|
The More Things Change
Technological change seems to happen at an almost unbearable pace and surveys show many people feel overwhelmed by it. So
it's worth remembering that while the trappings of things may change radically, the underlying activity does not. People been listening to recorded music since the 1880s, and the technology's gone from
tinfoil, to wax, to vinyl, to tape, to CDs and on to digital files of many kinds. From a human perspective, though, it's still about listening to music. Folks from the nineteenth century might be
confused by the hardware or annoyed by the music. But they'd get the idea.
You can see another example in a commuter support site called NuRide,
which is essentially a web-enabled version of the old college ride board. They’ve recognized the fundamental human need to get from one place to another, and souped it up for the Web. Members agree to
use alternative forms of transportation like carpooling, biking, walking or public transit, and earn points for each "green" trip. It's free to the user, being supported by sponsors who reward
the members with coupons and discounts. In fact, it claims to be the only on-line community where members can earn rewards through participation. And by the way, you can earn points for telecommuting,
too.
If you're looking for new ways of doing things, remember that it's often the same things that need doing. Think about how they were done in the past, and see if that leads you to a more
modern approach.
Text Messaging and Skin Cancer
In our communications consulting work, we always make the point that different people
absorb information in different ways. The most successful campaigns are the ones that take a blended approach, with lots of options and frequent message re-enforcement. And here's a new bit of evidence
that helps make the case: a study conducted by a US dermatology organization suggests that text messaging can reduce the incidence of skin cancer.
A group of patients ranging in age from 18 to 72 were asked to apply sunscreen daily for six weeks. Half were randomly selected to get text message reminders around 7:00 AM each day, while the
other half did not. Actual behavior was monitored by a device that could record the opening of the sunscreen tube. Over 50% of the group getting the reminders applied sunscreen as directed, compared to
only 30% in the non-text group.
Analysts expect text messaging to play an increasingly important role in all kinds of communications, so it’s something to consider in your own communication work.
Inspiration, Delivered Daily
Plinky is the latest in a line of improbable social networking platforms, although for some folks it's probably just the thing. Essentially, Plinky publishes a daily conversation starter, so the blocked blogger has something to write about. Replies can be enhanced with pictures or hyperlinks or other media, if you like. You can feed your Plinky posts to a blog at Blogger, LiveJournal, TypePad and other popular sites, or you can stay within Plinky itself. As with Twitter, you can opt to "follow" other subscribers, and they can follow you, making it a potentially self-contained universe.
The prompts are not going to lead you to any deep, soul-searching reflection. They're on the level of "What words do you hate?" and "What's your favorite movie line?" Still,
they might be helpful when you're facing down the terror of a blank screen and an empty head. Some of them have been answered by thousands of people, although a few hundred answers is more typical. The
hands-down winner as the most-answered prompt is "Name three songs you'd put on a road mix tape." That may say something about the Plinky demographic. But who still makes mixes on tape?
When Little Innovations Grow Up
When we first wrote about Twitter in November 2007 it was with some degree of skepticism. We’ve found at least one friend whose tweets have helped us know him better, but we've been frankly surprised by Twitter’s increasingly high profile. Forrester estimates that there are some 5 million people using this micro-blogging service, and the rumors are circulating broadly that Google has acquisition plans in the works. It's been embraced by sports franchises, on-line marketers and politicians. Twitter played a role in last year's terrorist attacks in Mumbai, and in last month's airplane crash in Amsterdam. Who would of thunk it?
With the Web as a foundation, it's possible to put an application together
quickly and inexpensively, and let the public participate in its refinement. Think of all those Google applications that never get out of beta. Once a service goes live, it's the users who play the
biggest role in determining its future. It was easy to dismiss blogging as a fad when blogs were new and dominated by self-absorbed 20-somethings. The evolution of the blogosphere and the emergence of
citizen journalism surprised even the bloggers themselves.
Twitter seems to be taking a similar path as people come up with new and interesting ways to take advantage of its particular style of
communication. In the old days, inventors probably knew what they were after. Now, innovations seem to have a mind of their own.
Unsubscribe | Change your profile
|
