October 2008 / 92 pages / ISBN 978-1-906693-04-6 / Open Access ; £10.00

At Work Humans are social animals, spinning intricate webs of relationships with friends, colleagues, neighbours and enemies. These networks have always been with us, but the advance of networking technologies, changes to our interconnected economy and an altering job market have super-charged the power of networking, catapulting it to the heart of organisational thinking.

Social networks are providing tremendous opportunities for people to collaborate. But until now, thinking has focused only on how organisations can respond to and capitalise on networks. This report argues that we have to look equally at how networks use organisations for their own ends. That is where the new contours of inequality and power lie that will shape the network world. We have to face networks’ dark side, as well as their very real potential.

Bringing together in-depth case studies of six organisations, Network Citizens maps the key fault-lines that people and organisations will have to address in the future world of work. Not doing so puts at risk the very qualities we had invested in them: openness, innovation, collaboration and meritocracy. Since networks can act for good or ill, incubating the talents and ideas of the many, or promoting the interests of the few, the need for a new set of responsibilities is growing. If we are network members, we must be network citizens, too.

[http://www.demos.co.uk/publications//networkcitizens]

Full Text Available At

[http://www.demos.co.uk/files/Network%20citizens%20-%20web.pdf]

News Coverage

BBC: Bosses 'Should Embrace Facebook'

[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7695716.stm]

Thursday, November 6, 2008

NS2 Global Facebook Group Launched

The NS2 Global Facebook Group is devoted to discussing the variety of online social network sites and services established to facilitate networking among communities with focused interests or purpose.

The Group is located at

[http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=33724644068]

It is a companion to the NS2 blog

[http://nichesocialnetworksites.blogspot.com/]

The NS2: Niche Social Network Sites Global Facebook Group was formally launched on November 6 2008.

NS2: Niche Social Network Sites Blog Launched

NS2: Niche Social Network Sites Blog was formally launched on November 6 2008.

NS2 is devoted to documenting the variety of online social network sites and services established to facilitate networking among communities with focused interests or purpose.

NS2 will profile ***non-Library and non-Educational*** online social network sites/news/publications/etc.

NS2 is a companion blog to Friends: Social Networking Sites for Engaged Library Services and SciTechNet(sm):Science and Technology Networks.

NS2 will profile ***non-Library and non-Educational*** online socialnetworks sites/news/publications/etc.
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