Beth's Blog: Nonprofits and Social Media

A Consumer's Guide To Low-Cost Data Visualization Tools from Idealware

View MacBookPro Travelogue in a larger map

This map show the route that a new MacBook Pro made from a factory in China to Arizona.  Colleague Alan Levine customized a google map.   Each push pin (that looks like a MacBook Pro) is a page from a travel diary written by his new laptop.   It's worth a few minutes to get a good laugh. 

I can just imagine Alan tracking his new computer's journey using the UPS Tracker feature.   Think about how having a visual representation of the trip, rather than a stream of time/date stamps and zip codes makes it easier to understand.  What's even better is that the software, google maps is free.

It got me thinking again about low-cost data visualization tools.   What's out that?  What can the tools do?  And, in a nutshell, what are some visual information tips?

I didn't have to look any further than the Idealware site and a recent report, "A Consumer's Guide To Low-Cost Data Visualization Tools" to get the answers.  The report includes a summary of design principles, some common visual formats, as well as a review and comparison of free/low cost tools.   This report is one of many free reports on nonprofit software that Idealware has published over the years.

Idealware has recently launched a fundraising campaign for its Research Fund to cover part of the costs of producing similar reports.  I donated with the hope that down the road the next version of data visualization tools report will include low cost or free social networking analysis tools.

The Social Life of Visual Data

Source: Social Visualization, Lecture Slides, Martin Wattenberg, IBM

I've been reflecting on the Nancy White's SpiderGram activity that helps you visualize the orientation of your community as a prelude to selecting the right online collaboration tool.   As technology steward for an online community of practice or facilitator of a group that wants to work together online, it is valuable to do this exercise to help you get a better understanding.  But, it's also valuable to do as a group exercise to spark discussion and reflection.

By chance this morning, I discovered the blog of my one twitter followers, Sumitroy001 who works with ngos and social media in India.   I landed on the syllabus for a course in data visualization at Harvard University.   The course description:

The amount and complexity of information produced in science, engineering, business, and everyday human activity is increasing at staggering rates. We must increasingly rely on computational approaches to generate abstractions that help us to gain insights into large collections of data. The field of visualization seeks to answer questions about science and humanity by developing methods that transform data into meaningful, perceptually intuitive representations. Good visualizations not only present a visual interpretation of data, but do so by improving comprehension, communication, and decision making.

The goal of this course is to expose students to visualization methods and techniques that increase the understanding of complex data. The course will cover how the human visual system processes and perceives images, good design practices for visualization, tools for visualization of data from a variety of fields, and programming of interactive visualization systems. The course is targeted both towards students interested in using visualization in their own work, and students interested in building better visualization tools and systems.

As the web becomes more social, data visualization and social data visualization skills will become more necessary to help us make meaning out of complexity.   One of the lectures in this course was on the topic of Social Visualization and delivered by Martin Wattenberg from IBM.  ( Many Eyes is one of his projects at IBM).  

In his lecture, he visually defines data visualization, classic social visualization, and social data exploration. 

Anyway, it is making me wonder how, if at all, you are using social data visualizations to analyze your nonprofit's social network or social media activity? 

Visualizing Your Social Media Analytics Data Can Trigger Insights

See Larger Version here from Labnol's Flickr Account

I've been thinking about reflections that you need to ask as you harvest your hard data and metrics for insights about your social media.   When you get to your grand synthesis, you need to create visuals to convey the key points.

Charting and graphing your data helps you see patterns and trends more easily and articulate them to decision-makers.  Digital Inspiration found this terrific visual field guide to selecting the right chart or graph or graph format.  After you select your desired chart format, use the Chart Chooser to generate a PowerPoint or Excel template.

Need to visualize a process, system, or concept that isn't based on data? A Field To Using Visual Tools by David Hyerle can help.   Try Gliffy it is an web-based diagram that reminds me of Visio. It's nifty too.

Thinking Visually

View more presentations or upload your own. (tags: storytelling presentation)

Read his post here.

From Social Media StarFish To Conversation Prism

Illustration by Brian Solis and Jess 3
(Click through to see the larger image)

Darren Barefoot created a visual called "social media starfish" in his book "Getting to First Base." It was a remix of  Scoble's white board.  Brian Solis has created the next reiteration - the conversation prism.  (Perhaps it  inspired this visualization of the Digg Community activity)
 

The conversation map is a living, breathing representation of Social Media and will evolve as services and conversation channels emerge, fuse, and dissipate.

I'm seeing a remix of the Social Media Game cards.  However, the existing "tool cards" have about 3/4 of the tools listed above - but people get so overwhelmed with choices.   The holy grail would be a grid that shows prism category, lists the tools, and column that describes possible applications or uses.   

Beth's Blog: TouchGraph

I not been twittering and blogging as much lately, but I'm glad Allan has twittering away or rather consuming tweets or whatever.   Via tweet from Hey Jude, he shared TouchGraph.  The site says:

The TouchGraph Google Browser reveals the network of connectivity between websites, as reported by Google’s database of related sites.

You enter a URL, it crunches a bit, and returns a node map with lines to sites that are “similar” according to Google.   My chart was fairly accurate, although a few missing sites.

 

MindMeister: Collaborative Online MindMapping Tool

I've been using mindmapping software for quite a while (ever since Version 1 of Visio) now to help me think.  I'm mentoring in Nancy White's online facilitation workshop and she just shared a pointer to this tool.  I had to play with it.  I used to help me with some preparation for tomorrow's presentation on tagging.

You don't get as much control over the look and feel of your mind map as you would with say MindManager, although you can import an MindManager file.   But, you can create a collaborative mindmap online using this application.

Update:  Some more reflection on it .. after John Smith pinged me and Nancy about an experiment with this tool ..

Does collaboration on the mindmapping tool work best in real time or asynchronous - or does it not matter?

I'm wondering whether it would get messy if you used it to take notes during a meeting in real-time with too many people editing? Like the same thing when you use a wiki for that?

My questions:

Does this tool work best on a collaborative activity that is:

-brainstorming
-capturing meeting notes during the meeting and serve as support - similar to what graphic facilitators do -brief reflection after a meeting

Do you have a free for all?  That is everyone jump in an edit in real time or do we conceptualize it like a wiki?

It feels like a visual wiki to me ... so are any of the roles/patterns in wiki appropriate to port over there?

Visual Diagrams of Work Processes for Donation

I'm a big fan of visual thinking techniques and using visual thinking software like mindject and inspiration.  I also like visual diagramming tools like Visio, and have used it since Version 1!   

I was very excited to read this post from Steve Andersen, ONE/Northwest's Database Program Manager about his work with organizations to help them better understand their business process (like donor management).  By building simple diagrams called "process maps," Steve helps organizations document what they're doing so he can help them build databases that can support those tasks.

I am curious about what questions he asks the organizations and how he helps them think through their processes.  I am also curious whether or not by doing this process they see where they can improve their practice. 

Steve Bridger Interviews Camera Rwanda about NGOS and Flickr

Pearl Children Care Center

I discovered Camera Rwanda's beautiful photo stream when I wrote about it on blogher last January.   Steve Bridger from NFP 2.0 just posted an interview with her entitled "Camera Rwands: Storytelling using Flickr."   She talks about how flickr has impacted her, building communities around the images, and the benefits of using flickr for storyelling, communicating with stakeholders about a project.

Go right over there and read it! 

Seeking Nonprofit Projects for Hacking Event

Brian Del Vecchio has put a call out for nonprofit projects for a hacking event that will take place in Cambridge in December.

Here's mine:

Please take the Flickr API and integrate Andy Goodman's Best Practices for Story Telling to create a Nonprofit Story Teller in Flickr.   The idea came from a person who commented on my flickr set that I had set up as a story.  I did that all manually, but I'm sure it could be elegantly automated.

Npflickr: Flickr as Nonprofit Documentation Tool

What happens when you give a grantmaker a camera and flickr account? An interesting use of flickr as a documentation tool!   Check out this photo set  of the launch of a mesh network in rural San Diego for Indian Communities, San Diego Tribal Digital Village.

Last May, I documented a project of the Sharing Foundation's in flickr. (It's the college sponsorship program).   I got a comment with a great idea - take the flickr API and integrate some Andy Goodman story telling structure and viola an online story generator!

If you want to talk about flickr and nonprofits, there's a place to do so here.

Graphic Recording of World Cafe Stewardship Dialogue

Juanita Brown sent me an email about what emerged from the World Cafe Stewardship Dialog, reflections, and ways they are deepening the conversation and connection.  It's powerful.

The next steps:

• Developing user-driven virtual infrastructures that enable many-to-many connection, communication, and collaboration.
• Nurturing strong, well-coordinated local and regional networks.
• Creating regular opportunities for the community of practice to gather.
• Designing a strategic sustainability process to support ongoing stewardship of the whole.
• Strengthening dedicated leadership and guidance, among other things.

What caught my eye was the rich flickr sets of the event, particularly the photos of the graphic recording.  I also got a giggle or two from this set.

Technorati Tags: theworldcafe

Flickr Has Integrated Geotagging!

Flickr has added a new feature to its organizer - the ability to add geotags to your photos.  And best of all it is done visually.   There is now a map tab where you can navigate to a location and then automatically add the geotags to that location to a flickr photo or batch of photos.   The feature also includes privacy controls so you can make the geotag private independently of the friends/family privacy codes.

But it gets better:  flickr is now using screencasts!

Here's the how-to information in the FAQ
Here's the screencast: Geotags

Next thing I did was geotag some of the photos from our vacation.  So for example, if you were looking at my photo set of Lucy of the Elephant and clicked on the map you will see where the photo was taken!

You can also use the geotags and the map in flickr to explore photos. Here's a screencast that explains how. This has some wonderful potential for educational projects, think 4th grade geography.

Image Resources for Visual Facilitators

This image (and many more) came via Nancy White from Michael Erikson.  All I can say is wow!

Fearless Change

I'm edging my way back into blogging sideways  ....

One of the questions my father-in-law has begin to ask, "What's next?"   We've all been talking to him about that and we discovered that he always wanted to learn the oboe!   That's a hard instrument to learn -- particularly if you are in your 80's.  Being a musician and wind player,  I suggested taking up a recorder as a first step.  So, last week kept my Internet search skills honed by trying to find recorder teachers in his area of Arizona.

After lots of googling boolean searches and email networking via the results, I came across a recorder group in Arizona and the contact person Linda Rising helped me out quite a bit.  I clicked through to her web site and discovered that she also happens to be the author a change management book called "Fearless Change:  Patterns for Introducing New Ideas."  (Something I am researching for a current project ...)   The title intrigued me.   The book is a pattern analysis that  identifies the recurring problems and corresponding successful solutions for introducing new ideas into organizations.   

Here's a summary of the 48 patterns and solutions.  While many are familiar, a few that I really liked were:

Dedicated Champion
To increase your effectiveness in introducing your new idea, make a case for having the work part of your job description.

Guru on Your Side
Enlist the support of senior-level people who are esteemed by members of the organization.

 
In Your Space
Keep the new idea visible by placing reminders throughout your organization.

Just Enough
To ease learners into the more difficult concepts of a new idea, give a brief introduction and then make more information available when they are ready.

Trial Run
When the organization is not willing to commit to the new idea, suggest that they experiment with it for a short period and study the results. 

Whisper in the General’s Ear
Managers are sometimes hard to convince in a group setting, so meet privately to address any concerns.

Poking around the author's home page, I found a paper she wrote entitled:  Introducing Technology into the Workplace.  The abstract is here:

Organizations in the knowledge business realize that their future depends on keeping their employees up to date on the latest technology. Some of us are trying to introduce new technology in our workplaces. Some efforts have been successful and some have not. The patterns described in this paper are the beginning of a pattern language for introducing new technology into the workplace. The contributors to this pattern language came from different organizations located all over the world. What they found when they examined their separate contributions was a close interrelationship between their experiences, which was reflected in the patterns they wrote.

As it turned out, there are no recorder teachers in my father-in-law's neck of the woods in Arizona.  So, upon reflection, I decided to email some Oboe players and ask if they thought the oboe would be too physically demanding and frustrating for a 80 plus year old.  The answer: It takes some demanding breath control, but he is physically fit (he is), he could do it. As luck would have it, the local high school band director studied oboe with the oboe player in a Arizona Symphony.    I also got a crash course on where to rent or purchase an oboe and the various different models and prices.   So, he's on his way to learning the oboe!

Digital Storytelling ToolKit

I'm trying to get myself back into blogging again. There's no other better way than to jump in!   I'm researching resources for how-to guide I've just started working and don't it always happen that when I'm looking for resources on a particular topic, I find really great stuff that is not at all related but I'm interested in nonetheless.   That's where blogging and delicious can be really handy.

Today I stumbled upon "Digital Storytelling ToolKit" by Elizabeth Kanter (hmm .. not my digital twin) on the Community Technology Network of the Bay Area.   I like her 7 Elements of a Digital Story.

1.  Point of View
2.  Dramatic Question
3.  Emotional Content
4.  Gift of
5.  Power of Soundtrack
6.  Economy
7.  Pacing

This is a nice framework if you're preparing a presentation and are incorporating a story.

Now, back to researching a totally unrelated topic ...

Moveon Use of Flickr

I missed the post about flickr use by MoveOn on netsquared when I was in London earlier this month.  Just tracked down the original article, The Best $24.95 MoveOn Ever Spent: Flickr  via Jon Stahl. 

The article describes how MoveOn is experimenting with flickr, believed to be the first political campaign to make use of flickr.  The article points out that adhoc groups have formed on flickr to support photo sharing and organizing around political topics, but MoveOn's use of flickr is on a larger scale.   They have been able to review, organize, and make available over 11,000 photos to members and flickr uses.  They turned to flickr because their own internal system for sharing photos was not as robust or flexible.  For example, being able to find sort through large amounts of photos to find the best ones.  In March or April, they worked with Flickr to build their own system using Flickr's API.

The article describes the system and how it is working (very well).  Also, some added benefits or outcomes for MoveOn, in particular,

Apart from being able to save server space and involve volunteers, MoveOn’s engagement with Flickr has had some unexpected benefits that come precisely from using a platform that is designed to push power to the users. Kane recalls, “One of our campaigners wanted a slideshow of photos from a recent action and was able to put it together himself, just by selecting the tags he was interested in and using the Flickr slideshow app.” He adds, “It's also made finding pictures for the MoveOn homepage and other materials a snap -- MoveOn staff can easily browse photos by campaign or time period.”

The article concludes with this thought:

The larger lesson for other organizations is this: As social networking sites like Flickr, del.icio.us (also just bought by Yahoo!), and MySpace attract millions of users, it may make sense to go where the people already are and start playing with the same tools, not only because those tools may offer all kinds of benefits to the organization, but also to see what unexpected benefits may engage people. What MoveOn is doing with Flickr is just a beginning.

MoveOn's flickr home page and flickr tags page

Technorati Tags: flickr, tagging, npo, nptech, net2

Teaching Nonprofits How To Bring Relevant Information To Their Desktop

I participated in Nancy White's online facilitation workshop last fall where one of the participants was the thoughtful Nick Noakes who is the Associate Director for the Center for Enhanced Learning and Teaching at a university in Hong Kong.

In reading Marshall's excellent reflection about teaching RSS techniques, I came across a comment from Nick pointing to some curriculum he is developing and teaching to faculty on using RSS for their research work.  The goal he writes is:  "to  help them become familiar, and hopefully, proficient with this as users first."  He talks about the difficulty in removing the "geekiness."

I think he succeeded.  So here's his "Bringing relevant information to your electronic desktop."  Here's the PDF of the slides.

Technorati Tags: RSS, instruction, teaching, learning, adoption, training, effectiveness, nptech, net2

Podcasting Concept Map

Here's a podcasting concept map from Barbara Bowen found it from Nancy White.  Hmm .. I need to create vlog concept map.

More Mapping Software

This week's Nonprofit Onlines has yet another tasty nugget  -- a pointer to a flash-based mind mapping tool called Mayomi.  Just added to my list.  The holy grail for me would be an online web app where people could do collaborative web maps online. 

Netsquared Project: The Step Before Community

Netsquared is new project in its embryonic stages from Compumentor, the folks who have brought excellent technology resources to the nonprofit field.    What is it?    There is a lot of text on the site (this should be changing soon), but this snippet says it best:

Net² is an invitation into the marvelous, messy world of the Internet as a participatory, interactive community: a community created by its users. This site, and the Net² conference, will help non-profit organizations move into that world -- byte by byte, blog by blog, RSS feed by RSS feed. We don't know exactly what the Net² community will look like, or how it will change the face of the non-profit web. What we do know is that both the online and offline work of every non-profit can be enhanced by a dynamic online community in which organizations and users support one another. And we know that the creativity and commitment of the non-profit world is crucial to achieving the creative and community potential of the Internet itself.

The very first seeds of content and conversation have started and much more will happen along the way leading up to the April, 2006 f-2-f conference..  There is a  blogging community tool available on the site and people are registering and setting up blogs.   The community is facilitated or sparkplugged by Chris Locke.   Content is also being added to the site through streams of aggregated content through the net2 tag.  And, according to a comment from Marnie Webb on a blog post, more content that includes examples of how nonprofits are using these new tools will appear soon.

The other day, David Geilhufe wrote a blog post on the site posting a challenge: Doing Rather than Thinking about Doing.  In reading the comments, Daniel Ben-Horrin asks the right question -- the question is about that step BEFORE community -- the one that leads to social design.   "What do you need that this project and the community that is just starting to evolve around it can provide?"   That's the conversation that needs to happen in the Netsquared online and in offline channels.

But I don't think Netsquared is being conceived as a community that only talks or thinks about doing ... as the space will be provide a platform and catalyst for the doers -- if I'm correct from reading the comments attached to David's blog post .... but the hard work of community building is about people- about developing trust, relationships and emotional connections.   It takes a balance between thinking and doing or an action learning process and focusing on the people not the tools.
 

Can Technology Help You Think?

I'm doing some research on another topic, but found this amazing post called "Can Technology Help You Think? from Dave Pollard's "How to Save the World."  It talks about systems and creative thinking and mentions some software tools that help you mindmap or visually diagram your work.   I got excited because many of the books/writers he mentioned are favorites on my bookshelf. My preferred thinking software tool is inspiration which is mostly used in schools and isn't as expensive as the software he mentions.  Years ago, I used VISIO because I would draw my diagram long-hand and then use VISIO (which is a diagraming tool, not a thinking tool) to create an electronic version.   Once I made the leap from brain-to-pen-to-paper to brain-keyboard inspiration became easier for me.  Now, I'm looking around for an open-source tool.  Is there one?

Update:  Dave Pollard pointed me  to one called "Freemind" . He notes it  has a somewhat unintuitive but functional and entirely serviceable free mindmapping tool.

Nancy's Imaginary Friends

I have to point over the Nancy White's comic about online life that she created in gnomz.com.  But importantly, check out her work adding visuals to online facilitation and her gallery of imaginary friends. I think what I most admire about Nancy is her ability to play with ideas and be right-brained!