Collaboration Sites
Collaboration Sites such as Microsoft SharePoint and other file sharing sites provide a forum to post, share, create and distribute common collaborative works and documents. Extensively used by many companies and organizations these collaboration sites provide a common, easily accessible place to share ideas and synchronize documents with co-workers within the building and around the world. Developed in 2007 and updated with greater features in 2010, Microsoft SharePoint is a single source web-share collaboration site that combines virtually every communications medium a typical office might utilize to build synergy and strengthen communications capabilities.
SharePoint enables all users within the organization the ability to merge the site calendars with their individual Outlook calendars for ease of scheduling, reminders and important meetings and teleconferences. The calendar not only links to documents stored in libraries managed by separate departments, but also connects to a workflow that alerts the responsible individuals that a compliance element (i.e., policy, license, permit, inspection) is due for review or update. (Solomon, 2010).
SharePoint serves as a file share system that has greater uptime reliability and far more storage capability and virtually eliminates redundant data entries by locking the data if someone else is using it. Additionally, any change made to posted information generates an automatic notification to a predetermined distribution list. Everyone that accesses the site is the primary audience in one way or another; whether they are obtaining a document to contribute to, or retrieve the document for review and approval.
Social Media/Social Networks
Social media sites such as Facebook, Myspace, Twitter and Flickr are all examples of social media sites that are extremely popular and growing every day. These sites are used to publish personal as well as professional bits, blogs and posts from users that can be used for fun, research, business or entertainment. The platform enables its users to interact in many forms from instant messaging to video diaries. As we take a closer look at Facebook; which by the way is the world’s largest social networking site with over 600 million users, we find that there is over 25 billion pieces of content such as video and sound bites, news stories, blogs, photos and posts shared on a monthly basis. (Brown, 2011).
Users can access this forum from the comfort of their home, work, and now pretty much any mobile device they own. Technologies such as the smart phone, iPhone and iPad instantly connect the user to their media platform and within an instant can blog, post or share whatever is on their minds. Additionally, they can instantly be connected to cutting edge news and information by “friending” a known site profile. Typical to any social media site the greater the number of friends or followers the more connected you are to the mainstream pulse of society and capture trends and news that much faster. New trends are arising where news organizations and businesses are encouraging users to “friend” their group site giving exclusive feeds, news clips and discounts just by joining their site; which by the way is free of charge.
Personal/Professional Email
Electronic mail or email has become a staple of the modern communications age. Used for entertainment, information distribution and simple communication email has revolutionized the way we interact in our personal lives as well as in the work place. Email is the process of sending and receiving digital messages transmitted across an internet connection, broadband network or intranet configuration. Today more than ever, email has become a necessity in the fast paced global market. Accessible from a laptop, Personal Digital assistant (PDA), smart phone, blackberry or pc tablet, personal and professional email enables the user to send and receive emails on the go.
Unique features that are beneficial to electronic email are the ability to track and store messages sent and received; this feature comes in very handy when things go bad and one is forced to support their position. Another unique feature is the ability to write one message and simultaneously send the message to as many recipients as needed. Additionally, someone can personalize their messages with auto signatures that provide their name, position, address, phone numbers, fax numbers and anything else pertinent. Adding more personalization, the author can add colored text, fonts, sizes and background images or watermarks.
Local/National News Media
Local and National news media, primarily a one sided form of communication is used for general distribution of information and news happening locally and around the world. Typical messages are designed to be current or “happening now” and are usually less than 24 hours old and if they are they are considered a follow-up story. Radio and television programming provide a platform that reporters and news commentators use to provide a public service by reporting current news, sports and community events. Both local and national news media have turned to e-news as another way of providing their stories.
Facebook and other social media sites provide yet another forum for these broadcasters to send out their messages. Additionally, the larger national corporations use blogs and video podcasts for the consumer on the go. National news media corporations such as CNN have crossed into interactive “two way” news media through a relatively new feature called iReport. iReport is a user-generated section of CNN.com that allows users to tell their stories, offer an opinion or to say what’s important to them. (CNN.com). The unique function of the iReport tool is virtually anyone with a camera, computer and an opinion can create a report and submit their blog to the iReport website. This gives viewers as well as professional reports the instant “ground truth” of a situation or tragedy. Additionally, submissions are not proofed, fact-checked, edited or screened; which can also lead to misinformation.
References
Brown D., (2011). Danny Brown Social Media Marketing Blog. Retrieved from http://dannybrown.me/2010/07/03/cool-facts-about-social-media/
CNN.com (2010). iReport. Retrieved from: http://ireport.cnn.com/
Microsoft Corporation, Microsoft Office. (2011). SharePoint Server 2007 training courses: A roadmap to SharePoint 2007 Training. Retrieved from the Microsoft website: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/training/SharePoint-server-2007-training-courses-HA010235858.aspx
Solomon, M. Migrating your users-not just your data. KM World. Vol. 19, Iss. 9; pp. 18-19. Retrieved from http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=2158020801&sid=1&Fmt=3&clientId=74379&RQT=309&VName=PQD
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