COMM 215: Final Project
Creating or Updating Your Wiki Page
The following framework, which may be updated throughout the semester, should help you research and plan your wiki page. So why are we creating this wiki? Currently, no reliable and regional source of digital media data exists. We are unable to compare apples to apples as we, for example, compare Singapore to Hong Kong, Japan, or India. Our wiki aims to fill this gap. We are creating a social media map of Asia. And returning to that common theme in our class, “If you are a Swede working in China and wanting learn about Korea’s Internet market, then where do you turn to gather the necessary information?” As you look at this list, please keep in mind a few points. First, you are representing yourself, this class, Prof. Netzley, and SMU. Whatever we post on-line must be credible. Second, you truly have a global audience and people from around the world look at your page. Therefore, begin early because response times from governmental administrators or busy bloggers may not fit your schedule. Leave yourself a substantial margin for error. So here is the template. This may be updated, but for now this is our best starting point.
Organizing Principle: Eight Essential Parts of Each Country Page
The wiki is organized along eight dimensions. 1. About [country]: Quickly introduce readers to the country. Examples include what are the most recent population statistics? What about baby boomer, versus Gen X and Gen Y demographics? What is the system of government? Will religion play a critical role, as it does in Islamic countries? What are the major culture anchors we need to be aware of? Geography? Languages? Literacy? Poverty levels or growing middle class? 2. Media landscape: Essentially you have four questions. What does the mainstream media market look like? What does the digital/social media market look like? What are the technology penetration statistics? Finally what does it all mean? You can perhaps best answer the “so what?” question by remembering that this is a corporate communication course focused on stakeholder relations. Data regarding mobile/hand phone markets should also go under this tab.
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3. Case studies: What are five or six of the best digital media case studies we can share? Over time, consider the historical value of these cases and maybe your page has more than five or six. The basic goal, however, is to illustrate how people are behaving with these new communication channels. So you might consider a range of topics such as high-profile news stories, Web 2.0 start-ups, gaming examples, mobile phone examples, community groups such as Podcamp or Social Media Breakfast, seminal news articles, and more. 4. Interviews: You need three interviews from social media practitioners. Present a more personal view of digital media in your country. Please (!) remember the importance of blogger relations. Begin early, build a bit of a relationship, and only then invite people to be part of your conversation. 5. Useful links: What are the most important links people need to follow in your country? You have a few options here. You could offer a short description of each and a hyperlink. You might also use Wetpaint’s RSS feed widget and embed feeds. In short, think about that Swede in China looking at your country. If he wanted to add feeds to his Google Reader, what would they be? Help us tune-in to the “in” conversations. These should most certainly include the most important conversations about digital media and Web 2.0, but can certainly go well beyond this topic and include the country’s most popular sites pertaining to almost any topic. You might also list one or two sites which are important but not in the English language. Don’t forget to look across multiple media channels such as blogs, video sharing, BBS sites, podcasting, microblogging, and more. 6. From the creators: This tab is for posting your original content. Have you crafted a video interview and posted it to YouTube? If so, imbed the video here. Original survey results? They should also be included here, even if you post the data elsewhere in the wiki. This tab is for you and your original creations. 7. Acknowledgements: Of course we have to say thank you and give lots of link love to the people who help you. This is the place. Don’t be shy, and give everyone a subtle yet nice sign of your appreciation. 8. Visual design: Please note the visual design for each wiki page. You have a tab on the front page, and also a seven-part visual breakout on your country homepage. We need to maintain a consistent look and feel to the wiki.
Tips on Selecting and Presenting Data
Presenting solid, data-driven conclusions will be critical to your success. Not only do we need to find the best information available, but we also must properly document the sources so readers can have confidence in our work. Let’s begin by talking about the best available data.
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1. Internet market, technology penetration, ad market size, most visited websites, and other such data-centered discussions. Here you need to look for data sources which have the least likelihood of promoting a private agenda. You might begin by looking for official data canter such as China’s Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC), Australia’s Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), Singapore’s MDA or Singstats, and external bodies such as the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), World Economic Forum, or World Bank. Less preferred but possibly useful data could come from organizations such as Nielson, Hitwise, eMarketer, and telcos. I describe these as less preferred but possibly useful because the organizations have a clear profit motive. Within a specific country, you may see consulting firms release reports talking about Internet word of mouth marketing, for example. Larger reports such as the Edelman Trust Barometer can also add a useful layer of data. In the middle we have reports such as the Asia Pacific Digital Marketing Yearbook. While there is a profit motive, this report attempts to be credible. Having said this, check sources and be careful. Not all of these reports produced by for-profit consultancies are as reliable as they would have us believe. 2. Presenting data fairly, clearly, and longitudinally. Once you have gone through and selected the best available data, think about how you can present your findings in a clear table that compares data from the last 2-3 years (if possible). If there seems to be no consensus around the numbers, present two or three sources, and the data across two or three years, and let the reader be the judge. Do you want to include percentages about year-on-year growth? What will your mix of raw numbers and percentages look like? Just remember that a single number without a comparison point tells us very little. 3. Consistent presentations. How can you use the tools we are learning about this term to help ensure that your data presentations are largely consistent across the different country pages and project groups? How do we make it easy for readers to compare apples to apples? You should have several learning points. First, you will learn about digital media. Second, you should become an expert on your country and its digital market. Third, you should be able to articulate how this knowledge reveals better means for engaging organizational stakeholders. Communication always evolves out of the context. At this point I encourage you to not over-analyze these instructions (or anything else). Roll up your sleeves and start immediately. As data comes in and you discuss it with your team, ambiguity will begin to fade away. Don’t wait; begin now.
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