Video Clip of the Month: Treesaver & Accessibility

April 1, 2011 by

My April 2011 video clip of the month features a pre-release demonstration of the free open source dynamic publishing platform Treesaver. Online publications created with Treesaver automatically adjust to the size of any screen (you’ve got to see it in action).

Treesaver is a lot like the Flipboard iPad app except it’s built with web standards—HTML, CSS, and Javascript. That means you can just design a publication once and the same code will work on any device with a web browser. You don’t have to waste money building an app for different types of smart phones, tablets, etc.

I first read about Treesaver on Beth’s Blog the same day I attended the National Emergency Management Association (NEMA) Social Media in Emergency Management (SMEM) Camp in Alexandria, Va. SMEM Camp featured a presentation on accessibility by Neil McDevitt, program director for the Community Emergency Preparedness Information Network (CEPIN). I had a eureka moment when I returned home and read on Beth’s Blog about why a Treesaver publication was so much better than a PDF:

What PDF’s do well is prepare a document for printing. But people are less and less likely to need printing. They are more likely to want to read that report on their computer, their iPad – some researchers suggest Apple could sell 25 million units in 2011 — or even their smart phone. The PDF is actually a terrible way to put content on the web. Why are PDFs so bad? Let me count the ways:

  • They are slow to load
  • They are in a fixed size, no matter on which screen you are looking at them
  • They aren’t built for mobile devices
  • You can’t link to a specific page inside the document – if you want to share one page on Facebook the best you can do is link to the whole document, and when your friend clicks and realizes it’s a 30 page PDF they hate you

To that excellent list I would add PDFs are not accessible, at least without a lot of extra work tagging and bookmarking (if you’ve ever made a PDF accessible for a federal government agency you know what I mean). For this and other reasons, PDFs are not recognised by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) as a standard web format.

So if you strive to serve all audiences, including the visually impaired, Treesaver’s, standards-based, user-friendly, and easy-to-read interface could definitely be for you. Treesaver publications with their adjustable screen widths are far more accessible than PDFs for people with poor eyesight (Treesaver publications, however, still require alt tags providing text equivalents for every non-text element to accommodate braille and voice readers).

Of course, accessiblity for the millions of smart phone and tablet users out there is important too. As any smart phone user can tell you, viewing a PDF on one of them is noooooo fun.

What do you think about PDFs? Are they on their way out or do you still love them? Please share your thoughts in the comments section.

Filed Under: Technology Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

40 Tweet Gems from NEMA’s #SMEM Camp

March 25, 2011 by

After participating in the Emergency Social Data Summit remotely last summer (see my 30 Tweet Gems from Emergency Social Data Summit wrap-up post, I was thrilled to learn the public was invited to attend the National Emergency Management Association (NEMA) Social Media in Emergency Management (SMEM) Camp yesterday in Alexandria, Va. I signed up as soon as I cleared the date.

Why? Of all the ways social media can make a positive difference in the lives of ordinary people, emergency management is one of the most important. Done right, SMEM is a mind-blowing emergency management force multipler. Done wrong or not done at all, however, can detonate a public relations nightmare.

As I first noted in my Exciting or Scary? Rise of Social Media Swarms post last May, we’re in the middle of communications renaissance. For the first time in history, each person has a voice that can be heard worldwide and then amplified exponentially if his/her conversation creates a buzz that turns into a swarm. In a disaster situation, these swarms could help rescue and comfort disaster survivors … or could attack and amplify the shortcomings of relief agencies and their people.

Yesterday, not only did I find SMEM Camp’s speakers, breakout sessions, and Twitter conversation fascinating, I enjoyed spending the day with a group of caring and committed people who encouraged (and didn’t consider rude) live tweeting. Below are the 40 tweets I found most compelling about emergency response in a Web 2.0 and mobile world (i.e., my picks are not operations oriented).

Social Media
  • @saraestescohen FEMA Dep Admin Serino says “We are in the middle of an information revolution: – challenge is to bring everyone on board” #smem11
  • @EmergCommNetwrk #smem 4 concepts: Listen, Establish Presence, Engage, Seek Feedback via @CherylBle @TheFireTracker2 #smem11
  • @TheFireTracker2 #smem11 Social Media can also take pressure off finite internal IT resources for State/Local Govt by pushing info out onto public platforms
  • @dlblack #smem11 @LosRanchosEM: build lists of local, state EMs and public entities & get them connected on socmed before crisis #nema11
  • @TheFireTracker2 And if UR not engaged and trusted prior, results may be negative:: RT @kgfreeman: Public will put the info out there no matter what #smem11
  • @Disaster_Guy Dawn raises very good point that ppl may call family or send them SM msg rather than 911 if they feel death may be imminent. #smem11
Public Outreach
  • @NEMA_DC #smem11 “Real time is not fast enough…” That says a lot but it also leaves us with a lot of questions! Where do we go from here?
  • @CyberlandGal People expect info so fast in a crisis, need filler info & updates on when info will come 2 maintain audience #smem11
  • @DisasterManSC Yes diff mediums appeal to diff audiences meet them where they are RT @kgfreeman: Do you need a formal press release anymore from EM #smem11
  • @CyberlandGal You need to use all #socialmedia channels & SMS in a crisis. Nixle helps & is free #smem11
  • @TheFireTracker2 Push is one-way. Social media is two-way:: RT @kgfreeman: Push v pull of info: still talking about push #smem11
  • @CyberlandGal PIOs tracking media can help verify accuracy of social media reports by verifying with old media coverage #smem11
  • @CyberlandGal PIOs on social media end up helping with opps when public sends them photos & asks for help #smem11
Crowd Feeding
  • @CraigatFEMA #SMEM11 how we view the public (victims or survivors) is key to how we approach #SMEM Is the public a resource? If so, do we listen?
  • @kgfreeman People are your broadcasters, not news outlet #smem11
  • @saraestescohen lesson from tech volunteer session at #smem11 – leverage NGOs and delegate responsibility for training and sustaining volunteers #smemchat
  • @TheFireTracker2 #smem11 Documented: Even if you tweet something official, users will consult their trusted network FIRST, before taking action.
  • @patricecloutier community at #smem11 … use SM to provide a credible platform for the public to provide valuable info … valuable to Em #smem11
  • @CyberlandGal Everyone wants 2 help in disaster whether u want them 2 or not. Assign observations 2 help with operational awareness #smem11
  • @kgfreeman Public info is self correcting #smem11
Twitter
  • @SoutholdVOICE RT @adams: #smem11 speaker gives wise reminder: quality of content and outcome more important than # of followers. #NEMA
  • @patricecloutier community at #smem11 take care of your existing audience .don’t jeopardize existing relationships for getting more followers #smem11
  • @TheFireTracker2 #smem11 With quality of engagement, the follower count will come. Focus on adding VALUE. And yes you still DO need a critical mass of fllwrs
  • @TheFireTracker2 #smem11 Remember you can also use promoted tweets, like the Red Cross does in disaster, to amplify your message and get above the noise flr
  • @CyberlandGal You can craft your tweets similar 2 how people would Google to actually have your tweet appear high in a Google search #smem11
Adoption
  • @NEMA_DC #smem11 Strong mandate from EM leadership is critical for adoption. @CraigatFEMA proved that w/ attendance 2day but S&L ldrship is key too!
  • @hazmatguru RT @patricecloutier use of SM by gov’t employees @ #smem11 if you trust me 2 manage emrgncies & save lives dont block SM, trust me to use it
  • @TheFireTracker2 #smem11 Average age of a twitter user is 36 (Pew). Next excuse ??
  • @GeoDataPolicy Reluctance to use social media stems from: lack of awareness; the speed of the media is threatening; it’s interactive. #SMEM11
  • @TheFireTracker2 Threatens ILLUSION of control. Hint: it’s happening without you NOW. Better to engage:: RT @kgfreeman: Threat #smem11
  • @kgfreeman Peer pressure may help make policy makers more likely to use sm #smem11
Internal Communications
  • @shayneadamski #smem11 what I learned: some local EMA’s no longer do sit reps; some just do spot reports.
  • @kgfreeman Sit rep, or spot check? How useful is info after 2h? #smem11
Equity
  • @fema #smem11 As with all technology, social media needs to be **accessible to everyone** cc: @NeilMcD
  • @rishoffman @neilmcd discussing use of social media for accessibility. Cheaper and easier to use soc media than to retrofit existing programs. #SMEM11
Technology
  • @NEMA_DC This isn’t the field of dreams, ppl aren’t going to show up just bc you built this great platform via @sradick at #smem11
  • @DisasterManSC RT @afabbri: Apps for first responders? Make sure first responders are involved in development otherwise you get cool tools unused #smem11
Miscellaneous
  • @LosRanchosEM I’m told that we had 314 unique tweeters on #SMEM11 todaay #booyah!
  • @cwardell wow…#smem11 is out-trending Liz Taylor in DC…we’re coming for you Rebecca Black
  • @TheFireTracker2 #smem11 Factoid:: Over 500,000 users in Japan were added to Twitter in first 24hrs after the quake. All seeking time sensitive INFO

For more information on SEMA Camp, check out the Here’s what I learned at the SMEM camp: March, 2011 post by Kim Stephens, a breakout session moderator and iDisaster blogger; Notes in a Nutshell: Social Media #Policy Break-out Sessions at #SMEM11 from the GeodataPolicy blog; and the Quick update on the morning’s activities at the SMEM camp in D.C. post by crisis comms command post blogger Patrice Cloutier.

Which key tweets (or blog posts) did I miss? Help forward the conversation and share your favorites in the comments section.

Filed Under: Relief & Development Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Mobile the ‘Missing Link’ in Revolution 2.0 Debate

March 22, 2011 by

“I’ll send you the email tomorrow when I have power. We’re in a brownout,” a volunteer I was coordinating with in Kenya tweeted in a direct message to me using her cell phone.

The exchange (for one of my non-profit clients) brought home for me the “missing link” I think many are missing in the debate over social media’s role in the uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya. To connect to Revolution 2.0, you don’t need a computer. You don’t even need electricity. All you need is a mobile phone.

Today, 81 percent of adults around the world have a cell phone, including 48 million people who do not have electricity at home. This exploding “on-net” population is a disruptive technology shift, changing the rules of communications in ways difficult to fathom… especially from a First World perspective. We’re too mesmerized by social media (not to mention smart phones) and oblivious to the revolutionary changes basic mobile phones are creating around the world.

If you look at Internet, Facebook, and mobile penetration statistics, particular for Libya, however, it becomes obvious mobile penetration is another powerful accelerant for Revolution 2.0. Like the Internet, affordable mobile phones make communications technology ubiquitous and place individuals—not governments or corporations—at the center of information flow.

Whether people in a given locale are using FrontlineSMS-powered text messages, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or a mix of mobile- and Internet-based technology tools doesn’t matter. Real-time communication is the key to creating a self-directed communications swarm that galvanizes real action in the real world.

The bottom line is if you’re stuck arguing whether Twitter or Facebook can topple dictators, you’re missing the proverbial forest for the trees… or at the very least what it means to be able to coordinate and plan via Twitter with people with no electricity.

Do you think Facebook, Twitter, or mobile phones can topple dictators? Please share your thoughts in the comments section.

Filed Under: Communications, Relief & Development Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

7 Ways to Be a Good Twitter Citizen During a Crisis

March 13, 2011 by

In the wake of Japan’s earthquake and tsunami disaster, a handful of pranksters elected to play on fears and launch hoax tweets, fooling thousands if not millions.

Satoshi Tajiri, the creator of the Pokemon, become a Trending Topic yesterday on Twitter after Twitter user @xCyrusAndLovato tweeted “The creator of Pokemon died today in the #tsunami, #Japan. RIP: Satoshi Tajiri. #prayforjapan.” It turned out to be one of many online rumors, some more harmless than others.

With more and more people are using social media to communicate with loved ones during a crisis (and being advised to do so), it is critical Twitter users do their best to pass on correct information. After all, it’s heartwarming to hear of social media saving lives, but heartbreaking to hear the handful of stories of rescuers being sent off on wild goose chases (most, but not all, crisis tweets are true).

Here’s seven ways the average person can be a good Twitter citizen during a crisis:

1. Only retweet information from Twitter accounts you trust. Only retweet information from accounts or people you know personally or personally trust.

2. Check the timeline. Before you retweet something, check the profile of the account that sent it to make sure an update hasn’t been posted.

3. Check for related tweets. If you a see a tweet from somebody you don’t know about an explosion in, say, Tokyo, find out what other people in Tokyo are tweeting. Chances are if several people are tweeting about the explosion at the same exact time, something’s up. You can safely tweet about the explosion with the disclaimer “Unconfirmed.”

4. Ask people to verify. If you see a tweet from somebody you don’t know reporting about an event the media hasn’t picked up, send out a tweet about it and ask people to verify the information, preferably with a photo.

5. Correct any mistakes. If you discover a hoax or innocent mistake, send out a tweet about it. Use an official retweet from a respected source where possible.

6. Use hashtags wisely. Typically during a crisis, several hashtags (a topic with a hash symbol [“#”] at the start to identify it) appear. For the Japan tragedy, hashtags in use include #Japan, #JPQuake, #JapanQuake, #PrayForJapan, #WeAreAllJapanese,#Tsunami, #Earthquake, and #TsunamiCharity. Using hashtags makes it easier for others to find your tweet in a search on the topic and have your tweet matter. Of course, avoid using hashtags emergency management professionals are using to rescue people (e.g., #J_j_helpme) unless you want to alert them.

7. Keep marketing out. A crisis—as fashion house Kenneth Cole and Microsoft have learned—is not the time to promote your brand or favorite brand.  Marketing on the back of human suffering will probably backfire.

Do you agree? Did I leave anything out? Please share your thoughts in the comments section.

Filed Under: Communications, How to, Relief & Development Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Video Clip of the Month: Andy Carvin & News Curation

March 1, 2011 by

My March 2011 video clip of the month is a PBS News Hour interview of Andy Carvin, (@acarvin), National Public Radio’s social media guru, on how he used Twitter to curate social media to turn himself into a “real time wire service” for the protests in Egypt and Tunisia.

I chose the video because Carvin’s work curating the news provides a hint of what news and information management can look like in an increasingly networked world. From a cubicle in Washington, D.C., Carvin has been able to create a close proximity to situational awareness, giving his readers an incredible perspective, with pictures, video, and translations coming in real time. He managed regularly to beat major news outlets on news events by keeping up with the flow of information on Twitter and knowing who’s behind what tweet.

According to the Neiman Journalism Lab blog, his success forced a lot of people to redefine  “covering a story” and the nature of “journalism” itself.  

“’It really has stood out as an alternative model of news,’ says Kinsey Wilson, NPR’s senior vice president and general manager of digital media. It’s also led to earnest talk of a Pulitzer for curation (with Carvin, of course, as the prize’s first recipient) and to equally earnest discussions, among Jeff Jarvis and others, of translating Carvin’s curatorial prowess into a full-fledged business model,” Neiman reported.

Bottom line: if you’re trying to wrap your arms around how social media is changing the world, the video is a must see. So is Carvin’s Twitter stream. Enjoy the video below.

What impact do you think social media will have on journalism? Please share your predictions in the comments section.

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