Social Media Tools Series

Everyone knows that agricultural research is vital if we are to overcome the current threats to food security, natural resources and the environment. Right? Everyone knows what the CGIAR is doing to mitigate these threats. Right? Everyone knows where they can access CGIAR research outputs. Right? Wrong....

ICT-KM and the life cycle of blogs I have always been convinced there are four steps – or call them challenges – in the life cycle of a blog: 1. the “WHY” moment: getting convinced a blog will contribute to “get your message out”, to create discussions around your project, engage with...

Just before the new year holidays, I posted a blog on online reference management tools, specifically Mendeley, which has been growing in popularity within the scientific community. If you want to organize your references; annotate PDF research papers as is and share them with colleagues and others ,...

A while back, I wrote a blog about social bookmarking and touched on how reference management tools were moving into the online social realm. With so many types of software available, researchers are spoilt for choice. However, Mendeley, which many scientists in the CGIAR are raving about, seems to...

Why do some of us shy away from trying out new technology such as social media? I can think of several reasons: too complicated to figure out; too expensive to implement; my supervisor/colleagues would never approve; more suitable for geeks and teenagers; it’ll take too much time … Or my personal...

When we began our blog series on Social Medial Tools two months ago, we had no idea how successful it would be. Feedback from readers has been positive and encouraging, so much so that Meena Arivananthan (who has written the series with input from Antonella Pastore and Simone Staiger-Rivas) finished...

Sometimes I face bouts of uncertainty and wonder if the work we do in the CGIAR really reaches the people for whom it was intended. I know others feel the same way, as I’ve had conversations with people on this very topic. Since I started working with the ICT-KM Program, I’ve had the opportunity...

Here’s a test: Take a look at the bookmarks of your favorite websites and blog sites, and tell me how often you browse them? If your answer is not often enough, allow me to let you in on a little secret – it’s called “RSS” in geekspeak, and “newsfeeds” in English. If you’d...

I think I’m finally beginning to understand the fear that some organizations grapple with when it comes to blogging. First of all, the nature of blogging itself goes against the grain of any institutional setting. My first job was in a multi-national scientific firm – they expected their...

Newsletters are like teasers – they highlight issues and activities, celebrate success stories, point to useful resources and give you a hint of upcoming events. A great way to build a relationship with your target audience, an email (e-) newsletter is cost-effective and a valuable tool for communicating...