Archive for May 2009
Science 2.0: are you lost?
If you are a little bit lost in this jungle of so many services called Science 2.0, take a tour on these short and very subjective classification:
90% of French Researchers have never published on a blog
Has shown a recent survey conducted by 2 bodies INIST and CNRS.
Available in French on:
http://www.iscc.cnrs.fr/IMG/pdf/synthese.pdf
While 85% are involved with external communication projects, and 60% feel ready to contribute to scientific forums and wikis.
Probably they are expecting the “killer application”!
FUMSI
Find
Use
Manage &
Share Information
is an excellent motto to describe an Information System that takes in count all stages of the Information LifeCycle (Gathering ; Analysing ; Storage and Collaboration)
Look at: www.fumsi.com
Scientists and Web 2.0: a tough audience!!!
A realistic editorial on Nature Network gives a good summary of main issues that Science 2.0 is experiencing:
“Altogether, there are a number of reasons why scientists are not eager to adopt web 2.0 tools: the frivolous image, a reluctance to use new tools, lack of time, lack of incentive, and fear of negative effects on their career. Before promoting the use of web 2.0 tools or sites by scientists you should ask whether it’s really beneficial. Does it save time? Does it make work easier? Can it be used passively (without the need to contribute)? If it does, it may catch on, but this is a tough audience!“
Amsen, Eva. Scientists and Web 2.0. Expression patterns: Monday, 27 April 2009. Online: http://network.nature.com/people/eva/blog/2009/04/27/scientists-and-web-2-0
Corresponding slides are on: http://www.slideshare.net/easternblot/scientists-and-web-20
Why RSS feeds are failing to be adopted by Employees?
I read somewhere (I will try to check that ASAP) that the rate of RSS feeds adoption by Companies is less than 10%.
Mike Gotta has found out Ten reasons why “RSS enterprise” has failed to become Mainstream: http://mikeg.typepad.com/perceptions/2009/01/ten-reasons-why-enterprise-rss-has-failed-to-become-mainstream.html
These 10 reasons are mainly technical or usability issues or linked to employees education.
As Info Pro, and seeing my end-users also not really enthusiastics by RSS feeds installed for instance into our SharePoint intranet, I would say that RSS feeds are not seen as a relevant tool to be informed in due time. To keep up to date with collected information, most of Scientists seem to prefer receiving basics emails (despite they complain everyday to be overloaded!): probably because they are afraid to miss some critical data… RSS feeds as a Push system are not applicable to a Business critical informations surveillance (Watch), the risk is too high to miss some information because you forgot to have a look during 1 week at your customized page…
