Where’s the Bus: Design for a Mobile Transit Application
In the Spring 2011, I worked with Susie Herbstritt to design a mobile transit application for CapMetro. We created the "Where's the Bus" transit app for our Information Architecture I class at UT's School of Information.
The mission our “Where’s my Bus” mobile application was to offer a centralized solution for CapMetro’s bus passengers. Capital Metro currently does not offer a mobile-friendly version of its website--forcing users of mobile devices to zoom and click through 5 webpages or more before accessing a schedule. The buttons and schedules are not formatted for small devices, so maneuvering around the website is a difficult task.
“Where’s my Bus” focused on bus ridership and provided key transit information—including route schedules and maps. Moreover, we chose to focus on a particular group of bus passengers called "choice riders." Choice riders, unlike captive riders, often have other transit options but choose to take the public bus to save money, create less air pollution, etc. I should mention that CapMetro did not sponsor our project, but they provided valuable insights about the community response to public transportation and future web and mobile initiatives.
Our project began with research on mobile transit applications and a heuristic evaluation of a few sites that we deemed successful. Then, we surveyed choice riders about how they plan trips and get transit information each day. After the initial research phase, Susie and I designed blueprints of the mobile site architecture and began to create mockups.
I used Balsamiq to create the following mockup:
Susie created our site blueprints with Omnigraffle. Omnigraffle also allowed us to quickly create low-fidelity prototypes, such as this:
To check out a prototype of our design, click here. The prototype looks best on an iPhone!
Social Introspection: Is Google+ Right for You?
Originally posted on July 18, 2011, at http://socialmediaclub.org/blogs/from-the-clubhouse/social-introspection-google-right-you
My name is Courtney, and I use a lot of Google products. In the past week, I have used at least nine—probably more—but I only remember nine. Which ones? Let’s see: Gmail, Google Docs, Reader, Maps, Scholar, Talk, Translate, and Search. Naturally, I got into Google+.
I can’t help myself with social technologies: I adopt early, think later. After about a week of using Google+, I am curious to find out what type of person is the best match for this new social platform.
Runs in many circles
At the heart of Google+ are your Circles. For new users, Google+ provides a list of suggested Circles (e.g., Friends, Family, Acquaintances). As you connect with people on Google+, you add them to one or more of these Circles or you create a new one. If you aren’t sure if the Circles feature is for you, then answer the following questions:
- Does your iTunes Music Library contain playlists with labels like Dance Mix, Roadtrip Tunes, and Mom’s Music?
- Have you created a Group on Facebook?
- Do you save, tag, and share your bookmarks with Delicious, Google Bookmarks, or Diigo?
- Are you an avid user of Twitter hashtags and lists?
If you answered ‘yes’ to any of the questions, then Google+ may prove useful for organizing your social contacts into meaningful groups. The advantage of Circles is that this small bit of work on the front end gives you the ability to target what information you share with different groups of people and what information you consume.
You can continue to share information with your Facebook, LinkedIn, Tumblr, or Twitter networks, by installing the Chrome extension “Extended Share for Google Plus” (see Sources).
If putting each friend in a Circle sounds daunting, then you could use a single Circle for all of your contacts on Google+. Or, you may want to stick with a social framework like Facebook or Twitter. In each of these spaces, categorization falls second to mass communication.
Defines the public eye
If you join Google+, you should explore all of the Settings before diving into the fun parts of Circles, Hangouts, and Sparks. The privacy settings in Google+ allow you to decide what bits of information you want to share and who will receive it.
How much and what type of information do you want to share? Here are a few questions to consider:
- Do you like to share photos with your friends or the public at large?
- Are you seeking more exposure for your creative portfolio?
- Do you frequently send friends links to news stories, comics, or upcoming events?
Security settings can be edited within the context of the feature or by navigating to the Profile and Privacy tab in Settings. The image below is a screenshot of the privacy options for sharing a link on my profile page.
If you had a Google profile, then Google+ automatically will display some of the same public profile information. Information that once was (relatively) hidden will be front and center on your Google+ profile, so it’s a good area to review. Photographs from Blogger accounts with the same Gmail address also will appear in your Google+ profile; however, the default setting for these albums is private.
Finally, it’s worth emphasizing that Google+ is in beta, and I expect that some features may change when the product launches.
Demands serendipity
On Google+, a Hangout is a video chat that you can either start or join with up to ten people. Similar to the other features in Google+, you can specify who can join from within the context of the Hangout. In the instance below, my dog Maggie has invited her Circle of Friends to join.
Google+ puts a spin on traditional video chat by delivering a seemingly serendipitous experience where members of your Circles might stumble into a Hangout.
If you tend to socialize online, then Hangouts might be your new favorite social space. Or, perhaps it will become your alternative to group SMS when you and nine of your friends are debating what movie to see.
Whatever the case, what do you think of Google+? Does it fulfill your needs for sharing and consuming information? What features do you wish it had?
Sources
Extended Share for Google Plus, https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/oenpjldbckebacipkfbcoppmiflglnib?ct=author
[Image credit: stock.xchng. (2011). “Circles.” Retrieved on July 16, 2011, from http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1058825]
[Image credit: screenshot of Google+: Settings (beta) on July 17, 2011).]
[Image credit: screenshot of Google+: Hangout status (beta) on July 17, 2011).]
[Image credit: screenshot of Google+: Hangout (beta) on July 17, 2011).]
Social Spring Cleaning: 3 steps to improve your social media experience
Originally posted on May 17, 2011, at http://socialmediaclub.org/blogs/from-the-clubhouse/social-spring-cleaning-3-steps-improve-your-social-media-experience
Ah, Spring: the birds sing, flowers bloom, and your social presence glistens. Wait, what’s that you say? You haven’t touched youraccount settings or updated your network in eons? If this is the case, then the following three steps will help you identify your goals for your social presence, holes in your professional profile, and who to unfollow.
Step 1: Scour the Internet
Begin your social Spring cleaning with a search for yourself. Use Google, Bing, or a combination of a few different search engines. Then, take a step back and imagine that you are an employer, a recent acquaintance, a news reporter, and a stalker. For each situation, think about each person’s purpose and how your content should appear in search results.
- Can an employer view your professional accomplishments, such as a portfolio, published papers, or past projects?
- Can a new acquaintance find out more about your hobbies and interests?
- Can a reporter easily get in touch with you?
- Can a stalker find your address, your vacation plans, and your photo albums?
Some of these scenarios will not be relevant for every user. Rather, these scenarios offer a way to evaluate your social presence from many angles. Once you have identified how you want to be found, who you want to find you, and what information you want people to know, you can get down to the business of cleaning.
Step 2: Polish your profile
Unlike the dynamic and real-time content that you share, create, and consume on social media sites, your profile page content remains static for the most part. This is fine if you nothing about you has changed, and social networks require different amounts of what I call “profile polishing.” Maintaining your Twitter profile requires very little effort while a LinkedIn profile necessitates more maintenance.
Twitter encourages minimal profile data by limiting profile features to include your name, location, image, a brief, 160-character bio, and a web link. Thus, you probably won’t need to update your Twitter profile often or at all. With Twitter, there is a greater need to manage your community participation and content consumption. I will touch on these ideas in Step 3.
LinkedIn is a different story. Whether your LinkedIn network consists of a few connections or thousands, you should update your profile as you grow professionally. How else will your coworkers from your days in high finance know that you left the fast lane to open up a flip-flop shop in the Bahamas?
From a job promotion to a slideshow presentation, additional information that you share on your profile gives potential employers and coworkers a better understanding of your work history, style, and goals. Here are a few questions to help you get started with updating your LinkedIn profile:
- Does your profile provide an overview of your work experience and accomplishments?
- Does your profile include a recent photo?
- Does your profile contain a recommendation for your past work?
- Does your profile contain examples of your published work, presentations, or projects?
If you’re lucky enough to be on the hiring side, these questions also apply to you. Prospective employees will review your profile to evaluate your experiences, management style, and vision.
Step 3: Take out the Twitter trash
If your news feed on Twitter presents you with more of the mundane than interesting, then it’s time to take out the trash. On Twitter, review the list of people that you follow, and ask yourself: Why do I follow this user? If you can’t answer that question, then it is probably worth your time to unfollow that user. You shouldn’t have to sift and search your Twitter feed for worthwhile reading: it should be in the feed.
Although it has become a Twitter courtesy to follow back your followers, you should not feel obligated to do so. Follow users whose content adds value to your social experience. Make it a policy to block spam accounts.
Conclusion: Hide the rest under your bed
Well, my extended metaphor is nearly complete, so I hope your social profile is sparkling. Some of these steps, such as maintaining your LinkedIn profile, can take time. Searching yourself requires ongoing checks or tracking tools like Google Alerts. For now, do what you can to spruce up your social media accounts. Then, go ahead and hide some things under your bed, grab a cold one, and check the news feed.
[Image credit: “Flowers 2.” Accessed on May 14, 2011, at http://www.sxc.hu/browse.phtml?f=view&id=1160312]
Cancer Blogs Strike Back: How social media educates, supports, and heals one post at a time
Originally posted on April 26, 2011, at http://socialmediaclub.org/blogs/from-the-clubhouse/cancer-blogs-strike-back-how-social-media-educates-supports-and-heals-one-p
Rebellious, uncertain, overjoyed, fragile, strong, hopeful: the voices of the cancer community come in many forms. Cancer fighters, survivors, and caregivers use cancer blogs to share experiences, get information, and connect with others throughout the cancer experience.
Why blog about cancer?
Cancer patients, caregivers, and loved ones can use blogs to support one another throughout the cancer experience. Cancer blogs can provide a number of benefits for both their authors and readers.
- Extend one’s support network
- Allow for long-distance communication
- Reduce stress for caregivers
- Psychological benefits of helping others
- Easily update friends and family
- Comments allow visitors to provide ongoing encouragement
- Reduce feelings of isolation and uncertainty through shared experiences
Nanette Labastida blogs about her battle against stage two Breast Cancer at Glitter Everyday. Labastida blogs as a means to offer and receive peer support. “When I see that I've helped someone, it's incredible. I get random emails telling me I have helped people,” says Labastida.
To blog for all or a few?
Before beginning a blog, cancer bloggers should consider the following questions pertaining to the site’s privacy levels: Do I want my site to show up through search? Do I want to share my content with the public at large or a select network? Will I moderate comments for spam?
The answer to these questions depends on the purpose and goals of each blog. Blogging platforms like Blogger or Blog for a Cure offer free, public blog sites that show up in public search results. Meanwhile, CaringBridge users can adjust the privacy levels on their site by electing to completely block their content from search engines or host an open site. These advanced features benefit users that want to be in a more private space where they can openly talk about sensitive and, at times, stigmatizing topics.
Budding bloggers should consider other issues, such as site accessibility, notifications, peer networking, and social integration. Whether-or-not they create public or private accounts, blog users can create a profile and post updates in the form of text, photos, videos, and other multimedia. CaringBridge offers additional features, such as text notifications for new blog posts, access to contacts through Facebook Connect, and mobile applications for iPhone and Android.
What’s in a post?
From personal to technical to medical to spiritual, the information that is shared on cancer blogs varies. The Mr. Can’t Fix It blog gives Dustin Ver Beek a space to “process life and [his] thoughts” as he takes on the role of caregiver-husband-father as his wife battles terminal stage IV cancer. In a recent post, Ver Beek states, “There’s a big reason that men struggle when their loved ones are diagnosed with cancer. They can’t fix it”
Allie Morse started The Good Hodgkins blog in February 2011 when she was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma at the age of twenty-three. A post in Morse’s blog reveals Morse’s sense of humor during a testing time:
“Last week I chopped off all of my hair... A bunch of friends all came over to Geekhaus (my boyfriend’s apartment) and brought craft beer with them. After some liquid courage, I let [my friend] Meaux cut it and then trim it short with buzzers. I have about an inch of hair so at least as it falls out, it looks more akin to my cat shedding than losing foot long strands of hair everywhere.”
Lori Lee was diagnosed with an aggressive form of skin cancer while in her early thirties. Although she currently is NED (no evidence of disease), Lee continues to blog about struggle and hope at Miss Melanoma. In a January 2011 post, Lee wrote: “Dear Blog Commenters, You are the best. You need to know this. Sometimes when I read your comments, my eyes well up with tears, and I think it's because I feel simultaneous: a) loved b) supported and c) perhaps most importantly- understood.”
These selections reveal how cancer blogs give cancer fighters and their caregivers a voice. This voice educates and heals. This voice cures.
Sources
Blog for a Cure (http://www.blogforacure.com/)
CaringBridge (http://www.caringbridge.org/)
Glitter Everyday (http://www.glittereveryday.blogspot.com/)
Miss Melanoma (http://missmelanoma.blogspot.com/)
Mr. Can’t Fix It (http://www.dustinverbeek.com/blog/mr-cant-fix-it/)
The Good Hodgkin’s (http://thegoodhodgkins.wordpress.com/)
Bender, J.L., Grady, L.O., & Jadad, A.R. (2008). “Supporting cancer patients through the continuum of care: a view from the age of social networks and computer-mediated communication.” Current Oncology. 15 (2).
[Image credit: CaringBridge. (2011). [cbsiteonmonitor_child.jpg]. Retrieved on April 12, 2011, from http://www.caringbridge.org/newsroom]
#Cancersucks: How cancer survivors connect with Twitter
Originally posted on April 19, 2011, at http://socialmediaclub.org/blogs/from-the-clubhouse/cancersucks-how-cancer-survivors-connect-twitter
The cancer community is active and engaged in the social media space. Using Twitter, Facebook, blogs, and forums, cancer survivors use social media to connect with others and communicate with family and friends. This article highlights how one cancer survivor found support through Twitter and provides tips for joining the conversation.
Support tweeps
I met Kate Voth (@Kate_Voth) at the Girls in Tech Happy Hour during SXSW Interactive. We chatted about our career plans, gobbled down free barbecue, and swapped Twitter handles. I followed Voth’s tweets for updates on social media conference sessions and events. Then, on March 17, 2011, I saw this tweet from Voth:
I soon learned that Voth had much more going on in her life than SXSW parties. In fact, Voth is one of many cancer fighters that use Twitter to share their experiences with others, offer encouragement, and seek advice.
When Voth was 18 years old, she learned that the suspicious mole on her shoulder was melanoma. She had the spot removed, but cancer reappeared just over three years later as a lesion on her scalp that ran 4mm deep. Though the melanoma was removed once again, Voth’s oncologist recommended that she begin immunotherapy to help prevent a reoccurance. “It was rough—going through that by myself,” says Voth. Voth was fighting cancer at a time when she had just graduated from college and was starting her career. She wasn’t using Twitter. Instead, she used email to update her family and friends about her progress. “That’s one of the hardest things about going through cancer—updating everyone,” says Voth.
Despite ongoing immunotherapy treatments, Voth was diagnosed with stage four melanoma in early 2009 after cancer was found on her liver and adrenal gland. She is now waiting to see if the treatments she has undergone since then will prove effective in beating cancer.
All of this internal havoc hasn’t slowed Voth down in her personal and professional life. Voth married her high school sweetheart, landed a social media job in Austin, and she is active within her community. Thus, Voth has developed an affinity for Twitter’s 140-character limit and fast-paced platform. In terms of her cancer updates, it functions as a quick and easy outlet. Voth notes a few other advantages of the Twitter platform for communication among cancer survivors:
- Public Twitter profiles and conversations allow a user’s network to develop organically.
- The microblogging platform functions as a quick, emotional outlet.
- The Direct Message feature allows for users to privately send short, personalized messages.
In addition to these features, Twitter’s platform may have other advantages over other popular social networks like Facebook. Facebook’s real-time advertising campaigns can go beyond creepy if you happen to mention “cancer” in a status update. Voth posted a photo from a recent Facebook ad that appeared on her screen:
She shared this photo with her followers on Twitter—knowing that they’d laugh with her.
“It’s funny because I haven’t known these people [on Twitter] nearly as long as my college or high school friends, but they reach out to me.” Voth laughs and says, “They ask things like, ‘Can I bring you anything? Come over and do a dance for you?’”
As our interview wraps up, Voth says, “I don’t feel like I’m alone anymore.”
Through Twitter, Voth has found a community that doesn’t ask her to explain how she’s feeling. They already understand, and they are right there with her for the ride.
The #cancersucks community
If you’re interested in seeing how thousands of people are using Twitter in the fight against cancer, go to Twitter and search on a few of the following hashtags:
#cancersucks
#beatcancer
#stupidcancer
#takethatcancer
Countless other hastags, organizations, and individuals use Twitter to address specific forms of cancer. For example, you can search #LungCancer to discover a whole network of people working together to fight lung cancer. Or, check out #omgsummit to access recent conversations at OMG NYC 2011: 4th Annual Cancer Summit for Young Adults (http://OMG2011.org).
Up next & continuing the conversation
Next week, we will look at how blogging sites can benefit cancer fighters as well as caretakers. In the mean time... How do you use Twitter to connect with the cancer community? In what ways has your social cancer network supported you? Tag your tweets with #socialcancer.
[Image credit: stock.xchng. (2011). “Network spheres.” Retrieved on April 12, 2011, from http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1008232]
[Image credit: @Kate_Voth. (2011, March 17). Twitter.]
[Image credit: @Kate_Voth. (2011, March 30). Twitter.]
Instructional Video Tutorial for St. Edward’s University
This is a video tutorial that I created for the Scarborough-Phillips Library at St. Edward's University. (Spring 2011) If you want to get the full effect, view the video at the following link: How To Find Scholarly Articles (Scarborough-Phillips Library)
Or, just watch it here:
If you are interested in the process of creating this video and a set of recommendations for video tutorials, check out the project site.
SXSWi Takeaways on Social Business via Future 15
Originally posted on March 14, 2011, at http://socialmediaclubhouse.com/2011/03/14/sxswi-takeaways-on-social-business-via-future-15/
"This is South by Southwest's version of speed dating," said David Meerman Scott (@dmscott) at the outset of the Future 15 session on Social Business on Sunday, March 13, at SXSW Interactive. Scott's description was spot on: ten panelists had 15 minutes each to talk about a topic related to social business. The ten panelists all took advantage of their short stage time by cutting down the presentation fluff and getting right to meat of their discussion. The following paragraphs include a few of my takeaways from Future 15: Social Business.
Think in Real-Time
Scott, the author of a number of books including Real-Time Marketing and PR, said, “So few people are thinking about the power of real-time--the power of instant.” He provided a few scenarios illustrating the power of real-time marketing, including the example of GAP’s logo change in October 2010.
For anyone that missed this epic event: GAP updated its logo from the blue box with white letters to a more contemporary typeface with a small, gradient-filled box pasted on its corner (see picture below).
Consumer sentiment about the new GAP logo immediately became apparent on social media channels and especially on GAP's Facebook page. Within four days of its new logo announcement, GAP responded to the real-time social uproar and pulled the new logo design. A statement from Marka Hansen, president of Gap Brand, North America, said, "Ultimately, we've learned just how much energy there is around our brand." Not a bad problem to have.
Scott performed an analysis of the real-time marketing efforts of Fortune 100 companies. Of these 100 companies, he saw that only 28% of them were engaged in real-time. (Editorial note: I believe this percentage was taken between Dec. 31, 2009-September 3, 2010.)
“The reason that so few companies are doing this comes back to fear," said Scott. He pointed to the Red Cross' (@RedCross) timely tweet on March 2, 2011, that used the trending topic of Charlie Sheen for their own messaging (see screenshot below).
The Red Cross example illustrates how developing a real-time mindset can allow businesses to uniquely embed themselves in social spaces. What other companies have integrated themselves in popular conversations or saved face through real-time marketing?
Offer Social Customer Service
Customers expect companies to be social. Chelsea Marty (@TTaxChels) of Intuit, the makers of the TurboTax and Quicken products, explained how TurboTax's Twitter team (@TeamTurboTax) has developed its social media strategy to address customer service needs and achieve marketing goals. @TeamTurboTax has brought on more than 80 employees to help customers with TurboTax via Twitter. Customers that receive these real-time responses tend to be more satisfied with the product and more likely to encourage their friends to use TurboTax. Marty noted that @TeamTurboTax already has helped twice as many customers in the past two months as they did during four months last year. Businesses that offer customer service through social channels have greater opportunities to acquire new business and retain customers.
Be Funny
Tim Washer (@timwasher) works with Cisco's Service Provider group, and he moonlights as a comedy writer and actor. Washer has managed to bring late night humor to business advertising at Cisco. “Humor is still surprising coming from a B2B company,” said Washer. To prove his point, he played the following online video that he directed:
"The Perfect Gift for Valentine's Day" video was picked up by New York Times Blog and Light Reading, a B2B publication, contributing to its 180,000 views. After showing the video, Washer explained, “David [Meerman Scott] also talks a lot about humanizing the brand, and there’s nothing more human than humor.”
Create a Culture-specific Social Policy
“This process of becoming more social at the core is a cultural shift,” said Ellen Reynolds (@ellenreynolds), a Social Business Consultant at Dachis Group. Although Reynolds agrees that "policy isn't a sexy topic," she said that having a social policy is essential for businesses. Every Social policy should address the following concepts:
- Responsibility
- Confidentiality
- Respect
- Oversight
In addition to these elements, Reynolds said that the corporate tone or culture should come across in your policy. This type of customization can make employees feel empowered and excited about what they can do with social media. In order to create that cultural voice, Reynolds advises companies to get a diverse group of staff involved in the policy creation and approval process. Staff in human resources, public relations, and corporate relations can provide unique insights for policy creation. Reynolds also recommended that employees that are already enthusiastic about social media get involved. These passionate users of social media also can provide assistance throughout the transition. "Put people on the front lines and let people learn with them."
Examples of social policies can be found on Social Media Governance's policy page.
Two more Future 15 sessions are slated for SXSWi 2011, including Monday's "Convergence Future 15" and Tuesday's "Post Modern Celebrity Future 15." Both panels begin at 11:00am CST in Ballroom E. To SXSWi Future 15 sessions on Twitter, use #future15.
[Image source: CNN Money. (2010 October 8). "Gap's new logo flops." Retrieved on April 8, 2011, from http://money.cnn.com/2010/10/08/news/companies/gap_logo/index.htm]
[Image source: @RedCross. (2011 March 2). Twitter. Retrieved on March 13, 2011 from http://twitter.com/#!/RedCross]
SXSW Interactive: Conference Instyles with Chris Heuer
During SXSW Interactive (SXSWi), I joined Chris Heuer's "Daily Instyles" recap show. We discussed SXSWi panels and party highlights.
Conference Instyles - 3.13.11 from Social Media Club on Vimeo.
Conference Instyles - 3.13.11 from Social Media Club on Vimeo and the Social Media Clubhouse 6 blog.
The Value of SXSW Interactive for a Grad(uating) Student
Scuba diving in Bonaire or geeking out at SXSW Interactive?
As a Masters student at the University of Texas at Austin, I knew that this might be my last Spring Break. After some deliberation, I chose to focus on my job hunt (through development and networking) rather than dive into Caribbean waters. Plus, the $450 student registration fee for SXSW Interactive (SXSWi) seemed cheap compared to the scuba pricetag. Still, was SXSWi worth it?
Mixed impressions of the value of SXSWi panels
SXSW Interactive's site says that its event provides "compelling presentations from the brightest minds in emerging technology, scores of exciting networking events hosted by industry leaders, ... and an unbeatable lineup of special programs showcasing the best new digital works, video games and innovative ideas the international community has to offer."
Wow!!
As I sat down for my first SXSWi session, I braced myself for the life-altering ideas that were to come. And... fail. Major fail. The first session was a bit of a flop. Here are a few quotes from the session that will remain unidentified:
"Create content that's meant to be shared."
"Don't just add to the noise."
"The number of followers or friends doesn't correlate to the amount of influence."
"I don't know. Charlie Sheen might have issues, but he is a social media marketing genius."
Ugh, after session #1, my brain felt neglected. I swore to myself that I would get my $450 worth. Before heading to the next session, I studied the website's description and memorized the panelist's bios. One bio caught my eye: "Tim moonlights as a comedy writer/actor...."
Yes! If I didn't learn anything, at least I'd get good laugh at Tim Washer's Future 15 talk "Late Night Comedy Meets Social Business." Sure enough, Washer made me laugh AND taught me something about social business.
Other session favorites included:
- SXSW Core Conversation: How Social Media Fueled Unrest in Middle East
- Social Ranking: Finding Interesting User-Generated Content
- Beyond Wordclouds: Analyzing Trends with Social Media APIs
- Future 15 on Social Business
If you're interested in reading more about these events, then check out the resources at the end of this post.
Swapping handles at happy hours
Everyone likes a good party; however, not every party makes for good networking. The music can be too loud. The venue can be too small, too cold, or too sunny--creating distraction. Or, the crowd dynamic might be off kilter. The following parties had no such problems:
Girls in Tech Happy Hour
The Girls in Tech Happy Hour at Canvas Bar (or formerly Canvas Bar) provided a great space to meet other women in tech. Not surprisingly, a number of menfolk also were present. While trying to flag down the bartender for my free beer, I met two girls that work in social media in Austin. Both of them had spearheaded social media efforts at their companies--ultimately creating social media positions for themselves. The three of us exchanged Twitter handles and kept each other updated on interesting sessions, lines, and parties throughout SXSWi.
Job lead: Public Strategies, a business advisory firm in Austin, offers a fellowship program for recent grads.
Mashable Mash Bash
The Mashable event's popularity was no surprise: it required a badge, early arrival (for the line), and preferably the RSVP email in hand or on device. This party made my list because I met a number of interesting people while standing in line for 45 minutes and once inside the party, then I ran into local friends in mobile development and design. The highlight of the party was meeting a member of Altimeter Group that I follow on Twitter and consider a true "thought leader" in social technologies.
Job leads: Altimeter currently is hiring for Analysts in Mobile, Digital Media & Ad, and Business Intelligence. Mutual Mobile is hiring UX designers, interns, developers, and more. Austin Community College (ACC) also may see more job openings as it expands its reach in areas surrounding Austin.
Dell Social
The Dell Social proved to be my favorite event. Hosted on the back patio of Moonshine, the Dell Social consisted of a more focused group of attendees than at previous SXSWi events. Members of Dell's various social media arms were present and more than happy to answer my questions about the Dell Listening Center, Dell's interests in social, and company culture.
Job leads: When isn't Dell hiring? If social business interests you, then Dell might be the place to look for recent openings. <--That link is for global openings. I've noticed a lot of social jobs opening at Dell HQ in Round Rock, Texas.
A little homework never hurts
Throughout SXSWi, I scribbled notes for future article ideas for the Social Media Club. I wrote SXSWi Takeaways on Social Business via Future 15 and 5 Ways to Enjoy SXSW Interactive from the Comfort of your Couch.
On Sunday, March 13, 2011, I spoke with Chris Heuer on the Social Media Clubhouse's USTREAM live show about Interactive highlights, parties, and tips. You can check out the video on SMC's Vimeo here.
I checked out on the last day of Interactive feeling like I'd accomplished everything that I'd wanted. Despite the snoozer sessions and crowds, SXSWi brought a smart, passionate tech crowd to Austin. From this crowd, I gained new insights, job leads, and friends.
Additional SXSWi 2011 Reading & Viewing
Blake Mykoskie Keynote - Video
SXSW Core Conversation: How Social Media Fueled Unrest in Middle East - A recap by Omar Gallaga, Austin-American Statesman
Beyond Wordclouds: Analyzing Trends with Social Media APIs - Chris Busse's slidedeck from the talk
16 Tips for a Social & Stress-free SXSW Interactive
[Originally published on February 18, 2011, at Social Media Club]
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