Collaborative Thinking

Will companies "flip" over ad-hoc video?

As price points drop and quality becomes more acceptable - a wide range of devices and form factors will continue to seep into enterprise environments. In the case of Flip, an expedient way to record video snippets relevant in many work situations where people want to "capture the moment". Microsoft is also evolving its LifeCam hardware. See the two stories below and follow the links to read the full articles:

Flip

This tiny video camera made it a pleasure to record startlingly good footage for a camera of its size both indoors and outside. It’s designed to be held comfortably in front of you, which didn’t make me feel removed from the event I was recording like many other video cameras. Not without flaws, the Flip’s 2x digital zoom isn’t ideal for shooting from afar, and on more than one occasion its software froze up on Windows PCs and Apple Macs. But once I got going, I started shooting videos in a new way, unobtrusively using it and then fitting the Flip into small purses. Saving and emailing footage was a breeze after a few initial hiccups.

Flip Video Ultra from Pure Digital Technologies

... The Flip Video Ultra is an improvement on the Flip Video, which Pure Digital introduced in May. Though it costs $30 more, the newer version features higher-quality sound and video (footage is half as compressed as that on the old Flip), a transflective screen with a better resolution and improved video-processing technology. The new Flip also integrates direct uploads to YouTube in its software program.

I took the new Flip along with me on a business trip to California and carried it around Washington, D.C., shooting in different environments: inside a dark auditorium at a press event; outside at dusk overlooking the San Francisco skyline from a rooftop barbeque; in my house at nighttime; and during a visit to Google headquarters with my boss, Walt Mossberg. The Flip worked well in each situation.

This video camera measures roughly four inches high by two inches wide and an inch deep, and the 60-minute version comes in black, white, pink and orange; 30-minute models only come in black and white. Though the Flip Video Ultra doesn’t have a flash, it’s designed to perform well under circumstances with low light because Pure Digital assumes most users will be recording indoors. It captures in 640×480 resolution at 30 frames per second.

I used the 60-minute Flip. In capture mode, an on-screen message tells how many minutes remain on the camera. In playback mode, captured clips are labeled with duration and numerical order, such as “Video 21 of 24.” Hitting the Delete button twice while a clip is on screen erases it.

An Easier Way to Make and Share Videos | The Mossberg Solution | Katherine Boehret | AllThingsD

Microsoft LifeCam

Today MS Hardware announces two new LifeCam models that will hit store shelves later this month.  ...

The VX-7000 is designed for the desktop PC, with a 2.0-megapixel sensor for HD video (2.0 MP) and still photography (7.6 MP interpolated).   

For laptop PCs, the NX-3000 offers video at 640x480 resolution, HD still photography (1.3 MP) and a built-in unidirectional microphone with acoustic noise cancellation.    

New LifeCams unleashed

UC Battle Lines Are Drawn

The article below accurately reflects the multiple perspectives on unified communications that create some natural tensions:

• end-users vs. management
• consumer-centric providers vs. enterprise platform providers
• software vs. network

Actually, I don't believe there are clear battle lines. Management has a responsibility to ensure security and compliance needs are satisfied. For systems to be deployed for use by employees that circumvent adherence to regulatory and audit requirements is absurd. But, if users are to compromise in that regard, management needs to do a much better job at knowing what users need and how communication devices, form factors and capabilities are used as part of that individual's work and lifestyle (since many of these devices are used for personal and business activities).

Consumer solution providers focus on capabilities that people find valuable in very compelling ways - if examine many of the topics related to social networking, it becomes apparent that the informal structures and relationships of an organization are a lot more externalized than ever before. Those connections are valuable for both the individual and that enterprise. So some degree of federation/interoperability between "corporate" environments and public networks has become an undeniable requirement.

The debate between software and network is almost a non-debate - networks need great applications and visa-versa. Users see value in the personal nature of the device and the applications it delivers. But users clearly value networks after they experience dropped connections, downtime, etc. Management values applications and networks that influence productivity and performance. Which is more valuable than the other results in an endless "which came first" argument.

It's interesting to note that Skype and Asterisk continue to add capabilities that make their technologies attractive to enterprise decision-makers so it is a bit disingenuous for company representatives to position themselves as somehow anti-establishment (it does make for good marketing and good speeches).

At the end of the day -

• digital life eventually trumps digital work
• enterprise solution providers need to be more consumer-centric and consumer solution providers need to be more enterprise-centric
• any successful vendor or IT organization will need to support people that use their products/services within a business or personal context

Related Story:

When it comes to IP-based communications in the enterprise, how much control should be vested in the unified communications server administered by IT- vs. the end user who should feel free to use and configure his or her own voice options?

» Unified communications vs. end user: enterprise IP battle lines are drawn | IP Telephony, VoIP, Broadband | ZDNet.com

Influence of industrial design on technology

Short video clips that demonstrate interesting design aspects:

Where consumer products are designed

CNET's Brian Cooley takes you behind the scenes at the Silicon Valley design house where the Mac was penned. What do they think is the next big thing?

[video] See how cool tech products are born | CNET News.com

The present and future of video conferencing

Take a look into some developing technologies for video conferencing. CNET News.com's Dawn Kawamoto reports.

[video] New video conferencing technology | CNET News.com

Class of 2011 Heads Back To Campus Wielding More Connections, Concern and Consumer Clout Than Any Class Before Them

And once they are hired full-time, they will take on leadership roles, become managers and so on. But will the workplace support the communication, information sharing, collaboration and networking models they have become used to? 

In findings released today, Alloy Media + Marketing’s (Nasdaq: ALOY) 7^th annual Alloy College Explorer, powered by Harris Interactive^®, illuminates the contrast of today’s collegiate perspective from that of four years ago.

The largest college class in history (students ages 18-30) has evolved in three key areas: communication modality, purchase behavior, and concern over world issues. 

...

We’re Faster Than You

... Now-a-days, cell phone ownership seems to be a requisite for college students, with close to all students (93%) reporting they own one. In just four years, ownership has seen an almost 15 point increase. Today, with the use of blogs and social networking sites serving as the modern forum for a young persons’ daily documentation - it’s no surprise that digital camera ownership has just about doubled since 2003. Today, 64% of students report owning one and 16% cite intention to purchase this year.

While in 2003, a mere 17% of students owned MP3 players, and the iPod was not yet a staple, today, students roam the quad to the beat of myriad audio experiences—with more than half (58%) owning one.

Allowing for much of this perpetual connectedness, is a campus gone wired. Just four years ago, “wireless” was not part of the campus vernacular, with only 14% of campuses reporting full capability. Today, that figure has doubled. Just about one-third (28.9%) of campuses now offer blanket coverage and almost two-thirds claim to have a wireless strategy plan in place¹ . Demand for mobility is also expressed via the annual decline of desktop ownership in favor of laptops. With a 21 point increase of laptop ownership in the last two years alone (63% today vs. 42% in 2005), the dorm desktop appears as “old-school” as the word processor did in the ‘90’s.

We’re Bigger Than You

A notable change since 2003 is the number of students matriculating. With more students (ages 18-30) attending college than ever before, this year’s class marks the largest in U.S. history, with a 14% increase as 13.3 million students head back to campus. And, they‘re toting back a hefty - and record - $198 Billion in consumer spending power². That’s an impressive 31% increase since ’03. In just four years, this group’s annual discretionary spending has seen a significant increase, with current figures rising to $48 billion – up a whopping $15 Billion!

These students are also earning their keep. Three-quarters of students now report employment during the year.

Girl power persists apace, as female continue to dominate campus in head count. This year, the female college population gets a 56% slice of the pie, about 1.1 million more than reported in ’03.

...

We’ve Got More Clout

... For the modern student, a small circle of campus friends is only one of many slices of the “friend” universe. Today, social communication via the web has redefined “friendship”, creating an environment and culture where there seems to be no limit to the number of pals one might acquire. In fact, online communication is gaining as 27% of co-eds cite choosing to stay in touch with friends via social networking site over face-to-face communication, at 11%, or over phone, with 23% reporting. Whereas social networks were virtually an unknown entity for the class of ’03, today, more than half (54%) of college students (ages 18-30) visit one in a typical day.

...

We’re Louder Than you

... With social networks and user generated sites replacing the old “soapbox”, it seems modern day students are finding the power of their own voice. Students appear dissatisfied with the current state of the union and are placing more responsibility on behaviors that can impact our world. This years study finds 35% of students reporting they feel that people their age have the greatest ability to impact positive world change and up from last year, 37% cite they are more likely to purchase brands that are socially and environmentally responsible (33% in 2006).

Class of 2011 Heads Back To Campus Wielding More Connections, Concern and Consumer Clout Than Any Class Before Them - QSR Magazine

BusinessWeek Online: Future Work

Timely articles on  the changing nature of work, workers and workplace:

THE POLL

Ten Years From Now…

We polled 2,000 execs, and the prognosis is surprisingly positive

Online Extra: Online Poll -- Ten Years from Now…

A BusinessWeek poll indicates big changes are ahead in tomorrow's workplace

MANDEL ON ECONOMICS

Which Way To The Future?
Globalization and technology are drastically changing how we do our jobs—and that's both a promise and a problem

MANAGING THE NEW WORKFORCE

A Guide For Multinationals

One of the great challenges for a multinational is learning how to build a productive global team

The Shanghai Scramble

With R&D talent scarce, companies like Cisco hire inexperienced workers and put them through "management kindergarten"

Cog Or Co-worker?

The organization man isn't extinct or even endangered—but the role has been refined over the past 100 years

No-Cubicle Culture

Hearing-aid maker Oticon removed all office boundaries—and has flourished by learning which ones it needs

The Shape Of Perks To Come

Today these benefits are on the fringe. Tomorrow they could be commonplace for employers who want to hold on to key workers

The Empire Strikes At Silos

Multidisciplinary projects, accordion staffing, a freelance army: how Lucasfilm's new digs help it manage a flexible organization

Online Extra: Narrated Slide Show: Lucasfilm's New Digs

A look at the organization's $350 million complex and how work gets done there

Playbook: Home, Office, And Laboratory

Consultant Margaret Regan puts theory to work with a far-flung network of off-site consultants and part-timers

The Wiki Workplace

Thanks in part to younger workers, more companies are using social computing tools to aid collaboration and to foster innovation and growth

Fear vs. Free Speech at Work

In his new book, Vanderbilt B-school professor Bruce Barry explores the sometimes threatened status of free speech in the workplace

Why You Can't Get Any Work Done

Workplace distractions cost U.S. business some $650 billion a year. Here's how managers can keep employees focused

Workplace Angst

Improving the work/life balance

The Worst Workplace Distractions

Chances are you have suffered from at least one of these distractions‹or even been the cause

TECHNOLOGY ON THE MARCH

The End Of Work As You Know It
Increasing connectivity will change how and where we labor—even the very notion of an employer

Online Extra: Slide Show: A Look Backward At The Future Of Work
For a century, companies have split over the right way to manage a workforce

Online Extra: The Changing Work Equation
Author Thomas Malone talks about the decentralizing power of the Internet

Online Extra: Slide Show: The Weird New Ways We Work
Technology has already transformed the way we work, but there's much more still to come

BusinessWeek Online: BW Magazine

Anil Dash: The Enterprise, Apple, and Insufficient Ambition

Food for thought ... I agree with much of Anil's argument. Convergence of digital life and digital work will challenge both enterprise software vendors and enterprise IT strategists over the next decade. Vendors that believe in a "fortress enterprise" model will miss significant business opportunities. IT strategists will be more open to "pushing the reset button" on internal platform decisions if those platforms cannot span digital work/life while delivering acceptable levels of interoperability with external consumer-centric systems (that preserve security, identity, compliance, etc).

The Premise: Anyone who creates technologies that aspire to have significant cultural or social impacts on the developed world has to focus on both our lives at home and our lives at work. Anything less is an abdication of potential, or a failure of ambition, and settling for less denies many people the chance to discover tools or technologies that can improve their lives.

Anil Dash: The Enterprise, Apple, and Insufficient Ambition

The emergence of media tribes

Interesting data from Pew and some analysis from Jeff Jarvis:

The emergence of media tribes

The latest Pew Research Center study on Americans’ views of their news media show falling trust, growing divides, and the emergence of media tribes. There’s much to chew and choke on in this. Here are some of their findings and my musings:

News media continue to lose respect

That’s not surprising news but it’s still quite sobering. Though the majority of Americans still have generally favorable views about news media (from 60% favorable about national newspapers — specifically the New York Times and Washington Post — to, inexplicably, 79% favorable about local TV news), those numbers have fallen since 1985 (when 81% spoke favorably of national newspapers and cable news topped the list at 91%). For comparison: Favorable opinions of the Supreme Court are down 12 points and Congress 20 points since 1985; for the Democratic Party 8 points and the Republicans 12 points (to only 42%) since 1992. Only the military’s rating has risen. So the nation is getting more critical of everyone. I’ll get to a theory on that in a minute (hint: Fox).

BuzzMachine » Blog Archive » The emergence of media tribes

Kids, Youth & Digital Technology

Some interesting trends and data points are coming out of a study sponsored by Microsoft, MTV and Nickelodeon. According to the press release: "Circuits of Cool/Digital Playground used both qualitative and quantitative methodology to talk to 18,000 "tech embracing" kids (8-14) and young people (14-24) in 16 countries: UK, Germany, Holland, Italy, Sweden, Denmark, Poland, US, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, China, India, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. MTV Networks and Microsoft Digital Advertising Solutions studied 21 technologies that impact on the lives of young people: internet, email, PC, TV, mobile, IM, cable and sat TV, DVD, MP3, stereo/hi-fi, digital cameras, social networks, on and offline video games, CDs, HD TV, VHS, webcams, MP4 players, DVR/PVRs, and hand-held games consoles."

Understanding how "digital life" influences younger people as they enter the workforce is a hugely strategic issue for business decision-makers and IT strategists. I have had several discussions with clients in June and July on topics related to collaboration, community-building, social software and "Enterprise 2.0" where the conversation has turned to "future workers". 

Globally, the average young person connected to digital technology has 94 phone numbers in his or her mobile phone, 78 people on a messenger buddy list and 86 people in his or her social networking community. Yet despite their technological immersion, digi-kids are not geeks -- 59% of 8-14 year-old kids still prefer their TV to their PCs and only 20% of 14-24 year-old young people globally admitted to being "interested" in technology. They are, however, expert multi-taskers and able to filter different channels of information.

These are just some of the findings from the largest-ever global study undertaken by MTV and Nickelodeon, in association with Microsoft Digital Advertising Solutions, into how kids and young people interact with digital technology. The Circuits of Cool/Digital Playground technology and lifestyle study challenges traditional assumptions about their relationships with digital technology, and examines the impact of culture, age and gender on technology use.

New Global Study From MTV, Nickelodeon and Microsoft Challenges Assumptions About Relationship Between Kids, Youth & Digital Technology

Original Press Release:

New Global Study From MTV, Nickelodeon and Microsoft Challenges Assumptions About Relationship Between Kids, Youth & Digital Technology

Related Stories:

Young Keep It Simple In High - Tech World: Survey

Digital 50

Teens establish ‘community’ generation

Original Announcement of Study

Social Networks: Multiple Facets, Multiple Personas

There is a great quote attributed to John Naisbitt that I've always found intriguing when examining the behavioral influences of social networks. In his Global Paradox book (1994), Mr. Naisbitt wrote, "the more universal we become, the more tribal we act". It's interesting to apply that quote in the context of Facebook and the paradox of being connected to many people and groups with whom you have different types of relationships (see the article below). The people within each network facet you belong can develop a different mental image of your persona and sometimes it is desirable to keep those tribes separated.

So, to badly paraphrase Mr. Naisbitt: "the more socially connected we become, the more tribal we act" might be an interesting concept to keep in mind for those building such platforms as well as for those participating within them. Participants in a social network have a opaque view of the entire social structure of the network. When they discover that their view of the social structure overlaps or is inter-connected with what that person feels was a separate social structure, then the need for stratifying those network connections comes into play. In the case of technology, this would include the need for privacy controls and other filtering mechanisms. 

Social networks are not a flat layer of connections but are in fact multi-dimensional, variable and dynamic - with multiple facets (in the eyes of the participant) based on relationships, situations and other preferences. All of this is driving the need for social systems to provide participants with multiple profiles that describe different personas (e.g., work, home, school, play), attached to an identity with granular settings for how people are viewed, contacted, trusted, etc. It also reinforces the need for such systems to interoperate in some manner (as I've mentioned in earlier posts).

For longtime users, the influx of grownups means that information once intended for a circle of fellow students is now available for anyone to see. That has introduced a new social conundrum: Deciding whose invites should be accepted -- and how much of your profile they should be able to see.

"You can't really unfriend your mom," says Hillary Woolley, a junior at the University of California at Davis. "So I've been upping my privacy settings."

Facebook lets users specify what data is displayed in searches, and users can customize a "limited" view for select friends. But it's time-consuming to set up customized views for individuals, so most people are simply walling off their profiles to non-friends.

"I have removed almost all useful or personally insightful information from my profile because at this point most people who I am 'friends' with I really don't want in my business anymore," says McCarthy.

And it's not just your mom you need to hide from. Graduates who have entered the teaching profession now have to contend with friend invites from students. "I let (students) view only a restricted profile on Facebook, which is only my photo and basic info," says Emily Malbon, a teacher in Boston. "I don't need them reading about how much I like wine."

As Facebook Grows, Longtime Users Draw Privacy Veil

Social Networking And Higher Ed Admission

This post is a follow-up to my previous thoughts regarding social networking and employment. An ongoing study being conducted by the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (Center for Marketing Research), has revealed some significant findings. A "sneak peak" report, The Game Has Changed: Web preview (PDF), indicates how the higher education system (colleges and universities) are being quite aggressive in their use of social media. The preview report compares results to a previous study on use of social media by business organizations. The methodology is based on 450+ detailed interviews with admissions departments and includes well-known institutions such as Duke, Carnegie Mellon, University of Arizona and University of Pennsylvania. What I found striking is the use of social media as a means of learning more about student applicants. 

Such insight is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, clearly, students will need to consider the long-term implications of what information they post on social networking sites (somewhat obvious and somewhat over-hyped). Hopefully there is some understanding of teen culture (and I would point to Danah Boyd's research in this area as perhaps the best collection of research conducted I have come across) before people jump to conclusions about what they see on Myspace and Facebook. But there is also an opportunity for students (particularly in high school) to use some aspects of social media in a more purposeful manner to establish their own "personal brand" in an educational sense. Applicants to educational institutions could conceivably leverage social media as a digital portfolio of their interests, activities, accomplishments, and other related information to fill in the "whitespace" of who they are, what they want to be, etc.

In any case, social media (or social computing or social software - pick your favorite term), needs to be examined by business and IT strategists in a broader context than just its application within the enterprise.

Student Research

These results only begin to scratch the surface of the data gathered. And while we’re saving some additional detailed and exciting results for several academic articles (see below) later this year, there is one point that must be shared right now because of its ground-breaking nature. A significant proportion of schools are beginning to research students via search engines (26%) and social networks (21%). While certainly the traditional factors will still play dominant roles in admissions decisions, no longer can students place damaging material online without potential consequences. (See Figure 4)

Figure 4

The results are conclusive. Social media has arrived in college admissions. The ivory tower is innovating even faster than the elite Inc. 500. And the game has changed forever.