Web 2.0: What Can It Offer The Research Community?

A centre of expertise in digital information management

www.ukoln.ac.uk

Web 2.0: What Can It Offer The Research Community?(or let’s stop talking and start doing!)

Brian KellyUKOLNUniversity of [email protected]

UKOLN is supported by:

http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/events/meetings/pparc-2007-03/http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/events/meetings/pparc-2007-03/

Acceptable Use PolicyRecording/broadcasting of this talk, taking photographs, discussing the content using email, instant messaging, Blogs, SMS, etc. is permitted providing distractions to others is minimised.

Acceptable Use PolicyRecording/broadcasting of this talk, taking photographs, discussing the content using email, instant messaging, Blogs, SMS, etc. is permitted providing distractions to others is minimised.

This work is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 licence (but note caveat)

Resources bookmarked using ‘pparc-2007-03' tag Resources bookmarked using ‘pparc-2007-03' tag


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About Me

Brian Kelly:• UK Web Focus: a Web advisory post based at

UKOLN• Funded by JISC and MLA to advise HE/FE and

cultural heritage sectors• Web enthusiast since Jan 1993 (helped set up 1st

institutional Web server in UK HE)• Published many papers & given many presentations

on variety of Web issues

UKOLN:• National centre of expertise in digital information

management• Located at the University of Bath


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Contents

Web 2.0 – What Is It? (Talking …)• Blogs Wikis• RSS Mashups• Microformats Comms

tools• Social bookmarking …

Deployment Strategies (… doing)• User focus• Information literacy; staff development• Risk assessment• Safe experimentation


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Web2MemeMap, Tim O’Reilly, 2005

Characteristics Of Web 2.0

• Network as platform• Always beta• Clean URIs• Remix and mash-ups

Syndication (RSS)• Architecture of participation

Blogs & Wikis Social networking Social tagging

(folksonomies)• Trust and openness

Characteristics Of Web 2.0

• Network as platform• Always beta• Clean URIs• Remix and mash-ups

Syndication (RSS)• Architecture of participation

Blogs & Wikis Social networking Social tagging

(folksonomies)• Trust and openness

Web 2.0

What Is Web 2.0?

Marketing term (derived from observing 'patterns') rather than technical standards - “an attitude not a technology”

Web

2.0


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Blogs

Need for information professionals to:

• Understand blogging & related technologies (e.g. RSS, Technorati)

• Be able to find resources in the 'Blogosphere'

• Explore how to blogs to support business functions (support users, staff & organisation)

Web

2.0

OpennessSyndication

Collaboration

Key Characteristics

http://www.engineeringbritain.com/space/archives/66-Shooting-for-the-Moon.html

http://www.engineeringbritain.com/space/archives/66-Shooting-for-the-Moon.htmlhttp://typolis.net/science/tags/spacehttp://typolis.net/science/tags/space

How could blogs be used: reflections by the researchers; education for the general public; publicity & PR (corporate blogs); …

How could blogs be used: reflections by the researchers; education for the general public; publicity & PR (corporate blogs); …


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Blogs - Reading

How do you keep informed of developments?

• Do you use a dedicated Blog reader?

• Are you alerted of changes to key Blogs?

• Do you focus on the content, and avoid the distractions of ads, etc.

Web

2.0

Bloglines – a Web-based Blog reader. You are informed of changes since you last viewed the page.

Bloglines – a Web-based Blog reader. You are informed of changes since you last viewed the page.

http://www.bloglines.com/myblogshttp://www.bloglines.com/myblogs

BlogBridge – a desktop Blog reader. You are informed of changes since you last viewed the page.

BlogBridge – a desktop Blog reader. You are informed of changes since you last viewed the page.

OpennessSyndication

Collaboration


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Blogs – Engaging With Users

The ukwebfocus.wordpress.com blog provides:

• Comments option for all postings

• A realtime chat facility

Benefits:• Feedback on my thoughts

and ideas• Evaluation • …

http://ukwebfocus.wordpress.com/2007/01/25/experiments-with-meebo/

http://ukwebfocus.wordpress.com/2007/01/25/experiments-with-meebo/

Blogs aren’t just one-way publishing, but an implementation of Tim Berners-Lee’s vision of a collaborative WebBlogs aren’t just one-way publishing, but an implementation of Tim Berners-Lee’s vision of a collaborative Web


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Web

2.0 What Are They Saying About Us?

Blogs are very interconnected with each other (bloggers discuss other’s blog postings).This can help to provide feedback; measure impact; engage in discussions; etc.You can also monitor what they are saying about your Web site.

Find out what bloggers have been saying about your blog or your Web site – possibly minutes after they’ve said it. You can then take the praise – or issue a rebuttal in a timely fashion

Find out what bloggers have been saying about your blog or your Web site – possibly minutes after they’ve said it. You can then take the praise – or issue a rebuttal in a timely fashion

http://www.pparc.ac.uk/http://www.pparc.ac.uk/


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Finding ResourcesTechnorati can help find Blog articles, RSS feeds, etc.Technorati search for “PPARC" finds:Blog posting about PPARC posted 1 day ago (have found 10 minute old postings!)

• 0 postings from PPARC (nothing interesting to say?)

Web

2.0

RSSSyndication

http://www.technorati.com/ …http://www.technorati.com/ …

What do users want: the home page and what people are saying today. Google & Technorati are valuable tools, so organisations should ensure that their Web site can be found in both.

A search for “JISC” finds a posting from 1 hour agoNote you can receive RSS alerts of new search results

http://www.technorati.com/search/jischttp://www.technorati.com/search/jisc


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WikisWikis – collaborative Web-based authoring tools

I use Wikis for:• Collaborative

papers (avoiding emailed MS Word file around)

Web

2.0

Writely – Web-based word processor or Wiki? Does it matter, it does the job

Writely – Web-based word processor or Wiki? Does it matter, it does the job

http://www.writely.com/http://www.writely.com/http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/interop-focus/community/index/IWMW2006_Discussion_Group_Notes_for_Group_A

http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/interop-focus/community/index/IWMW2006_Discussion_Group_Notes_for_Group_A

• Note-taking at events

Remember when notes were trapped in the non-interoperable world of flip charts & paper. This need no longer be the case.

Remember when notes were trapped in the non-interoperable world of flip charts & paper. This need no longer be the case.

• Social discussions at events

http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/interop-focus/community/index/IWMW2006_Information_About_Social_Aspects

http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/interop-focus/community/index/IWMW2006_Information_About_Social_Aspects

OpennessSyndication

Collaboration


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Wikipedia

Wikipedia –a community-developed encyclopedia (but is your core mission to produce a magazine!)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PPARChttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PPARC

… and also a well-linked Web site, which boosts Google rankings (Wikipedia link in top 10 Google search for “PPARC”)


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Sharing - Flickr

Web 2.0 includes community-buildingYou can help support your community-building by making it easy to share photos at events (e.g. this seminar)Simply suggest a tag e.g. ‘pparc-2007-02-07’ and encourage delegates to upload their photos with this tag

Web

2.0

http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=all&q=iwmw2006&m=text

http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=all&q=iwmw2006&m=texthttp://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/iwmw2006/interesting/?page=6

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/iwmw2006/interesting/?page=6

OpennessNetwork effect

SyndicationCollaboration


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Web

2.0 Sharing – del.icio.us

Another aspect of sharing is sharing bookmarksThis can be used to:

• Manage your bookmarks• Allow others to

contribute resources• Allow lists of bookmarks

to be repurposed• Carry out impact

analysis

OpennessNetwork effect

SyndicationCollaboration

Note how the bookmarks can be embedded (‘mashed-up’) elsewhere

Note how the bookmarks can be embedded (‘mashed-up’) elsewhere

Who else has bookmarked this resources? What are their interests?(I may have similar interests) How many have bookmarked my resource?

Who else has bookmarked this resources? What are their interests?(I may have similar interests) How many have bookmarked my resource?

http://del.icio.us/lisbk/pparc-2007-02-07http://del.icio.us/lisbk/pparc-2007-02-07


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Microformats

Add simple semantics using <span>, <div>, etc. classes:Pages on IWMW 2006 Web site have microformatsPlugins such as Tails display contact and event details & allow them to be uploaded to Outlook, Google Calendar, etc

Web

2.0

http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/events/workshops/webmaster-2006/sessions/kelly

http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/events/workshops/webmaster-2006/sessions/kelly

World Cup Web site also has microformats. This avoids the cumbersome downloading dates, entering calendar, selecting import, finding file, …

http://www.worldcupkickoff.com/england/http://www.worldcupkickoff.com/england/

Tags Collaboration


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• Exporting functionality

• Community space

Upcoming.org can deliver traffic to your Web site, who may then book for the eventThey provide

• Event details• Microformats

(event, location)

Web As A Platform W

eb 2

.0

http://upcoming.org/event/69469/http://upcoming.org/event/69469/

Other people can take my data and use it to provide my event. They also provide additional functionality for me Other people can take my data and use it to provide my event. They also provide additional functionality for me

NetworkUsers

TagsCollaboration


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Creative Commons

Hasn’t Upcoming.com contributor infringed my copyright (even though it’s to my benefit?)

• Creative Commons licence assigned to publicity details

• Also described in microformat to allow software to find licence

Web

2.0

http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/events/workshops/webmaster-2006/publicity/

http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/events/workshops/webmaster-2006/publicity/

OpennessTags

Collaboration

Note that the openness is a key aspect of Web 2.0: open source; open standards and open content can all help to bring benefits through maximising usage of services

Note that the openness is a key aspect of Web 2.0: open source; open standards and open content can all help to bring benefits through maximising usage of services


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Web

2.0 Mapping Services & The Web

Web 2.0 provides valuable opportunity to provide mapping & location services:

• Embedding Google maps on your Web sites

• Developing rich services using this• Providing location metadata /

microformats which can be processed by simple browser tools


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Web

2.0 Google Maps Mashups

Google Map ‘mashup’ used for IWMW 2006 event:

• ~ 20 lines of JavaScript.

• Code taken from Googler Maps Web site and coordinates added

http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/events/workshops/webmaster-2006/maps/

http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/events/workshops/webmaster-2006/maps/http://northumbria.ac.uk/browse/radius5/http://northumbria.ac.uk/browse/radius5/

More sophisticated mapping applications are being developed, such as Radius 5 at Northumbria Univ.

OpennessMashup

APIs


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Web

2.0 Location Metadata (1)

Embedded location metadata can now by exploited by 3rd party tools

OpennessMashup

Open sourceAPIs

Why don't all our organisation provide location data in this way?Note issues about quality of data & responsibilities for providing the data (e.g. is this the right address?)

http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/events/meetings/pparc-2007-02-07/

http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/events/meetings/pparc-2007-02-07/

How? Install Greasemap script & add:<meta name="geo.position" content="51.569014,-1.774464" /> <meta name="geo.placename" content=“PPARC, Swindon" /


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Web

2.0 Location Metadata (2)

Location metadata can be used by a variety of applications

OpennessSharing

Open standardsAlways beta

http://geourl.org/near?p=http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/events/meetings/pparc-2007-02-07/

http://geourl.org/near?p=http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/events/meetings/pparc-2007-02-07/

Note that the software described is not the important feature – it's the data and the use of open standards that's important. New software and services will come and go (remember 'always beta')

Note that the software described is not the important feature – it's the data and the use of open standards that's important. New software and services will come and go (remember 'always beta')

Here registered pages which are near each other are displayed.

• What, no PPARC buildings?

• What, no info on local pubs & restaurants?


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Web

2.0 Communications

Realtime discussion is a key part of the Web 2.0 & the .net generation (IM, SMS messaging, …)How much effort does it take to provide an instant messaging service for your organisation?Try Gabbly.comNote:

• Most effective with ‘clean URIs’• Data an be exported using RSS• User support? What user

support?

CommunicationsClean URIs

http://www.gabbly.com/http://www.gabbly.com/

Note Gabbly can’t be used on PPARC Web site due to JavaScript in PPARC pages. Is this a wise decision?

Note Gabbly can’t be used on PPARC Web site due to JavaScript in PPARC pages. Is this a wise decision?


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Web 2.0 Backlash

When significant new things appear:• Enthusiasts / early adopters predict a

transformation of society• Sceptics outline the limitations & deficiencies

There’s a need to:• Promote the benefits to the wider community

(esp. those willing to try if convinced of benefits)• Be realistic and recognise limitations• Address inappropriate criticisms

Web 2.0: It’s a silly name. It’s just a marketing term. There are lots of poor Web 2.0 services. There wasn’t a Web 1.0. What follows it?It does have a marketing aspect – and that’s OK. It isn’t formally defined – it describes a pattern of related usage. There will be poor (and good) Web 2.0 services – just like anything else. Any usage will arrive at a follow-up term.

Web 2.0: It’s a silly name. It’s just a marketing term. There are lots of poor Web 2.0 services. There wasn’t a Web 1.0. What follows it?It does have a marketing aspect – and that’s OK. It isn’t formally defined – it describes a pattern of related usage. There will be poor (and good) Web 2.0 services – just like anything else. Any usage will arrive at a follow-up term.

Dep

loym

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Ch

alle

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Takeup Of New TechnologiesThe Gartner curve

Developers

Rising expectations

Trough of despair

Service plateau

Enterprise softwareLarge budgets…

ChasmFailure to go beyond developers & early adopters (cf Gopher)Need for:

• Advocacy• Listening to users• Addressing concerns• Deployment strategies• …

Let’s now look at approaches for avoiding the chasm

Let’s now look at approaches for avoiding the chasm

Early adopters


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Beware The IT Fundamentalists

We need to avoid simplistic solutions to the complexities:• Open Standards Fundamentalist: we just need XML• Open Source Fundamentalist: we just need Linux• Vendor Fundamentalist: we must use next version of

our enterprise system (and you must fit in with this)• Accessibility Fundamentalist: we must do WAI

WCAG• User Fundamentalist: must do whatever users want• Legal Fundamentalist: it breaches copyright, …• Ownership Fundamentalist: must own everything we

use• Perfectionist: It doesn't do everything, so we'll do

nothing• Simplistic Developer: I've developed a perfect solution

– I don't care if it doesn't run in the real world• Web 2.0: It’s new; its cool!

IT S

ervi

ces

Bar

rier


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The Librarian FundamentalistsLibrarians:

• Think they know better than the user e.g. they don't like people using Google Scholar; they should use Web of Knowledge (who cares that users find it easier to use Google Scholar & finds references they need that way?)

• Think that users should be forced to learn Boolean searching & other formal search techniques because this is good for them (despite Sheffield's study).

• Don't want the users to search for themselves (cf folksonomies) because they won't get it right.

• They still want to classify the entire Web - despite the fact that users don't use their lists of Web links.

• Want services to be perfect before they release them to users. They are uneasy with the concept of 'forever beta' (they don't believe that users have the ability to figure things out themselves and work around the bugs).

Lib

rary

Bar

rier


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Deployment Strategies

Interested in using Web 2.0 in your organisation?Worried about corporate inertia, power struggles, etc?There’s a need for a deployment strategy:

• Addressing business needs• Low-hanging fruits• Encouraging the enthusiasts• Gain experience of the browser tools – and see

what you’re missing!• Staff training & development• Address areas you feel comfortable with• Risk management strategy• …

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Staff Development

There's a need for your staff to:• Understand what Web 2.0 is

about• Learn how to make use of

Web 2.0

subject to constraints of lack of time; resources; etc.

The Library 2.0 Podcasts Web sites provides a useful resources for learning about new tools, techniques, etc.

Dep

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http://podcasts.alablog.org/blog/_archives/2006/4/12/1881517.html

http://podcasts.alablog.org/blog/_archives/2006/4/12/1881517.html


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Syndication

Produce an RSS/Atom feed for key content!Why?

• Syndicate content to partners, etc

• Allow users to embed in their tools, blogs, etc.

• Use of RSS as neutral format for various purposes (tag clouds, generation of PDFs, etc.)

http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/qa-focus/rss/http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/qa-focus/rss/

RSS can be produced for legacy (cleanish) HTML pages using tools such as RSSxl

RSS can be produced for legacy (cleanish) HTML pages using tools such as RSSxl

http://ukwebfocus.wordpress.com/http://ukwebfocus.wordpress.com/

Your content could be here (but only if you have a feed!)Your content could be here (but only if you have a feed!)

Have feeds for your news, publications, vacancies, funding opportunities, staff lists, …

Have feeds for your news, publications, vacancies, funding opportunities, staff lists, …


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WikipediaO

pp

ort

un

itie

s

You’ve an entry in Wikipedia But do you have a video clip in YouTubes?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PPARChttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PPARCWikipedia entry for PPARC:

• Easy to create• Provides high-profile

information (Google-friendly)

• Allows community to enhance & develop content

• Created in 2004 – but not really developed since then


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IWMW 2006 & Risk Management IWMW 2006 has taken a risk management approach to its evaluation of Web 2.0 technologies:

• Agreements: e.g. in the case of the Chatbot.• Use of well-established services: Google &

del.icio.us are well-established and have financial security.

• Notification: warnings that services could be lost. • Engagement: with the user community: users actively

engage in the evaluation of the services. • Provision of alternative services: multiple OMPL

tools. • Use in non-mission critical areas: not for bookings! • Long term experiences of services: usage stats• Availability of alternative sources of data: e.g.

standard Web server log files.• Data export and aggregation: RSS feeds,

aggregated in Suprglu, OPML viewers, etc.

Dep

loym

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Str

ateg

y


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All these FireFox extensions are available for free!

Tools For Your Staff

A simple approach for PPARC staff: provide Firefox to give a rich client environment:• RSS Panel: immediate

display and access to RSS feeds on pages

• Blogger Web Comments: immediate access to blog comments on pages

• Various bookmarklets: such as Webmaster tools

• Various sidebars: such as the Meebo chat tool


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Why Not?

JISC

Adapted from Washington Post cartoon

JISC

Civil Service prefers ‘best of breed’ systems

Where’s the vendor’s roadmap?

Google might go bankrupt

I want to develop stuff so I’ll always have a job)This Web 2.0

thing is simple to use and can provide lots of benefits!

Why Not?


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Web 2.0 & Science

Examples have been given of how Web 2.0 can be used in PPARC todayWeb 2.0 can also be used by your community e.g.:

• Mashups of scientific data & popular services (Google, Connotea, …)

Web 2.0 approaches can be used by your developers:

• Open APIs, cool URIs, open data, …

• Community-building (not just for teenagers, but for astrophysicists too!)

http://moon.google.com/http://moon.google.com/http://www.connotea.org/tag/Gravitational%20lenses

http://www.connotea.org/tag/Gravitational%20lenses

Connotea: a collaborative bookmarking service for researchers; sharebookmarks; annotate; …

Connotea: a collaborative bookmarking service for researchers; sharebookmarks; annotate; …


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Approaches To Blogging

Why? (clarify purposes):• Dissemination• Engagement & discussions• Reflection

How:• External vs local• Team vs individual

Management:• Policies (scope, quality, style, …)• Evaluation, impact, ROI, …

Supporting a Bottom-Up Approach:Bloggers must define a policy and state how the organisation will be safe from possible misuse

Supporting a Bottom-Up Approach:Bloggers must define a policy and state how the organisation will be safe from possible misuse

http://ukwebfocus.wordpress.com/blog-policies/

http://ukwebfocus.wordpress.com/blog-policies/


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PPARC 2.0

PPARC 2.0:• An opportunity for PPARC to rethink traditional

approaches & assumptions• An opportunity provided by organisational changes• An opportunity to identify the ‘low-hanging fruit’


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Conclusions

To conclude:• Web 2.0 can provide real benefits for our users• However organisations tend to be conservative• We therefore need:

Advocacy To listen to users' concerns To address users' concerns e.g. risk management

• We can all benefit by adopting Web 2.0 principles of openness and sharing. So let us: Share our advocacy resources, risk management

techniques, etc. Develop your own social network based on openness,

trust, collaboration, ..

Read my UKWebFocus.wordpress.com Blog

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Education

Web 2.0: What Can It Offer The Research Community?