May 9
The online world is evolving in ways that will eventually see the demise of corporate websites as communications mediums. Specialised sites are already the best way to get certain types of content seen. And entire platforms, like the Apple or Android apps ecosystem, or Facebook, are rising. These work in a fundamentally different way, favouring social recommendation and interaction over the primacy of content.
Oct 3
This is the fourth in a series of blogs looking at the challenges of ‘digital disruption’ and ODI’s strategy in responding to them. The first blog set the scene, and the second and third outlined in more detail two planks of ODI’s strategy, namely, ‘being there communications’ and ‘cradle to grey content’. This blog looks at the final strand of ODI’s strategy, ‘reusing the wheel’ (as opposed to reinventing it): the free (or cheap) digital content, technology and tools that can improve the quality and delivery of all communications products.
Sep 27
This is the third in a series of blogs looking at the challenges of ‘digital disruption’ and ODI’s strategy in responding to them. The first blog set the scene, and the second outlined in more detail one of three planks of ODI’s strategy: ‘being there communications’. If ‘being there’ outlines the channel the message is delivered through, this blog looks at the content of the message itself, and how the Internet is changing the format of the message and time horizons for which a message can be relevant.
Sep 19
In the first blog in this series on digital strategy, I introduced some of the challenges that ODI and other think tanks are responding to in dealing with ‘digital disruption’. This blog outlines in more detail one of three planks of ODI’s response to this, which we’ve termed ‘being there communications’. This is an attempt to bring a more strategic vision to digital distribution of communications outputs by explicitly linking efforts to be heard and found.
Sep 12
This first blog in a series on digital strategy and how it has developed at ODI introduces key issues the strategy is responding to, and why it is so important for a think tank like ODI.
Jul 13
The view of the London skyline from Onalytica‘s Centre Point offices is quite impressive. And their view on influence is also quite interesting and relevant to our conversations on influence and visibility -many in relation with James McGann’s index.
In their post: Who is Influential in the Debate on the Royal Wedding?, they explain the difference between influence and popularity:
What is influence? Influence, is the capacity of a publication, an organisation or an individual to impact the viewpoints, actions or opinions of others over whom they do not hold power.
This shouldn’t be confused with popularity. Popularity is about how many listen to you whereas influence is more about who listens to you.
Influence is also, topical:
Those who have influence in the debate on cat-food may not have the same influence on energy supply.
So you do not just want to count the hits on your site but the hits from those who have a relevant interest in the issues you would like to be influential on. And number of hits for a think tank may not necessarily assess how influential it is on each of the specific issues it deals with.
And why is measuring influence important (note that Onalytica’s clients are usually corporations or organisations wanting to sell something –but is its method is perfectly relevant for think tanks)?
The identification of influencers based on measurement is important as we (as humans) tend to overrate the importance of those we hear about more often and similar underrate the importance of those we hear about less (or never).
This is true. The approaches we tend to use to measure influence (stories of change, case studies, etc.) tend to overestimate the roles that our organisations and our research play.
So how does Onalytica measure influence?
Basically, Onalytica uses a new version of citation analysis. Rather than focusing on academic journals, it looks for links on websites:
We use this method to measure the influence of websites based on which websites link to them, and in turn, which websites link to those websites and so on.
This helps them to measure the share of influence of different players (and their sites) and who this share changes over time as a consequences of specific actions or interventions -which is great to assess is something is having an effect or not.
Do you know of any other services like this?
May 9
(Not necessarily; but we should at least be aware of these tools).
This is courtesy of a discussion on the Outcome Mapping Learning Community and compiled by Nate Barthel and Mohini Bhavsar.
Here is the full mobile data collection comparison matrix.
A summary of the main tools:
RapidSMS is the underlying framework used to build enterprise level, SMS-based applications for data collection, logistics and communication. The software provides the built-in functionality to help users create and customize SMS-based applications. Third party developers have created applications built on RapidSMS which are also available out-of-the-box.
OpenXData is an Open Source platform for data collection via Java based phones. A wide variety of data types can be collected, including GPS. User-hosted server allows for the management of groups, users, creation of forms, and performing surveys.
FrontlineSMS is an Open Source platform that provides for data collection using basic phones and as a result collects data only via SMS. Software, which is down-loadable to user’s computer, provides for management of users and deployment of SMS based surveys. FrontlineForms, add-on module for FrontlineSMS, allows users to leverage more advance Java-based to use forms for data collection.
Mobile Researcher is a ‘cloud-based’ service that enables data collection via SMS, WAP, and/or HTML. Data types vary with implementation. Software resides on Clyral servers and interfaces with client software on mobile handsets. Web based console offers users the ability to develop forms, deploy surveys, manage field workers, and analyze responses.
Episurveyor is a ‘cloud-based’ service that enables collection of text and GPS data using a variety of mid-ranged handsets. Software resides on EpiSurveyor servers and interfaces with client software on handset. Web based console allows for form development, conducting of surveys, and data.
Nokia Data Gathering (NDG) allows for text and GPS data collection via handsets. Client (mobile) and server software are free to download and install. Server software allows for the development of customizable questionnaires, dissemination of forms to mobile phones, data collection on mobile phones, and data submission from mobile clients.
Open Data Kit (ODK) is a set of free tools used all over the world to make data collection and information delivery easier. ODK primarily provides an out-of-the-box solution for users to:
1. Build a data collection form or survey
2. Collect the data on a mobile device and send it to a server
3. Aggregate the collected data on a server and extract it in useful formats
EMIT is a cloud-based service that provides the ability to gather text data via Java based handsets. Web based console allows for conducting of surveys and extracting data. Forms are created and administered with the aid of the Cell-Life team. Software resides on Cell-Life servers, and interfaces with software on client’s cellphones.
EpiCollect is a cloud-based services that enables the collection of rich content via Android and iPhone phones. A web-based console allows for form development, conducting of surveys and data .
Voxiva is a cloud-based service that allows for data collection via a number of mobile platforms and channels. Voxiva provides a number of sector-specific services built around a core set of technologies allowing users to conduct surveys, collect data and perform . Implementation, development and forms creation is done with the aid of Voxiva.
GeoChat is a cloud-based tool that provides users associated with a GeoChat ‘group’ the ability to collaborate over multiple channels including SMS, email, and Twitter. Key feature is ability to display messages with associated geographic location.
GATHERdata is self hosted system consisting of a modular suite of tools allowing users to gather multiple data types via XForms on Java based handsets. Components include front-end server UI, data storage, and other utilities.
Acquee is a fully browser-based application used for collecting structured data. Design forms, surveys and polls, share them with mobile users. Analyze and download results in real-time.
Apr 12
I had a very interesting conversation with Andrea Ordonez from Grupo FARO today. We were talking about how to organise the research programmes of the think tank and it occurred to us that there is often a tension between how research is organised internally and how it is presented -mainly through a website. When I was at ODI this was a constant struggle: hence the lists of programmes, themes and regions; never mind the long list of resources.
The reality of course is that work at ODI is not organised by any of these categories.
Internally, research needs to be organised to maximise quality and efficiency -it must help to manage, work across the organisation, win business, attract new staff, etc. Externally, it must be organised to influence (inform or educate) its public. Two different audiences and objectives.
So it should be easier if one separate both -internal about management, external about influence- and recognise that there does not need to be an automatic link between both. All research and analysis is not worth being published -nor, in my opinion, should we publish different types of outputs next to each other as if they were comparable: books, journal articles, reports, opinion pieces and blogs all have their place.
Furthermore, external organisation of research (the presentation and communication of research) ought to present a coherent policy message. How else could someone make a decision?
So how to present research? I’ve been looking at some front pages (which is one way of presenting research outside of the organisation) and have found some approaches (but note that there are many overlaps):
Does anyone else have examples of these? Or any other? Maybe favourite think tank websites that may be presented as best practices?
Please send your recommendations.
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