Have you heard enough yet?

Darn, I’ve really been neglecting this blog… I don’t blame anyone for bailing if so inclined. I think that after 5 years of discussing social media at IBM, I’ve hit a spot where I’ve lost some of my oomph in regard to talking about it all. Don’t get me wrong, we are extremely active still and having a ball. Still tons of creative freedom, and always learning through doing and from the greater online community. I have just become sick of hearing myself wax poetic.

So what does this self-aware dilettante do whenever he gets bored? Launches another project. Yes, we are rocking through some cool Smarter Planet activities on YouTube and on the Smarter Planet blog, but I got the itch to do something personal again. Tired of LinkedIn, Facebook and MySpace (but still having fun on Twitter I must say), I have a new podcast and blog. It’s called A Pop Diary. Available on iTunes, through Feedburner, and on the blog, this is a music-related show that I plan to nurture over the course of the coming year or two (that’s about as accurate as I can guess based on my historically given attention span).

So please stop by. I will only be interviewing people I truly adore musically and will try my best to make it fresh and unexpected. I want to talk about the ‘now’ and dig into the finer points of what makes my guests tick. I want it to be informative, positive and not dig into the past at all. Sort of a diary entry in regard to whare these folks are in their lives now, what they have learned and like to practice, along with a slice of who they are and what they love. I hope you like it.

Maybe I’ll get back some steam here soon… def will be distracted the next few months.

The Tale of a Smarter Planet

Chris Luongo of IBM, along with his collaborative partner Jane Harris, have created a new YouTube video that helps to explain what ‘a smarter planet’ means to them.  It is presented in an elegant and thoughtful manner, and breaks from all of the social media content my team has been producing on the subject to-date.  I highly endorse this video and suggest you give it a look.  And, thank-you Chris and Jane, for delivering such a great video.

Twitter meets Business Week

Very cool new enhancement to a Business Week blog page.  Twitter meets a major publication: 

http://www.businessweek.com/blogs/economic_stimulus_package/

The consumer is king?

I have almost completely stopped blogging internally at IBM.  Now, I am becoming increasingly guilty of neglecting this blog.  This is what happens to many time-starved people when they launch a new blog…  the new one always has some pressing priority, and the secondary blog suffers (and the third dies?).  Yes, I know some folks who seem to be able to juggle multiple blogs, but I am not on of them.   But I digress…

My attention has been focused of late on a team blog we have launched at IBM called Building a Smarter Planet.  Not just a space to read and comment, but one that offers multimedia content as well.  There are podcasts/audio files, and some animated videos to enhance the words and spur/support the discussions.  You should stop by.  The subjects we are covering are rather interesting, and the site will not work without your participation.  It’s feeling a bit like a one-way information publishing space right now and that is the last thing we want. 

This weeks discussion topic on the site is in regard to retail.  The good, the bad and the ugly.  Economic challenges, the continuing influence of the internet, increasingly empowered consumers, you name it, it’s there and thirsty for your opinions.  Come on by!

Making smarter systems smarter

Pop by the smarter planet blog for the latest in our series.  This week, IT Infrastructure, or, making smarter systems smarter.

Skype schmype

OK, I admit it…  I’ve been recording all of my telephone interviews over the last few years by pointing a microphone at a speakerphone.  With all of the options out there, it’s a bit disgraceful, but I have to say it has worked wonders.  The big downside has been having to find a quiet room everytime, which can be a challenge in a crowded corporate headquarters building stocked with cubicles.

Many of you are shaking your heads saying ‘what about Skype?’  Well, I learned years ago that my laptop is not only always pressed for hard drive space, but that I actually often need it for other things while recording.  It just did not make sense to use it as my recorder in any situations.  I had to have a portable recorder for ‘man on the street’ applications, and to keep my laptop free from the process.

But I got very sick of this ‘looking for a free room every three days’ situation.  I needed a better way. 

Took some doing, but here is what I settled on.  I have a new desk phone tapped into my desk phone line, my Marantz portable recorder , and  JK Audio telephone interface device.  What a treat. 

Costly, yes.  A massive reduction in hassle? Oh yeah.  I’m ready to rumble.

Congestion Remedies

I have just published my first podcast in the Building a Smarter Planet series here.  The topic is traffic.  From the blog post:

“Experts today look at causes such as human behavior and the effects that architecture, urban design and engineering have. Efforts such as electronic road pricing systems have been implemented in cities like London, Stockholm and Singapore, which reduces traffic and offers a wealth of digital information that can lead to important mathematical analysis of patterns toward further solutions. “

Hop on over to A Smarter Planet and give it a listen. Leave a comment too! 

Everything I’ve learned about social computing, I’ve learned from the Beach Boys

In homage to an excellent post by Adam Christensen today, I choose to follow suit and proclaim that everything I’ve learned about social computing I’ve learned from the Beach Boys. Well, primarily, I’ve learned a great deal through networking with Beach Boys fans by administering an incredibly popular Beach Boys fan message board from the mid-90’s through 2006. 

Yes, I’m a message board geek.  I’m proud of that as a matter of fact.  I’m a Beach Boys geek too, and equally proud.  Their history, accomplishments, longevity and relevence hold mythical power over some in certain circles.  Their story is complex and riddled with drama and struggle.  They remain one of the most important pop bands ever assembled, their productions, recordings and writing of the highest standard – as best anyone could ever accomplish on a long-term basis - throughout their lifespan. 

It began with my joining a set of online boards and communities and falling in love with the community, all sharing the same passion for the band.  My favorite board – the most open one, and the one devoid of any ‘deleting’ or censorship – was being shut down by it’s admin for various reasons.  I jumped at the chance to grab his community and mission, re-brand it, and maintain a home for its followers.  So what did I learn that translated into value for my current role at IBM in creating, nurturing and promoting social efforts? 

(using Adam’s list below… see his post for how it may relate to your professional endeavours)… 

Go where the communities are already congregated on the topic.  Done, did that, saw the power, became a friendly voice, was attentive, active, etc. I joined a community and earned trust before striking out on my own.

Want value? Add value. Listen, learn, follow. Did that too.  I felt I knew the subject well. I studied the subject, kept on top of it, was genuinely interested in the information-sharing, speculation, theories.  I added anything and everything I could that was breaking news or information. This is related to good citizenship, even if online.  This is abpout being open to the opinions and discussions of others.

Closed loop Surface the best stuff, nurture the best conversations, lead by example. 

It’s a long-term commitment Ahh, the hard part…  This is an element that takes some getting used to.  It takes a great deal of effort to spend the time required to be a voice in any community, whether real or virtual.  Same goes for being a leader in any community, or an expert voice.  This is the message board / blogging deal breaker for most people and the reason why so many fail.  But where there is passion and curiosity, there is hope. 

It’s not just about blogging 2008 has found us moving further and further out of the message board / blog realm and into equally exciting spaces such as Facebook and Twitter.  These social efforts can all be woven together with time, passion and patience.

Avoid any place that sells “hard shell tacos” OK, this is only something I learned from Adam.  You will have to see his post to understand. Guess I need something that fits into the Beach Boys lessons-learned to match his thinking on a fun and inspirational finale to the post…

Avoid the 80’s and 90’s Beach Boy recordings  At least at first.  Just no need to go there right off the bat.  Stick to the period between 1964 – 1977, this is the golden era.  Hardcore fan favorites (outside of the stunning Pet Sounds) include the albums Summer Days and Summer Nights, Friends, Sunflower, and for a quirky blast of offbeat stuff, the album Love You. 

That’s all I’ve got.  I’m happy to talk Beach Boys anytime with any of you.  I encourage all of you thinking about how to enter the social web successfully to do what Adam and I did…  start in a community that shares the same passions as you.

iPhone now has podcasting

I’m pretty excited right now.  Not at the fact that I’m in the middle of an hour long iPhone / iTunes update, but that once it’s loaded up, I will now have the ability to download podcasts – both audio and video – to my iPhone.  With so many cool features coming at me week after week, I’m still in love with this little PDA that could.  I’ll let you know how it works.

ROI questions?

If you are riddled with repeated conversations about the value and possibilities that exist through participation on the social web, or if you get the occasional ‘what’s the ROI?’ query, this article may help you to enhance your current response.  So much of the progress delivered through these efforts remains unseen, but Barak Obama and team entered the space and took advantage brilliantly.  An impressive effort IMO.