Archive for the 'Information Management' Category

Google Doc’s

Published on 7 December 2009 in Information Management, Links, Projects and Youth Engagement. 0 Comments
As I have wrote about it an earlier blog, I have investigated setting up an email account for each Prince’s Trust student as part of the program. This is so they can use the e-mail account for applying for jobs , training or education as the accounts that some of the students are using now may not be suitable for professional use. I looked at Google Mail and decided it was the most suitable due to the ease of setting up an account and also so that the students can continue using the account after the course has finished.
Building upon this I have looked into the other applications that Google offers. One in particular is ‘Google Doc’s’. This offers users various software to create documents, spreadsheets and presentations free of charge as well as an online storage space.

 

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I want to start looking into utilising these applications so that when the young people need to ammend or send their CV’s to someone, the CV is easily accessible and editing it is simple, espeically from access points other than home, such as libraries.

Wiggly Wigglers: A Success Story

Published on 2 December 2009 in Emerging Technology, Facebook, Information Management, Knowledge Management, Reference, Social Inclusion, Social Media, Topics and Youth Engagement. 0 Comments

 

Wiggly Wigglers is a company that cropped up more than once at the Digital Britain briefing. Heather Gorringe founded the sustainable gardening business in 1990. Based on a farm in rural Herefordshire, she started selling worms for compost bins and now has a turnover of £2.5m offering everything from goats’ hair socks to plants and bird food.

Using online technology, Heather made her business a success. Being based on a farm, she had no passing trade therefore relied on the internet. She states ‘To us, there’s no difference between DM, email, web, blogs, podcasts, videos and Facebook – they all bring us feedback and sales’.

Another key move in her path to success was letting customers being a part of the idea generation process. They built their catalogue within a private wiki web page where customers request what they want, for example one customer requested a push lawnmower which Heather had not thought of, but it ended up being an excellent addition to the range. Having communication and engagement with the customers allowed the business to grow, using simple online social networking. Keeping up interest with blogs and podcasts, Wiggly Wigglers is still growing.

The speakers at the briefing used this success story to highlight how big a part broadband played in this story, and without it rural areas, small business such as farms, are getting left behind and being put at a disadvantage.

Along with this I see this story as an excellent example of what can be achieved using social media. The use of blogs, podcasts and social networking on Facebook and Twitter creates interest, engagement and communities. By combining the use of all these resources one person can tell a message to a million people, the opportunities are endless and there isn’t a better time to get on board than now!

Website – http://www.wigglywigglers.co.uk/

Blog – http://wigglywigglers.blogspot.com/

Podcast – http://www.wigglywigglers.co.uk/podcasts/

Twitter – http://twitter.com/wiggled

‘Why do we need a Digital Britain?’

Published on 1 December 2009 in Emerging Technology, Information Management, Knowledge Management, Social Inclusion, Social Media, Topics and Youth Engagement. 0 Comments

I attended a briefing called “A Digital Britain for Everyone: Innovating Public Service and New Business Opportunities through Access and Skills for All” last week in London.  The briefing was about having broadband and computers in every home across Britain to help families, communities and small businesses take advantage of modern infrastructure.

Something which has stayed with me from the briefing was one of the first questions that was asked: ‘Why do we need a Digital Britain?’. In response to this the speaker showed this quote by Charles Darwin;

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.”

This idea of adapting to change stands out to me, I am frequently questioned upon the need for internet and emerging technologies in education and it is often those who are resisting change that ask. However those who are adaptable to change are the ones who are benefiting the most.
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This is something that I will keep in mind when presenting new ideas to others, and ask them to also consider this.

 Further details on the speakers will follow

Kensington Vision

Published on 7 June 2007 in Information Management, Knowledge Management, Social Inclusion and Youth Engagement. 0 Comments

Kensington Vision

Kensington Vision gives the people of Kensington, Liverpool, a unique opportunity to access the latest local information – from news, sport, & video diaries to business information, jobs, training & education. It is a project focussed on delivering local content, created by local people, and making full use of cutting edge technologies.

Whether you are 8 or 80, Kensington Vision has something for you!

Kensington Vision