February 20 - L&M Chapter 18

February 20 – L&M Chapter 18 Technology-Assisted Communication

Besides your message, audience capabilities here are crucial

Can they access and process your message in a mediated environment?

Communicating to employees

computer-based – can disseminate information and test employee knowledge

distance education – employees obtain instruction at times and sites they prefer

hands-on/classroom – some information is best understood in face-to-face traditional classroom settings

Informing employees about risk in a computer-mediated environment

keep messages short, avoid making them scroll, tell them why they should care about this, call them to action, make contact information available

big companies=big databases=big communication (if they’re good)

don’t overload – evaluate and prioritize information

shared e-file folders – employees can pick and choose relevant information

if you’re in charge, no proprietary or sensitive information

Technology in care communication (risks have been determined and accepted)

if you administer a website, it should contain the following information:

^establish organization’s credibility – who, what, 3^rd party testimonials, provide contact information

^qualify information – how risk assessment prepared, makes sure sources cited can be accessed

^provide links to like credible organizations – confirm your company approves of linked organizations, ask those linked if they approve

Also:

^make sure technology works – cross platform

^remember guidelines for presenting visual information (Chapter 14)

^pages 347-349 list government, educational, professional websites with risk related information, along with selected databases

Stand-alone and web-delivered multimedia programs

consider your audience – techno savy? interactive CDs and online programs work

Interactive web and satellite multimedia

telebriefing – telephone call-ins (to what? L&M quite vague here)

webcasts – live programs, or archived for later on-demand viewing

satellite broadcasts – you know what these are (L&M call these broadcasts, but they’re really not, because they’re directed at a select, private audience at a downlink site. Broadcast? Think NBC)

guidelines for live computer-delivered multimedia programs:

^state user access instructions

^specify program duration

^list system requirements

^allow for technical assistance if problems arise

^provide alternative sources of information

Interactive multimedia programs in public places

kiosks are a great tool for communicating in areas where media access is limited

(I’ve seen this work effectively in China)

again - know your audience! what do they need to know?

Online discussion forums

e-mail lists, listservs and newsgroups provide chat-room opportunities, but:

^focus your topic to avoid being spam to your intended audience

^state rules – no personal info, advertisements, attachments

^indicate if forum is moderated

Technology in consensus communication (working toward group(s) consensus on how risk will be managed, prevented or mitigated)

communication among groups can take the form of:

^websites, LAN (local area networks), extranets (secured websites), bulletin boards (WebCt is a bulletin board)

^some types of information need to be made available to the (uh oh) general public – computers in public spaces (like libraries) satisfy this requirement

^risk communication when trying to reach consensus is improved if stakeholder comments and resulting organizational responses are aggregated and analyzed – software is available for this

^risk communication in consensus situations is also improved if computer- mediated brainstorming is combined with face-to-face decision making

Technology in crisis communication (in the face of potential or unfolding sudden danger)

depending on the type of crisis and what your organization does, most types of mediated communication might be available to you – tv, radio, internet, wireless systems

if a widespread power outage occurs and you’re an NGO, you’re pretty much screwed

mic brookshire