Use of Wireless, wiki and other high-technology for documentation
Allison Hewlitt
ahewlitt at bellanet.org
Sun Sep 18 06:43:51 PDT 2005
Dear Lisa, All
Your original posting was timely. Though I haven’t used wikis in an OS
event, I was just talking about the possibilities with a colleague of
mine last weekend. Working for an organisation that promotes
collaboration especially through the use of ICTs and having just taken
part in a (close to) OS event where wikis played a central role, I am
struggling with the use of laptops, wikis and wireless in OS event
and am so glad that the questions were raised and that so many have
shared their thoughts. Here are a few of my thoughts on the use of
laptops, wikis and wireless.
Using laptops
***
I seem to work with *clients* who carry laptops with them everywhere
they go to those who have to share a computer at their workplace.
Those who go everywhere with them are often those (including myself)
who like to take notes on a laptop instead of paper. So discouraging
the use of a laptop at an OS event is like telling someone not to take
any paper with them into their discussion groups.
As for using laptops for documenting discussion reports... I always
encourage people to use flipcharts for notes, graphics, whatever they
want since I think that it is a useful way to create group memory. On
the other hand, I have also quite happily given the discussion report
template on a flash drive/memory stick to those who want to use their
own laptops to document a session whether in real-time or post-
session. Part of the reason for this is that people (like me) enjoy
using their own laptop often over those in the newsroom. I think that
it is because they are used to their own keyboard, mouse or word
processing program and would prefer to use what they are used to. This
point brings to mind an experience that I had last week where one
woman couldn’t use my laptop to write up her report (at the newsroom)
because she couldn’t figure out how to work the scrolling mouse (the
one that is a red button in the middle of the keyboard). It made me
think that I should always have a few extra external mice for those
who are mouse challenged.
I rarely use anything other than laptops (at the newsroom or in
circulation) in an OS event and expect to do so going forward.
While I prefer to have people working in the newsroom (and enjoy the
conversations that often take place), if people want to find a quiet
place to write up their reports, I am happy to help them find a way to
do it.
Wikis
***
Wikis are extremely powerful applications but I still haven’t quite
figured out how they can be used in an OS event. I really like the
discussion report template in a word document format for 2 reasons. It
is easy to use and just as easy to create a book of proceedings from the
reports. Also, I find wikis extremely clumsy and not as easy to use as
they should and could be (though I expect this to change soon). As for
printing the book of proceedings
I am not sure how this is easily
done from a wiki. Lisa mentioned that she cuts and pastes text when
printing off wiki sites. Lisa - are you cutting and pasting the text into a
word document or from within the wiki? I would be interested in
hearing more as I am working with a org in two weeks time that will have an
event wiki and would likely be interested in trying to use the wiki to
document the discussion reports.
Wireless (with Internet Access)
***
You asked about wireless. I am not sure if you are talking about
wireless in the sense of having internet access or creating a wireless
or networked space (without access to the internet). I am going to
assume that it is the former... Personally, I find having internet
access at events to be distracting. When the newsroom gets
busy, I am kept busy reminding people that the newsroom is intended
for people to write up their discussion reports not to surf the net
or check email. Those who push for internet access during events have
told me that they can be more present when they can check their
emails from time to time. At an event last week, I had a participant
tell me how important internet access was for him as there had been a
flood in his village and because he could communicate with people back
home, he was in a better state of mind during the event.
I do my best to encourage people to take a break from their email – as
others have pointed out, it can be a much needed and productive break.
But, I also like to do what I can to help people find ways to work
that work best for them. If it means that they need to check their
email to find out the height of rising floodwaters in their village, I
will do my best to help them find a way so they can (hopefully) get
back to the work that needs to get done.
Hope this is useful. I am looking forward to hearing & learning more.
Thanks Lisa for getting the conversation started.
Best,
Allison
At 3:52 PM Friday, September 16, 2005, Lisa Heft wrote:
LH> Hello, dear colleagues –
LH>
LH> Thank you thank you for the thoughts you have shared
LH> regarding using different forms of technology for documenting Open
LH> Space discussions during an event.
LH>
LH> My own experiences reflect some of yours. Here is a summary
LH> of what I am hearing from you plus what I have experienced. I
LH> know that some of you may experience it differently or have found
LH> different ways of doing these things that also work.
LH>
LH> Posting Notes on the Wall
LH>
LH> I have found that it is important / ideal to post hard-copy
LH> (hand written or printed out from the Newsroom) session notes on
LH> the walls throughout the event. No matter what the technology
LH> available. Even *if* the final proceedings are to be posted on
LH> wiki or website. This informs people throughout the day(s) as to
LH> what is happening in other groups – it seeds and pollinates what
LH> happens next, and next, and next. Everyone has access to the wall
LH> (and everyone may NOT have access to a computer monitor). In
LH> addition, this is a tangible measure of the work they are
LH> accomplishing as they are going along.
LH>
LH> Posting notes on the wall also keeps transparency in all
LH> conversation – everyone can read everyone’s words – you know who
LH> wrote them and who was there. Also: reading online (in my
LH> observation) separates people (they sit and look at a screen).
LH> Reading on the wall gathers people together for further
LH> conversations at the wall – and indeed this may be where their
LH> greatest work and richest conversations may occur.
LH>
LH> I feel reflection is a very useful part of a facilitated
LH> process. So the wall is an additional way to help people reflect,
LH> read in silence, review, etc.
LH>
LH> Having a Physical Location for the Newsroom
LH>
LH> I agree with several of you who noted – there is a benefit to
LH> having a physical location for the Newsroom – it invites mutual
LH> assistance and camaraderie – it is incredibly useful for folks to
LH> help each other with notes-taking or transcribing. When this step
LH> is eliminated through use of another technology (depending on how
LH> we decide to use that other technology) we could miss a lot of
LH> great conversations on what happened, how others see it, more
LH> memories triggered in the transcribing which allow someone to add
LH> a bit more to the notes, and so on. And again, the power of
LH> reflection as someone inputs or adjusts their notes.
LH>
LH> Writing Those Discussion Notes
LH>
LH> I am one of those OS facilitators who actually invite
LH> notes-taker folks to *not* write just the summary points. I
LH> actually recommend they *do* take running notes of the
LH> conversation. I know that all of you do not feel/do the same.
LH> However I have found that it is often the *un*-answered questions
LH> the *un*-summarized bits of conversation that may give an outside
LH> reader (someone who was unable to attend that session) an
LH> incredible jewel of information and thought, sparking their
LH> interest in contacting members of that discussion group for
LH> further exploration. In my experience, often it is *how* you got
LH> there that gets to the essence of something, not just the key
LH> points.
LH>
LH> Basic Information on Everyone’s Session Notes
LH>
LH> No matter whether hand-written or via laptop, I think it is
LH> important to have every notes-taker include the same basic
LH> information in their notes (session title, convenor(s),
LH> notes-taker(s), other participants who attended, discussion
LH> notes). This is important in tracking of notes and topics,
LH> documentation of who was present, and so on. So even if multiple
LH> methods of documentation are used (such as a bank of computers +
LH> hard-copy notes-taker forms + some folks putting notes into their
LH> own laptops) we would want to figure out a way to give everyone
LH> the same template or post instructions clearly at each discussion
LH> area to remind folks of the components we’re looking for.
LH>
LH> Newsroom Coordinator
LH>
LH> No matter which way one goes with technology decisions, I
LH> think it is very important for someone to coordinate and track the
LH> receiving and posting of discussion notes at the event (the
LH> Newsroom Coordinator). And it is very useful to have the
LH> discussion notes gathered in one location – someone from a
LH> discussion group may want to add their notes to some
LH> already-entered notes on that topic later in the day or the next
LH> day. I find that posting notes immediately to a website or email
LH> list often posts the first version only, which is something to
LH> keep an eye on (noting a change and updating for the latest
LH> version). A Newsroom Coordinator (no matter what the technology)
LH> keeps a running list of what’s coming in and where it’s located,
LH> can help participants find these existing notes to update, ensure
LH> lastest postings (on wall and on wiki or website if used), and so
LH> on. The Newsroom Coordinator also helps construct the Book of
LH> Proceedings, either during the event itself or soon after
LH> (whatever is your preference / design decision).
LH>
LH> Access to Proceedings
LH>
LH> Thinking about how different people take in data in different
LH> ways, I would like there to be as part of the documentation design
LH> the ability (post-event or during-event) for anyone to easily
LH> print out a hard-copy version of the Book of Proceedings. When
LH> I’ve constructed a book off wiki site notes, it has taken me a bit
LH> of time to cut and paste text and adjust the formatting a bit so
LH> my eye (and for other people for whom text is not their strongest
LH> way of taking in data) easily goes to session headings and contact
LH> list and such, and so there is pagination, table of contents for
LH> easily locating things, and so on. Maybe others of you have found
LH> ways to assemble this off-the-wiki for hard-copy-or-Word-document
LH> Book of Proceedings more easily.
LH>
LH> People are each so different – reading notes on a screen is
LH> not so easy for everyone – and I’d hate to make the assumption --
LH> even in a group of folks who are very high-tech -- that
LH> electronic-version-only serves every individual. Plus, eventually
LH> some folks want to send a book to a funder, or a colleague, or
LH> etc. – so I love offering the printed book option even if a lot of
LH> folks will be saving paper and sending around electronic
LH> versions. In addition, as I understand it, some people go *to*
LH> websites for information and community, and some prefer to have
LH> the information *pushed* to them / to their inbox. The
LH> proceedings, to me, should be distributed in a way that is
LH> accessible to all kinds of people. So to me this would speak both
LH> to posting on the web and providing something like a Word document.
LH>
LH> High-Tech Always for High-Tech People?
LH>
LH> I agree with Larry’s and Nancy’s observation and some of you
LH> others have had that experience as well – often folks working in a
LH> high-tech environment for a living actually appreciate working in
LH> a low-tech way for a change. It’s like their bodies remember how
LH> it once was ( ;o) . Plus let’s think of folks with different
LH> abilities and disabilities (learning and physical ones) and access
LH> / mobility – technology can really assist some people in this –
LH> but/and it also would be important for me to include options for
LH> folks who really like to write notes by hand, don’t travel with
LH> laptops, take a while to process their thoughts as they write, and
LH> so on. I always like to check my assumptions by assuming that
LH> there are folks in any group who aren’t like the others in the
LH> group.
LH>
LH> Tech Used In A Way That Enhances
LH>
LH> So sometimes we work in zero tech environments, even in
LH> settings where people do not read. Sometimes we and our
LH> participants have access to tons of technology. I guess the idea
LH> is to think of ways that our use of any technology enhances – does
LH> not lessen – face-to-face interactions, transparency, data made
LH> available to all during the process, spontaneous conversation
LH> areas in the room, and ability for anyone to read notes in a
LH> simple way that is accessible to each and every individual.
LH>
LH> Allowing for Multiple Technologies / Multiple Forms of Documentation
LH>
LH> As others have shared – it might be interesting to think of
LH> how technology is used in a way that might add dimensions to the
LH> co-documentation – such as digital photos, drawings made by people
LH> in a session on their hand-held devices or on paper that could be
LH> added into session notes on-site, mapping software, art and other
LH> multi-media materials / equipment available, electronic
LH> whiteboards that somehow could create an electronic copy
you all
LH> know more than I do about what’s available out there. As some
LH> others of you note – I think it is incredibly useful (if budget
LH> allows) to –- if this isn’t the main way you are having people
LH> take notes -- still add a flipchart and markers to every
LH> discussion / breakout area for those people who want to think big
LH> and graphically as they talk. Those flipcharts can be transcribed
LH> (if text) by someone in the group or a digital photo can be taken
LH> and added to the notes. (I know that flip charts cost money and
LH> renting stands for them can often cost high rental fees for groups
LH> with small budgets operating in some hotel and retreat sites).
LH> And I would like there to also be a way to include spontaneous
LH> documentation of the experience that did not happen in a
LH> discussion – such as someone drawing a picture or scribbling out a
LH> poem during the event – so perhaps if there is technology these
LH> can be scanned or photographed – in low tech environments they
LH> just go up on the wall.
LH>
LH> Love This Conversation
LH>
LH> Oh. Not much more to write here, and if you’ve read this
LH> far, you need a rest! Thanks for all your ideas – you have really
LH> helped me inform this host team about possibilities,
LH> opportunities, things to keep in mind as together we make our
LH> choices in the design of and preparation for this event.
LH> I am so lucky to have you all,
LH>
LH> Lisa
LH>
LH> ___________________________
LH> L i s a H e f t
LH> Consultant, Facilitator, Educator
LH> O p e n i n g S p a c e
LH> 2325 Oregon
LH> Berkeley, California
LH> 94705-1106 USA
LH> +01 510 548-8449
LH> lisaheft at openingspace.net
LH> www.openingspace.net
LH>
LH> * *
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---
Allison Hewlitt
Bellanet International Secretariat <www.bellanet.org>
Tel: +1 613.236.6163 x2393
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