TNC2012 BoF: How can NRENs benefit from the use of social media?

1. TNC2012 BoF: How can NRENs benefit from the use of social media? TF-CPR BoF meeting Reykjavik22 May 2012 Gitte Julin Kudsk, Laura Durnford, Domen Božeglav

2. Overview / Agenda • Introduction – why are we here? • What has TF-CPR been doing? • Example of success in a technical context - ARNES • Survey results • “Witness reports” • Questions, issues… What do we need? • Let’s make it happen • How? / When? / Who?

3. Introduction - WHY ARE WE HERE? • Is there a need to be met? • Can we collaborate / support each other? • TF-CPR perspective • Increasing use of social media in comms-PR work • Work item & training • TF evolution – more outward looking • NRENs do more than just comms-PR ;) • What’s your perspective – what do you expect or need from this BoF?

6. DOMEN

7. Results of TF-CPR survey of all other task forces • Our social media work item has been all about our work & needs • NRENs do more than comms-PR ;) • Can we collaborate / support? • To get information • To advertise the BoF

8. Basic results - Do you ever use social media for your work? • 46 replies

9. Basic results - If yes: what do you use it for? • The 35/46 who use it, use it for: • Sharing (technical) information – 19 • Getting information / feedback – 10 • Promoting events / services / products -12 • User support / stakeholder engagement – 12 • Publishing / reporting news or events / vacancies – 4 • Internal consultation / information sharing with colleagues – 10 • OTHERS – • promoting discussion, highlighting opportunities • Following people • identify trend, discuss solutions or tools, knowledge management

10. Results - Have you had any problems / obstacles?

11. Results - Have you had any problems / obstacles? • 10/35 who use it, have had problems with: • Professional v private use – blurring & tone • Hard to get followers • Time required for quality blogging • Older users not on social media • Medium doesn't allow for full explanation; can cause convoluted wider discussion • No use of social media in the company • Leakage of privacy related data • Authentication, not the right people in the groups

12. Basic results – examples of positive experiences or results: • 20/35 who use it, reported positive experiences: • Interactions: users, build relationships, promote discussions, easy and fast answers from experts & developers, useful contacts, followers know about our NREN “in real time”, quicker & more appropriate response to customers, • Blogs: are read, also by high-level policy makers, attract excellent comments, writer has to think carefully about e.g. event reporting upon so gets more benefits from event too. • Serendipity: able to reach people you did not know were interested - 1:many medium, so get unexpected but useful responses. • Discussion groups generate information. Wiki/blogs for innovation project dissemination • High attendance at event where gratis virus testing advertised • People pay more attention to short, relevant information than reports

13. Basic results – non-users’ obstacles / issues / concerns: • 16/11 !: • Professional/private use: want a single account for both roles but ability to differentiate, Facebook/ other ”3rd party systems" meant for private not work stuff. User accounts and sending updates are bound to personal accounts - the easy tools are made for personal informational updates, not for company use. • Just another channel: easier to reach colleagues through Skype / email / too much time / not needed. • Risk and discomfort in putting information in "commercial hands”: privacy, security, content. • My organisation is too small for this yet. • Lack of planning and experimentation. • Not sure of their benefits/drawbacks

14. Results – plans to change usage:

15. Basic results – plans to change usage: • 15 are planning a change: • Publish & Promote: feedback on policies, procedures etc, spread the word, improve participation, • Internal: create in-house system / place for opinions to be expressed • Use in product development / management. • Blogs: encourage staff to blog more, develop to increase community involvement • Use professional groups more intensively • Need ideas - connect people with interesting content to share via VC - maybe social media can help? how? • Using linkedIn groups for collaboration • Develop a SM strategy, qualification in SM management • Define basic objectives and select SM that best fits the objectives • Investigate new free non-commercial user or institution controlled social networks

16. Basic results – requests for support / collaboration: • 7 replies: • security awareness campaigns • It can be useful to work with a dissemination officer (or do I misunderstand the question) • There needs to be a mutual understanding of the extent to which it can be used and also the limitations and boundaries • Sometimes, when promoting specific technical advantages then technical consultations are required. • We have a specific twitter about eduroam (support by the coordinator of the service) and we have technical blogs: http://blog.rediris.es/ • projects with participants form different institutions (VO needs), promotion of products in the e-learning community, promotion of projects/results is already done often with social media • It would be very helpful to know other experiences in using social media

17. Basic results – Should NRENs use SM more to support their work?

18. Basic results – Should NRENs use SM more to support their work? • 11 replies: • For PR / info sharing • Blogs are useful if the content is right (don’t bother with the rest) • If should be obvious if it is a technical or a marketing twitter account. • It should be limited social media not open social media • A surprising number of conversations take place in social media that we risk missing out on to understand the needs of our customers, and to promote to those customers the excellent work the different NRENs do, on their behalf • It’s only 1 medium, should not become the primary source of info/promotion. • There are some characteristics in social media that could help a lot if used as a media to provide technical supporting and to promotional uses. • Especially in solving operational issues

19. Basic results – helpful if your NREN (colleagues) provided support?

21. Basic results – helpful if your NREN (colleagues) provided support? • 7 comments: • 4 ask for guidelines • 1 – enough support already, NRENS should focus on networks & associated technologies • only if they manage a cloud solution for us • Not sure what support might encompass

22. “Witness reports” • Andrew Cormack (Janet) • Lars Fischer (NORDUNet) • Other perspectives – what do you want?

23. Discussion, questions, issues…. What do we need? • Social media is just another tool / channel – are we putting too much weight on it? • Identify taxonomy of mutual concerns to see whether can collaborate on / supply NREN-wide guidleines • Do we need individual NREN / community-wide guidelines for use / or other collaboration? • Are there any specific areas requiring collaboration between comms-PR and technical colleagues (within NRENs / between task forces)? • Training? • Other questions / issues?

24. Let’s make it happen… • Can we agree on • Needs? • Actions? • By whom? • When? • Can we work on something together now? • Guidelines / other?