Lights, camera... wiki!

If you've ever entertained a fantasy of working behind the camera, you'll be interested in a new project at the Wikimedia Foundation.

Sometime within the next few months, all Wikipedia pages will become equipped with an "Add media" button. Clicking it will bring up an interface allowing you to search for video and drag chosen portions into the article, without having to install any video-editing software or do any conversions yourself. The results will appear as a clickable video clip embedded within the article.

This new feature will essentially create the potential for every Wikipedia article to be collaboratively transformed into a multimedia presentation. Read all about it at Technology Review.

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DigitalNow 2009:
Another great success! Watch videos and download session content at http://www.digitalnowlive.com

Save the Date! DigitalNow 2010: April 7 - 10, 2010.

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Contribute to the DigitalNow blog. Suggest a blog topic, or reference an article or other item you think would be of interest to the DigitalNow community. Drop us a line at DigitalNow@fusionproductions.com

Who moved my... library book?

Google is undergoing a massive project: to digitize all of the world's books. The trend toward digitization and mass content distribution threatens libraries at a time when the funds available to them to keep up with the times are being severely cut.

How in the world can our libraries remain relevant? Will the library as we know it become a thing of the past?

According to an article by Scott Corwin, Elisabeth Hartley, and Harry Hawkes at Strategy+Business, "... even as the Internet encroaches on their turf, one seldom sees signs of lifelessness or decline at libraries. To be sure, some research libraries that have done little to stay current have lost visitors and are fading. But all over the world, from the East End of London to malls in Singapore to just about every part of New York City, libraries are serving hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, bustling with activity, and increasing the number of items they loan out. Their vitality is unmistakable."

For a comprehensive discussion of what libraries are doing, and can or should be doing - including the Seven Imperatives for Library Leadership, read the article, The Library Rebooted. (Free registration is required.)

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DigitalNow 2009:
Another great success! Watch videos and download session content at http://www.digitalnowlive.com

Save the Date! DigitalNow 2010: April 7 - 10, 2010.

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Contribute to the DigitalNow blog. Suggest a blog topic, or reference an article or other item you think would be of interest to the DigitalNow community. Drop us a line at DigitalNow@fusionproductions.com

The Danger of Free Lunch

When the Internet first captured our imagination, dotcoms were popping up all over the place, each one with the goal of offering free content or services, and then - once they had the "eyeballs" they would create revenue by selling advertising.

But it didn't quite work out that way. When the advertising model didn't pan out, very few dotcoms were successful in making the transition to a pay-for-services model, so they could not sustain themselves. Hence, the "dotcom bust."

With Web 2.0, a new generation of companies with that same dream has emerged. But according to The Economist, "The number of companies that can be sustained by revenues from internet advertising turns out to be much smaller than many people thought."

Is Internet history repeating itself?

As associations look for the opening in all this, and work with how to remain relevant enough to command membership dues in a world of free content and networking, it behooves us to gain insight into what Silicon Valley has learned over the past decade about whether there is such a thing as a free lunch.

Questions for discussion:

How is your association dealing with the pressure from online competitors to provide content and services free of charge? Where do you see the trend going? Where do you see it leading your organization?

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DigitalNow 2009:
Another great success! Watch videos and download session content at http://www.digitalnowlive.com

Save the Date! DigitalNow 2010: April 7 - 10, 2010.

Follow DigitalNow on Twitter.

Contribute to the DigitalNow blog. Suggest a blog topic, or reference an article or other item you think would be of interest to the DigitalNow community. Drop us a line at DigitalNow@fusionproductions.com

Sta-twistics: Has Twitter grown too much , too fast?

With a reported year-over-year growth of 1,382%, Twitter may be getting too big for its proverbial britches.

One problem caused by such phenomenal growth is that the functionality of the site frequently falters because it is overburdened. The famed Fail Whale (the mascot for the Twitter error page) makes an appearance with such regularity that you can now purchase Fail Whale t-shirts, coffee cups, and even onesies for your toddler.

While Twitter struggles with keeping up with the demands of its users, nearly an entire industry has sprung up around developing Twitter helper applications. One site lists the 100 most popular Twitter applications. Many of these applications - such as TweetDeck and HootSuite for example - are designed to help the user Tweet without even logging into their Twitter account.

At last report, Twitter founders were still seeking a viable revenue model, but with so many of their users casting absentee Tweets, options like banner advertising are looking less and less attractive.

In fact, according to Michael Shaffner at Forbes.com, in April of 2008, 56% of all Tweets were made directly from the Twitter interface. By June of 2009, that number had dropped to 24%. So while Twitter activity is burgeoning, actual instances of direct user interface are dwindling.

As we observe the Twitter struggle, we have to wonder whether the dilemma Twitter is facing - growing faster than it can manage, and with no concrete monetization model - is a microcosm of the entire trend toward social media.

Read Shaffner's analysis here.

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DigitalNow 2009:
Another great success! Watch videos and download session content at http://www.digitalnowlive.com

Save the Date! DigitalNow 2010: April 7 - 10, 2010.

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Contribute to the DigitalNow blog. Suggest a blog topic, or reference an article or other item you think would be of interest to the DigitalNow community. Drop us a line at DigitalNow@fusionproductions.com

1.3 million students missing from the graduation track

Every year, 1.3 million high school students disappear from the graduation track. That means that 7,200 students are dropping out or flunking out every day.

Education Week and the Editorial Projects in Education Research Center have published a new report that provides a "cautiously optimistic" outlook. However, not everyone is convinced. And clearly, with a "26-percentage-point divide between Native American, Hispanic, and African-American students and their white peers," there is still cause for concern.

One commenter on the article writes, "Not only will (today's students) inherit the massive debt the government is heaping on them daily, but they will not have the skills to deal with any of it."

Read the article and the report here.

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DigitalNow 2009:
Another great success! Watch videos and download session content at http://www.digitalnowlive.com

Save the Date! DigitalNow 2010: April 11 - 10, 2010.

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Contribute to the DigitalNow blog. Suggest a blog topic, or reference an article or other item you think would be of interest to the DigitalNow community. Drop us a line at DigitalNow@fusionproductions.com

How do you control CEO rage?

Sometimes anger in business is the result of a Type A personality under a great deal of pressure. Sometimes, it's just due to something as simple as hunger.

Douglas McKenna is a leadership and psychology coach who helps executives deal with stress and anger. Read his article if you need to better understand your anger or the anger of a colleague or staff member.

Topics for discussion:

• Are you or a colleague prone to angry outbursts?
• If so, what is your strategy for dealing with the long and short term consequences?
• Do you ever find that anger is productive? If so, how?
  

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DigitalNow 2009:
Another great success! Watch videos and download session content at http://www.digitalnowlive.com

Save the Date! DigitalNow 2010: April 11 - 10, 2010.Follow DigitalNow on Twitter.Contribute to the DigitalNow blog. Suggest a blog topic, or reference an article or other item you think would be of interest to the DigitalNow community. Drop us a line at DigitalNow@fusionproductions.com

Beyond Web 2.0

When it comes to technology, the question isn't, "What's the latest tool?" it's "What's the next tool?"

The technology landscape changes so swiftly that even as we are still learning about the impact of Web 2.0 and how to optimize it in our business, we need to begin to look down the road at what's coming next: Web 3.0.

In fact, Web 3.0 is already here - we experience it through sites such as Twine.com, Evernote.com, and iGoogle.

What we call Web 1.0 was mostly a "read-only" web. We had online dictionaries, static home pages, and directories. Web 2.0 brought us the read-write web, content sharing, and communities. With Web 3.0 on the rise, we will now experience the trend toward the portable personal web, focused on the individual and on dynamically engagement.

DigitalInspiration offers several presentations on their site, each of which attempts to explain Web 3.0 "in plain English." Take a look here.

Questions for discussion:

• How do you see Web 3.0 impacting your organization?,


• Have you begun to take advantage of Web 3.0 technologies? If so, how?

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DigitalNow 2009:
Another great success! Watch videos and download session content at http://www.digitalnowlive.com

Save the Date! DigitalNow 2010: April 11 - 10, 2010.

Follow DigitalNow on Twitter.

Contribute to the DigitalNow blog. Suggest a blog topic, or reference an article or other item you think would be of interest to the DigitalNow community. Drop us a line at DigitalNow@fusionproductions.com

The Fourth Big Lie?

Popular myth tells us that the three big lies are:

• I gave at the office


• The check is in the mail


• I'm from the government, and I'm here to help you

Now Web 2.0 has served up the fourth big lie, according to BusinessWeek.com: I watch online videos

Why would someone lie about the frequency of their visits to sites such as YouTube.com and Hulu.com?

It's an age-old reason: They do it to look cool.

According to this article by Liz Gannes,"... a massive observational study concluded that people say they watch more online video than they actually do," but collecting actual metrics is a lot more complicated than you might think.

Questions for discussion:

• Do you watch online video?


• If so, do you do so for fun, business, or both?


• What kind of content do you look for?


• Have you ever created a video and shared it online? If so, what tool(s) and site(s) have you used?

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DigitalNow 2009: Another great success! Watch videos and download session content at http://www.digitalnowlive.com

Save the Date! DigitalNow 2010: April 11 - 10, 2010.

Follow DigitalNow on Twitter.

Contribute to the DigitalNow blog. Suggest a blog topic, or reference an article or other item you think would be of interest to the DigitalNow community. Drop us a line at DigitalNow@fusionproductions.com

Global sourcing in a world less flat

Constantly shifting global economics and politics create a landscape of uncertainty.

According to McKinsey & Company, the best way to navigate opportunities is to gain a deep understanding of the forces at play, and to conduct scenario-based analysis of the future. This approach will serve organizations better than hedging their bets on a single possible outcome.

While the article at What Matters specifically addresses global sourcing, the same principles can be applied across-the-board. Your association is no doubt surrounded by uncertainty and shifting influences.

What are the key factors affecting your industry today, and what are you doing to effectively aim your association at the moving target we call tomorrow?

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DigitalNow 2009:
Another great success! Watch videos and download session content at http://www.digitalnowlive.com

Save the Date! DigitalNow 2010: April 11 - 10, 2010.

Follow DigitalNow on Twitter.

Contribute to the DigitalNow blog. Suggest a blog topic, or reference an article or other item you think would be of interest to the DigitalNow community. Drop us a line at DigitalNow@fusionproductions.com

CSR and the Economy: A double-edged sword

Just when more and more organizations were getting the hang of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), the economy took a nosedive and CSR initiatives slipped in the priority ratings. According to an article at Economist.com, a survey of the Association of Corporate Travel Executives found that last year at this time 29% of executives rated CSR as "high" priority; this year, only 17% did. The shift is evident in other industries as well - American Electric Power recently delayed plans to build a wind farm due to the increased cost of capital.

On the other hand, other companies are backing into CSR by embracing initiatives primarily to save money, but that just so happen to be good for the environment. For example, The Gap is holding a strategy meeting involving representatives from 20 different countries - all will attend online.

Intially, some companies embraced CSR for the "wrong" reasons, perhaps succumbing to pressure or for the positive PR it provides. Now, some are also embracing CSR for the "wrong" reasons, citing cost cutting as the main motivating factor. In both cases, a short-view approach is driving the strategy.

While the end result in any event is that good is being done, the short-view puts organizations in a reactive position. What is the hidden cost of this changing of direction with the economic winds?

Read more here and then come back and leave a comment - share your experience, concerns, and lessons learned with the community. Do you have a CSR strategy? What drives your plan, and how has the economy affected it?

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DigitalNow 2009:
Another great success! Watch videos and download session content at http://www.digitalnowlive.com

Save the Date! DigitalNow 2010: April 11 - 10, 2010.

Follow DigitalNow on Twitter.

Contribute to the DigitalNow blog. Suggest a blog topic, or reference an article or other item you think would be of interest to the DigitalNow community. Drop us a line at DigitalNow@fusionproductions.com

Five Steps for Social Media Success

If you've started dabbling in social media tools such as blogs, wikis, and networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn (and we hope you have), then you're probably also beginning to discover that keeping up with your friends and statuses and content development may require significant time and energy.

It's safe to say that we all agree that it's worth it - if we can be sure such activities are supporting our business objectives.

MultiChannelMerchant.com offers Five Steps for Social Media Success to help ensure that you're creating more business, not just creating more busy-ness.

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DigitalNow 2009:
Another great success! Watch videos and download session content at http://www.digitalnowlive.com

Save the Date! DigitalNow 2010: April 11 - 10, 2010.

Follow DigitalNow on Twitter.

Contribute to the DigitalNow blog. Suggest a blog topic, or reference an article or other item you think would be of interest to the DigitalNow community. Drop us a line at DigitalNow@fusionproductions.com

Digital Darwinism

A landmark study that Booz & Company recently completed in partnership with the Association of National Advertisers (ANA), the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), and the American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAA) confirms that digital platforms are transforming consumer experience and redefining the interpendent relationships among media, advertising, and marketing.

Findings indicate that companies that want to survive must acquire or develop three dominant traits: relevance, interactivity, and accountability.

Read more at http://www.strategy-business.com

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DigitalNow 2009:
Another great success! Watch videos and download session content at http://www.digitalnowlive.com

Save the Date! DigitalNow 2010: April 11 - 10, 2010.

Follow DigitalNow on Twitter.

Contribute to the DigitalNow blog. Suggest a blog topic, or reference an article or other item you think would be of interest to the DigitalNow community. Drop us a line at DigitalNow@fusionproductions.com

Consumers are rational (and other marketing myths)

According to a recent article at FastCompany, only 5% of consumers arrive at purchasing decisions based on rational thought - and corporations spend 95% of their resources on them.
Other statistics that may upend your assumptions:

• 95% of purchasing decisions are subsconsiously motivated


• The only thing sex sells is sex


• Too much messaging can actual prevent sales

Read the article for an insightful discussion about how lack of rational thought can and should influence your design decisions.

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DigitalNow 2009:
Another great success! Watch videos and download session content at http://www.digitalnowlive.com

Save the Date! DigitalNow 2010: April 11 - 10, 2010.

Follow DigitalNow on Twitter.

Contribute to the DigitalNow blog. Suggest a blog topic, or reference an article or other item you think would be of interest to the DigitalNow community. Drop us a line at DigitalNow@fusionproductions.com

Dashboards 2.0

As we said at DigitalNow, the next generation of Web 2.0 tools and one of the most important battleground roles for associations will be abstraction tools and services, mashups, and widgets. They will all be part of the tool kit that will help maintain or establish organizations as a trusted source.

What might the Web 2.0 dashboard look like? Read this NY Times article for a thoughtful discussion, and then share your comments with us.

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DigitalNow 2009:
Another great success! Watch videos and download session content at http://www.digitalnowlive.com

Save the Date! DigitalNow 2010: April 11 - 10, 2010.

Follow DigitalNow on Twitter.

Contribute to the DigitalNow blog. Suggest a blog topic, or reference an article or other item you think would be of interest to the DigitalNow community. Drop us a line at DigitalNow@fusionproductions.com

Advertising 2.0

Forces are in play that will likely change advertising as we have known it. A few key factors:

• Consumers typically rate advertising as their least credible information channel


• Word of mouth—peer opinion—has consistently been rated the most credible source of information


• Proliferation of social networking enables individual consumers to broadcast peer opinion

As networks like Facebook grow, they are setting themselves us to become a primary source of a new model for advertising. Read more at BusinessWeek.com

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DigitalNow 2009:
Another great success! Watch videos and download session content at http://www.digitalnowlive.com

Save the Date! DigitalNow 2010: April 11 - 10, 2010.

Follow DigitalNow on Twitter.

Contribute to the DigitalNow blog. Suggest a blog topic, or reference an article or other item you think would be of interest to the DigitalNow community. Drop us a line at DigitalNow@fusionproductions.com

Are Baby Boomers Killing Facebook and Twitter?

When baby boomers adopt a new technology, it almost instantly becomes mainstream - simply because of the sheer numbers of the demographic. And because of the nature of "boomers," anything they adopt is prone to becoming politicized and commercialized.

At the same time, younger generations are the creators and early adopters of these same tools. How are the two groups co-existing online? What new kind of generation gap is emerging as 20-somethings and their parents are sharing digital space, but with different goals and values in tow?

Read this article for a discussion of how the baby boomer generation is affecting the landscape of social networking.

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DigitalNow 2009:
Another great success! Watch videos and download session content at http://www.digitalnowlive.com

Save the Date! DigitalNow 2010: April 11 - 10, 2010.

Follow DigitalNow on Twitter.

Contribute to the DigitalNow blog. Suggest a blog topic, or reference an article or other item you think would be of interest to the DigitalNow community. Drop us a line at DigitalNow@fusionproductions.com