In real life, we go transform from different roles that we occupy. Ackerman attributes these transformations to the flexibility of human nature. Humans are able to be professional at work by morning, a parent by afternoon, a friend by evening, and a girlfriend by night. Sometimes you can be a friend and a girlfriend, or a parent and a friend at the same time also. Ackerman attributes this quality to human ambiguity. Transforming into different roles is a social ability that humans have down pat, but technology has a tougher time making the switch.
Cell phones cannot mimic social transformations. For example, there are times when I am in class and want to be a diligent student. My phone becomes bothersome when it vibrates to alert me that a call is incoming. Although I have my phone on silent for bbm and text messages, I keep it on vibrate when I am receiving an actual phone call. My phone will vibrate and disturb me when I am paying close attention to something else. Some of my calls are important, such as a call informing me that my car is being towed, and I need to be alerted when they are incoming. In this case I would excuse myself from class and take the call. Other times I do not want to be bothered by friends asking what is for dinner, or where we want to go for spring break. These phone calls ruin my train of thought and take me out of my respective role. I wish my phone would not bother me when I receive them.
A smart phone would be able to detect which incoming phone calls are emergency related or work related and which are trivial. For the first kind, I would like to be notified through vibrations. For the latter, I would like the phone to be silent. A way for phones to screen certain calls would be to register certain contacts as work related and certain others as unimportant or social contacts. However, people or contacts do not represent importance, the subject matter of their call represents what is important or not.
This detection is difficult for a phone because it does not have the analytical ability to discern which incoming calls are work-related or not, like my brain does. This ability highlights a difference in social and technical abilities. I would like to have a phone that can tell the difference between work-related, but technology must come a long way before it can have as much insight as humans do.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Assignment 6 (Beth)
With cell phones, there is an unspoken assumption that we have our phones with us at all times and will be able to answer them. People get frustrated when calls are unanswered or missed. I find that I enjoy turning my cell phone off or leaving it at home…until I miss an important call from a potential employer. This is a problem with this kind of technology. What can we do when we only want to get important calls or only social calls? Call screening is a popular way to use discretion, but then the caller gets frustrated. Last night I missed several calls when I was in a film screening for a class and the call certainly disturbed me as well as those near me. I would have liked to inform the callers that I could talk in an hour or so. Then, I got similar calls when I was finishing up a project that was due in a half an hour. This time, I decided to answer so I could explain that I would call back later, but this time took away from my work.
These issues with availability could be ameliorated by using a kind of away message to inform your contacts when you can or cannot talk. This would help the receiver because they would be less likely to be disturbed when they did not want to be bothered and it would also help the caller to decide when to call you. Another way of doing this would be to have a status feature that would display a green icon if you are available, a red icon for when you cannot be disturbed, and a yellow icon for urgent calls only. Another similar feature would be an icon deciding what kind of calls to take, like work calls only, or social calls only, etc. that would show up on other people’s phones.
None of these rigid design concepts fully incorporate the fluidity of social reality. While it might be convenient in a meeting to have a red status up, you might forget to change it when you get out. Or if you just got out of class and change your status to green, but then you bump into a professor, you might immediately not want calls again. This instantaneous switching of availability is a social concept that relates to Ackerman’s discussion of roles. In reality, we all occupy many different roles to different people in different setting and we move between these easily and quickly, so it would be crucial to make a status for your phone encompass this ambiguity. Maybe being able to hit a button on the outside of the phone to change our status might be quick enough and ambiguous enough to satisfy our “real life statuses”. The problem that is unsolved, however, is that there are gray areas in real life between statuses, whereas a technological update would have to be binary--either on or off.
These issues with availability could be ameliorated by using a kind of away message to inform your contacts when you can or cannot talk. This would help the receiver because they would be less likely to be disturbed when they did not want to be bothered and it would also help the caller to decide when to call you. Another way of doing this would be to have a status feature that would display a green icon if you are available, a red icon for when you cannot be disturbed, and a yellow icon for urgent calls only. Another similar feature would be an icon deciding what kind of calls to take, like work calls only, or social calls only, etc. that would show up on other people’s phones.
None of these rigid design concepts fully incorporate the fluidity of social reality. While it might be convenient in a meeting to have a red status up, you might forget to change it when you get out. Or if you just got out of class and change your status to green, but then you bump into a professor, you might immediately not want calls again. This instantaneous switching of availability is a social concept that relates to Ackerman’s discussion of roles. In reality, we all occupy many different roles to different people in different setting and we move between these easily and quickly, so it would be crucial to make a status for your phone encompass this ambiguity. Maybe being able to hit a button on the outside of the phone to change our status might be quick enough and ambiguous enough to satisfy our “real life statuses”. The problem that is unsolved, however, is that there are gray areas in real life between statuses, whereas a technological update would have to be binary--either on or off.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Assignment 6: Christina Caiozzo
One of the biggest problems I encounter is switching the ring level from off to on depending on where I am. Sometimes in class, it rings because I forgot to switch it to vibrate. Other times, I am home, and I miss calls and texts because I forgot to put it back on ring.
Another feature that is problematic is the phantom-vibrate. I will have my phone in my backpack, or in my pocket and I will be 100% positive that I felt it vibrate, but when I check it, there’s no indication that anybody was trying to reach me.
My “smart” phone would have a built in GPS feature that would sense where I was located. I would be able to set it just once so that it always knew how I wanted it to ring depending on where I was. To resolve the phantom-vibrate, this phone would come equipped with an invisible ear piece. I could put this invisible ear-piece in my ear, and when someone is trying to reach me, a voice would say- who it was, and read the message if it was a text.
Even with an invisible, weightless earpiece that signals when your phone is being activated- there still exist social technical gaps discussed by Ackerman. Ackerman (2000) states that “human activity is highly flexible, nuanced and contextualized” (p. 180), while technical systems are “rigid and brittle- not only in any intelligent understanding, but also in their support of the social world” (p.180). To address the social-technical gaps present in my smart phone design, I would need to analyze the technology’s ability to keep track of the different roles that I play. Even though its GPS system would enable it to automatically change the loudness of my ring, those conditions are not absolute. The phone would not be able to automatically know when I’m at home, and taking a nap and would like the phone to be on silent. The phone would not be able to keep track of the fluidity with which I operate. Additionally, my invisible earpiece does not address the situation where sometimes you are waiting for a specific person to call. Sometimes I am relieved when I miss a call- it is a good excuse for not having to talk to someone. If people know that I am wearing this invisible earpiece, I will have no excuse as to why I didn’t answer their call.
To fix these social-technical gaps, the phone would have to relate to me in a more social way. The way a computer keeps track of what sites I go to, and presents information accordingly, my phone could keep track of who I usually talk to, and when I usually put my phone on silent, and it could do those things automatically- If it had a memory. If it remembered who I constantly ignored calls from, it would ignore the calls for me- providing me with an excuse as to why I didn’t answer someone’s call. (its not my fault my phone “malfunctions..”) I think that bridging the social-technical gap requires very advanced technology- to be created in the distant future.
Another feature that is problematic is the phantom-vibrate. I will have my phone in my backpack, or in my pocket and I will be 100% positive that I felt it vibrate, but when I check it, there’s no indication that anybody was trying to reach me.
My “smart” phone would have a built in GPS feature that would sense where I was located. I would be able to set it just once so that it always knew how I wanted it to ring depending on where I was. To resolve the phantom-vibrate, this phone would come equipped with an invisible ear piece. I could put this invisible ear-piece in my ear, and when someone is trying to reach me, a voice would say- who it was, and read the message if it was a text.
Even with an invisible, weightless earpiece that signals when your phone is being activated- there still exist social technical gaps discussed by Ackerman. Ackerman (2000) states that “human activity is highly flexible, nuanced and contextualized” (p. 180), while technical systems are “rigid and brittle- not only in any intelligent understanding, but also in their support of the social world” (p.180). To address the social-technical gaps present in my smart phone design, I would need to analyze the technology’s ability to keep track of the different roles that I play. Even though its GPS system would enable it to automatically change the loudness of my ring, those conditions are not absolute. The phone would not be able to automatically know when I’m at home, and taking a nap and would like the phone to be on silent. The phone would not be able to keep track of the fluidity with which I operate. Additionally, my invisible earpiece does not address the situation where sometimes you are waiting for a specific person to call. Sometimes I am relieved when I miss a call- it is a good excuse for not having to talk to someone. If people know that I am wearing this invisible earpiece, I will have no excuse as to why I didn’t answer their call.
To fix these social-technical gaps, the phone would have to relate to me in a more social way. The way a computer keeps track of what sites I go to, and presents information accordingly, my phone could keep track of who I usually talk to, and when I usually put my phone on silent, and it could do those things automatically- If it had a memory. If it remembered who I constantly ignored calls from, it would ignore the calls for me- providing me with an excuse as to why I didn’t answer someone’s call. (its not my fault my phone “malfunctions..”) I think that bridging the social-technical gap requires very advanced technology- to be created in the distant future.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Assignment #5: Lisa Park
To explain Facebook to an older crowd (40-60 year olds), we would need to introduce it in familiar terms so as to not confuse or intimidate them. This is why Orlikowski uses the concept of frameworks in his paper, as they introduce new technologies in terms of existing concepts. As I've learned in another class, the fastest and most effective way of learning something is to draw analogies with familiar concepts. Thus, Facebook should be introduced as another communication tool, that adults can use to keep in touch with one another, like e-mail. However, I would elaborate it as an community, like an offline club that one can become a member of. Once you join Facebook, you can easily communicate with other members, make friends, and keep tabs on existing ones. By befriending or "Friending" other members, you are building a social network, and using Facebook's tools such as messaging, posting photos, and updating your status, you can let everyone in your group know what is going on with your life at once.
In technological terms, I would describe Facebook as a melding of e-mail and a personal homepage, both concepts that older adults are familiar with. It is like e-mail because it allows you to communicate with others, but it is also like a personal homepage because you are given a personal profile to fill out with custom information and a space to display photographs. Essentially, Facebook is a network of mini homepages, set up with tools that allow you to leave messages on each other's pages.
Because it melds the functionality of e-mail and a webpage into one, I would say that Facebook makes a great return on the time investment it takes to learn it. It allows you to keep up with all your friends on one site, without having to contact them individually as with e-mail. It allows others to see what you're up to on their free time.
In technological terms, I would describe Facebook as a melding of e-mail and a personal homepage, both concepts that older adults are familiar with. It is like e-mail because it allows you to communicate with others, but it is also like a personal homepage because you are given a personal profile to fill out with custom information and a space to display photographs. Essentially, Facebook is a network of mini homepages, set up with tools that allow you to leave messages on each other's pages.
Because it melds the functionality of e-mail and a webpage into one, I would say that Facebook makes a great return on the time investment it takes to learn it. It allows you to keep up with all your friends on one site, without having to contact them individually as with e-mail. It allows others to see what you're up to on their free time.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
A5 - Facebook for Dummies?
It would seem from our reading that the trick to teaching an elderly person about facebook is to relate the technology to something both familiar and important to them. For the sake of this writing, we assume that the elderly have knowledge and are proficient in the use of e-mail. Then nothing more than semantics is needed to relate facebook messaging to e-mailing.
With regards to other aspects of facebook, the best way to explain the features would presumably be to put them in a context the elderly is easily able to interpret. To do this, describe facebook as a place, like a room. Then explain that, for instance, friending is allowing someone into your room. In your room they can play with your stuff (write on your wall) or go through your photo-albums (identically in facebook). In this way all actions are analagous to some activity in the real world
Facebook is a particularly easy case (compared to other networking/web2.0 sites) becaue it was designed to faciliate meeting in the real world, although to what extent it is primarily used on this day I'm not sure. Etherway, the designers of facebook surely considered this when framing their product, and the return on our investment seems to be positive, although not as positive as Mark Zuckerburg's
With regards to other aspects of facebook, the best way to explain the features would presumably be to put them in a context the elderly is easily able to interpret. To do this, describe facebook as a place, like a room. Then explain that, for instance, friending is allowing someone into your room. In your room they can play with your stuff (write on your wall) or go through your photo-albums (identically in facebook). In this way all actions are analagous to some activity in the real world
Facebook is a particularly easy case (compared to other networking/web2.0 sites) becaue it was designed to faciliate meeting in the real world, although to what extent it is primarily used on this day I'm not sure. Etherway, the designers of facebook surely considered this when framing their product, and the return on our investment seems to be positive, although not as positive as Mark Zuckerburg's
Assignment 5: Old dogs, new clicks (cliques?) [Kyle Barron]
Co-workers you need to stalk? Children you need to keep an eye on? Old friends you want to reconnect with? Well, now there is an online solution to these problems: Facebook. Facebook is a social networking site. A social networking site is composed of many users, connected by bonds, in the case of Facebook, friendship. The entire network is analogous to a friend network in real life. You have friends, your friends have friends, etc.
The main feature(s) of Facebook is sending messages. What makes Facebook different than email are the way messages are transmitted. Messages can either be public or private. The public message is called a wall post. Everyone who is friends with the friend you send a wall post to can see that post. The private message is just called a message and shares many properties with email. No one can see the message besides the person you sent it to and yourself. It has a subject and a message body.
Becoming adjusted to using Facebook on a regular basis may sound challenging. You already check email, voicemail, and snail mail everyday. Why add another task to your daily routine? Facebook can not only be used for messaging, but also for other purposes. For example, applications such as groups, events, and marketplace allow you to view the necessary information for you to complete your day. Groups is the equivalent of a bulletin board. You can post your thoughts onto the group wall, and other group members can see what you have posted. Organize and promote your events using the events application. See what other people in your local area are selling.
An important aspect of Facebook is the network effect. Facebook is not very beneficial to use unless you know a significant number of people using it. Grudin would call this figure the critical mass. Similarly to email, fax machines, telephones, etc, it would be pointless to have a Facebook if no one else has a Facebook. With whom will you communicate? How can you make a group? Before deciding if you want to use Facebook, make sure it is a worthwhile investment.
The main feature(s) of Facebook is sending messages. What makes Facebook different than email are the way messages are transmitted. Messages can either be public or private. The public message is called a wall post. Everyone who is friends with the friend you send a wall post to can see that post. The private message is just called a message and shares many properties with email. No one can see the message besides the person you sent it to and yourself. It has a subject and a message body.
Becoming adjusted to using Facebook on a regular basis may sound challenging. You already check email, voicemail, and snail mail everyday. Why add another task to your daily routine? Facebook can not only be used for messaging, but also for other purposes. For example, applications such as groups, events, and marketplace allow you to view the necessary information for you to complete your day. Groups is the equivalent of a bulletin board. You can post your thoughts onto the group wall, and other group members can see what you have posted. Organize and promote your events using the events application. See what other people in your local area are selling.
An important aspect of Facebook is the network effect. Facebook is not very beneficial to use unless you know a significant number of people using it. Grudin would call this figure the critical mass. Similarly to email, fax machines, telephones, etc, it would be pointless to have a Facebook if no one else has a Facebook. With whom will you communicate? How can you make a group? Before deciding if you want to use Facebook, make sure it is a worthwhile investment.
Assignment #5 Facebook for the older generation (Abena Oteng-Agipong)
Orlikowski found in her study that when people are confronted with novel technology, they will “try to understand it in terms of their existing technological frames, often augmenting these frames to accommodate special aspects of the technology” (pg 365). If we are to assume that the older generation has email competency, then the technological frame that they have to work with is that of email. Thus I would start my explanation of Facebook with comparing it to email.
For most adults, the existing mental model for email is a communication tool is used for business and sometimes personal reasons. The different use of email is important to consider because this will determine how easy it will be to create a new mental mode via training. In Orlikowski study, she found that one reason people had trouble using Locus Notes was due to “the lack of resources that technologists had for communication and training, users of Notes in the office developed technological frames that either had weakly developed notions of Notes” (pg 365). I could extend use of email as a means to keep in touch with family and friends frame to Facebook, which allows you to easily stay in touch with multiple people by writing on the wall/profile. The social networking capabilities of Facebook must be highlighted in the explanation of the website.
In terms of why the older generation would adopt Facebook, while “performance is the group raison d’etre”(Grudin pg 324), it is not the only reason to adopt a piece of technology. This reason probably wouldn’t work for Facebook because it would not directly increase performance. However, it would increase interaction between someone and their family or maybe coworkers because you can send quick notes to each other. The more they talk and respond to each other on Facebook, the more common ground could be created. The reward of using Facebook is a closer connection to other people, some of which you don’t get in touch with by any other means. It is also serves as a way to keep up with other people’s lives (and maybe even check-up on people you may need to watch, like your children). Ultimately, Facebook may increase general wellbeing, but it should be noted that Facebook could also cause social strife(like damage due to gossip) is used improperly.
For most adults, the existing mental model for email is a communication tool is used for business and sometimes personal reasons. The different use of email is important to consider because this will determine how easy it will be to create a new mental mode via training. In Orlikowski study, she found that one reason people had trouble using Locus Notes was due to “the lack of resources that technologists had for communication and training, users of Notes in the office developed technological frames that either had weakly developed notions of Notes” (pg 365). I could extend use of email as a means to keep in touch with family and friends frame to Facebook, which allows you to easily stay in touch with multiple people by writing on the wall/profile. The social networking capabilities of Facebook must be highlighted in the explanation of the website.
In terms of why the older generation would adopt Facebook, while “performance is the group raison d’etre”(Grudin pg 324), it is not the only reason to adopt a piece of technology. This reason probably wouldn’t work for Facebook because it would not directly increase performance. However, it would increase interaction between someone and their family or maybe coworkers because you can send quick notes to each other. The more they talk and respond to each other on Facebook, the more common ground could be created. The reward of using Facebook is a closer connection to other people, some of which you don’t get in touch with by any other means. It is also serves as a way to keep up with other people’s lives (and maybe even check-up on people you may need to watch, like your children). Ultimately, Facebook may increase general wellbeing, but it should be noted that Facebook could also cause social strife(like damage due to gossip) is used improperly.
Assignment #5 F.B. User Guide Alan Garcia
The Facebook platform is a very well developed system for social networking and content distribution throughout each person's social network. Older adults can reap the same benefits that the most recent generations of FB users have, but only if they are made aware of the ease and efficiency through which they could establish and maintain their relationships with people in their own communities and all over the world.
It would be important to emphasize that FB has definite advantages over their current methods of communicating such as email, snail mail, and phone calls, with almost the same ROI (return on investment). Perhaps even more so. It would be important to delineate the most obvious functions of the FB platform, such as wall posts, inbox messages, and event invitations and reservations. Keeping the tutorial or guidebook simple and direct is of upmost importance. Email clients such as Gmail, AOL, or Yahoo would be the users' technological frame, from which we could build the guidebook. All three of these email services, and most other email clients, have this functionality. The return on investment for learning a new service are the added features.
These features should not be presented in a technological sense , so as to not baffle the user before it is necessary (and it shouldn't be baffling, ever). The additional features should be presented in the form of social connections and filtering of social connections. This would be a basis on which to be grounded, because the users' email communications are based upon the same real life social connections, but without the beneficial filtering abilities.
Assignment 5 Kevin
If I am writing a “how to” book about Facebook targeted at 40-60 year olds with basic web/email competence, first I would need to break down Facebook into its component applications, such as the news feed, chat, profile, wall, and photo applications. Separating the applications make the book organized so that it is easier for those who are older and unaware of social networking technologies understand what Facebook can be used for in their daily life. Thus, organization increases the effectiveness of communication to the target audience by telling them what features exist and also, how these features can be valued in their lives. For example, the chat, message, and photo applications can be used by parents and grandparents to communicate information to their son/daughter and grandchildren when they are long distances away from each other. In addition, Facebook can be used to communicate to employee information while they are on vacation.
I would explain Facebook to my audience by using existing technological frameworks that they have seen or used. This concept is seen when Orlikowski states “When confronted by a new technology, individuals try to understand it in terms of their existing technological frames, often augmenting these frames to accommodate special aspects of the technology.” For example, my audience have seen or used similar technologies such as Email. Facebook contains some of the same features Email contains but at a more sophisticated level, such as messaging your friends note and posting photos as opposed to emailing it to them. A training session would be needed to show how the same applications of email are integrated into Facebook. The audience would need to know how to regularly incorporate these applications into their everyday lives by placing value on connecting with old friends and family members who are far away. Also, when posting photos and notes everyone who is your unrestricted friend can see them rather than sending multiple emails. In effect, Facebook saves time in that sense and your return on investment increases. However, at the same time your return on investment in terms of time can decrease if you spend too much time on Facebook. It may be enjoyable to use but it can be distracting in the workplace.
During the training session the rewards for using Facebook can be emphasized in terms of its sites features. The profile feature allows you to make new friends. The photo, chat, message, and note applications allows you to chare important and precious moments with family members and friends.
I would explain Facebook to my audience by using existing technological frameworks that they have seen or used. This concept is seen when Orlikowski states “When confronted by a new technology, individuals try to understand it in terms of their existing technological frames, often augmenting these frames to accommodate special aspects of the technology.” For example, my audience have seen or used similar technologies such as Email. Facebook contains some of the same features Email contains but at a more sophisticated level, such as messaging your friends note and posting photos as opposed to emailing it to them. A training session would be needed to show how the same applications of email are integrated into Facebook. The audience would need to know how to regularly incorporate these applications into their everyday lives by placing value on connecting with old friends and family members who are far away. Also, when posting photos and notes everyone who is your unrestricted friend can see them rather than sending multiple emails. In effect, Facebook saves time in that sense and your return on investment increases. However, at the same time your return on investment in terms of time can decrease if you spend too much time on Facebook. It may be enjoyable to use but it can be distracting in the workplace.
During the training session the rewards for using Facebook can be emphasized in terms of its sites features. The profile feature allows you to make new friends. The photo, chat, message, and note applications allows you to chare important and precious moments with family members and friends.
Assignment #5- Jordan Meltzer
In writing a book about how to use Facebook aimed at 40-60 year olds, I would consider their existing “technological frames”, which can be defined as the “cognitive elements that have to do with information technology” to allow for that technology to become more salient (Orlikowski, 364). A user’s cognitive elements represent the “mental models or frames of references that individuals have about the world” (Orlikowski, 364). Therefore, when these older users are confronted with Facebook as a new technology, it would be easier to convey information to them in terms of their existing technological frames.
I would relate certain aspects of Facebook to their real world experiences. For example, I would describe direct messaging feature as email, in which communication is asynchronous and information is revisable before it is sent. Similar to email, users can choose who they wish to send their message to and it can only be read by people to whom the message is sent. I would compare creating and editing personal profiles with resumes or yearbook profiles that publicly display contact information as well as interests. Furthermore, I would relate Facebook chat to instant messaging, since there is synchronous communication where people can revise messages before being sent and review them afterwards. If older users had never used instant messaging, then I would explain Facebook chat as a phone call except the conversation is typed on the computer and messages can be revised before sending and reviewed afterwards. Orlikowski (1992) states that “how users change their technological frames in response to a new technology is influenced by the nature and form of training they receive.” I would train them to wall post, friend request, create photo albums, and tag others in photos. A basic step-by-step guideline for performing these tasks and a list of frequently asked questions could help them adjust their existing technological frames to incorporate these features. These newly learned methods for using Facebook will help constitute an average user’s experience on Facebook.
The rewards that older users feel they are obtaining are important in determining how often they will use Facebook and their overall return on investment with the technology. Grudin (2004) states that users tend to be happy with a new technology “if it makes life easier, more enjoyable, or garners respect.” Facebook may make their lives easier by tracking other’s contact information and helping them to maintain long distance relationships. It also may make their lives more enjoyable by allowing for them to edit a personal profile, display and exchange photos, view friend’s profiles and interests, and keep in touch with multiple people through messaging, wall posting, and direct chat. Users will be able to save time by being able to accomplish all of these features just by learning to use Facebook.
I would relate certain aspects of Facebook to their real world experiences. For example, I would describe direct messaging feature as email, in which communication is asynchronous and information is revisable before it is sent. Similar to email, users can choose who they wish to send their message to and it can only be read by people to whom the message is sent. I would compare creating and editing personal profiles with resumes or yearbook profiles that publicly display contact information as well as interests. Furthermore, I would relate Facebook chat to instant messaging, since there is synchronous communication where people can revise messages before being sent and review them afterwards. If older users had never used instant messaging, then I would explain Facebook chat as a phone call except the conversation is typed on the computer and messages can be revised before sending and reviewed afterwards. Orlikowski (1992) states that “how users change their technological frames in response to a new technology is influenced by the nature and form of training they receive.” I would train them to wall post, friend request, create photo albums, and tag others in photos. A basic step-by-step guideline for performing these tasks and a list of frequently asked questions could help them adjust their existing technological frames to incorporate these features. These newly learned methods for using Facebook will help constitute an average user’s experience on Facebook.
The rewards that older users feel they are obtaining are important in determining how often they will use Facebook and their overall return on investment with the technology. Grudin (2004) states that users tend to be happy with a new technology “if it makes life easier, more enjoyable, or garners respect.” Facebook may make their lives easier by tracking other’s contact information and helping them to maintain long distance relationships. It also may make their lives more enjoyable by allowing for them to edit a personal profile, display and exchange photos, view friend’s profiles and interests, and keep in touch with multiple people through messaging, wall posting, and direct chat. Users will be able to save time by being able to accomplish all of these features just by learning to use Facebook.
Assignment 5 (hrs34)-- "Will the internet be open easter sunday?"
Writing a “how to” guide for facebook is an interesting topic because it assumes some uniformity in members of that age range. It is common, for example, for my generation’s parents’ to have facebook accounts. There are some folks in the 40-60 age range who are perfectly capable of working with computers, a wide majority who are somewhat familiar with computers, and of course a select group who has little or no computing experience. It seems fair, then, that my target audience will be those who have standard computing knowledge.
To effectively train this group of users, we will need to draw on frames that they are already familiar with. Orlikowski describes as frames like reference points with which we can take existing knowledge and extend it to new technologies. For example, my Grandpa once asked "Will the internet be open Easter Sunday?" In trying to understand the internet, he was working with the frame of a physical store. In terms of facebook, it would be best to break it into multiple frames. The main components to consider are “Friending”, the “wall”, and messaging.
Messaging is an easy feature to explain. I’ll assume that the users are familiar with at least to concept of email. Using email as a frame, we can explain that facebook messaging is similar because only the designated receiver can view the message. To describe the wall we can use several frames. We could at first include a technological frame of a forum. Posts are sequential and viewable by everyone. If the user does not know what a forum is, we could set the frame to be a list on paper written in pen. We can explain that the messages are viewable to everyone.
The frame we can set to portray "friending" is the idea of allowing someone to come into your house. Until you let them in, they don't really know anything about you but your name. Once friended, they will be able to come in and look around and get a feel for who you are. Of course, you can keep them out of certain areas of the house and they will never be able to steal anything. Friending them will simply allow them to look at some of your information, style, etc. The idea is that you will let your friends in your house to talk to you and to see your stuff, but not necessarily strangers.
To effectively train this group of users, we will need to draw on frames that they are already familiar with. Orlikowski describes as frames like reference points with which we can take existing knowledge and extend it to new technologies. For example, my Grandpa once asked "Will the internet be open Easter Sunday?" In trying to understand the internet, he was working with the frame of a physical store. In terms of facebook, it would be best to break it into multiple frames. The main components to consider are “Friending”, the “wall”, and messaging.
Messaging is an easy feature to explain. I’ll assume that the users are familiar with at least to concept of email. Using email as a frame, we can explain that facebook messaging is similar because only the designated receiver can view the message. To describe the wall we can use several frames. We could at first include a technological frame of a forum. Posts are sequential and viewable by everyone. If the user does not know what a forum is, we could set the frame to be a list on paper written in pen. We can explain that the messages are viewable to everyone.
The frame we can set to portray "friending" is the idea of allowing someone to come into your house. Until you let them in, they don't really know anything about you but your name. Once friended, they will be able to come in and look around and get a feel for who you are. Of course, you can keep them out of certain areas of the house and they will never be able to steal anything. Friending them will simply allow them to look at some of your information, style, etc. The idea is that you will let your friends in your house to talk to you and to see your stuff, but not necessarily strangers.
Assignment 5: Ashley Vernon
Orlikowski explains in his article how weakly developed technological frames cause problems when trying to use a new technology. He states, "If people have a poor or inappropriate understanding of the unique and different features of a new technology they may resist using it, or may not integrate it appropriately into their work practices" (364).
Don't let weakly developed technological frames take advantage of you!!! Facebook is not your average technology collaboration tool. It's more than another way to keep in touch with people. It's a way to manage your relationships, share your photos, advertise your events, express yourself through notes, and meet new people through groups. Facebook is how a person manages their online identity.
Technological frames, especially shared frames, should not play a large role in Facebook. Every individual uses Facebook in a different way and for different purposes; using shared technological frames will detract from a person’s Facebook experience.
I would suggest that 40-60 year olds attend my Facebook 101 workshop, where I will explain the different functions, tools, and faux pas of Facebook. Because Grudin states that, “measuring costs and benefits after a technology is deployed is difficult” (324), I would make sure that I discuss these costs and benefits in detail during my workshop, before the participants become actively involve with Facebook. Once they feel that they are properly knowledgeable, they can identify their own personal costs and benefits of the tool and focus on the aspects of Facebook they feel best suits their needs. I believe that after completing my Facebook 101 workshop, the participants will leave being more effective Facebook users and skilled online impression managers.
Don't let weakly developed technological frames take advantage of you!!! Facebook is not your average technology collaboration tool. It's more than another way to keep in touch with people. It's a way to manage your relationships, share your photos, advertise your events, express yourself through notes, and meet new people through groups. Facebook is how a person manages their online identity.
Technological frames, especially shared frames, should not play a large role in Facebook. Every individual uses Facebook in a different way and for different purposes; using shared technological frames will detract from a person’s Facebook experience.
I would suggest that 40-60 year olds attend my Facebook 101 workshop, where I will explain the different functions, tools, and faux pas of Facebook. Because Grudin states that, “measuring costs and benefits after a technology is deployed is difficult” (324), I would make sure that I discuss these costs and benefits in detail during my workshop, before the participants become actively involve with Facebook. Once they feel that they are properly knowledgeable, they can identify their own personal costs and benefits of the tool and focus on the aspects of Facebook they feel best suits their needs. I believe that after completing my Facebook 101 workshop, the participants will leave being more effective Facebook users and skilled online impression managers.
Assignment 5: Tom Ternquist
Writing a “how-to” book about Facebook aimed at 40-60 year olds would certainly be an interesting task. To start off, I would make sure that my explanations of Facebook as a whole are at a high level of abstraction as to make use of their existing technological frames. For example, I would explain that Facebook serves as a central hub for people to stay in contact with friends and and family. I feel that it’s important to emphasize that the primary use of Facebook is to interact with people you know in real life. This can help to increase a new users comfort level, since if they know that they will be dealing with friends and family, there (hopefully) isn’t as much a level of stress that may arise from putting out personal information on the internet. Of course, Facebook is a public network, and users do need to be concerned about this. But as an entry point, it is probably a safe assumption that a new user looking to talk to friends and family will not do anything to jeopardize their online privacy.
In terms of explaining what Facebook is used for at a more specific-level, I would start by saying that it can be thought of as a bulletin-board of sorts, where your friends frequently pass by to see snippets of what new things are happening in your life and to leave messages commenting on them. I think it’s fairly important to emphasize the bulletin-board aspect to explain that Facebook is more than a one-on-one conversation. As a contrast to email messages, Facebook tends to be more casual, short, and open. Overall, frames play an important role in getting a user comfortable with Facebook, but fortunately, most of the frames that Facebook deals with already exist in a new user’s life, and it is simply a matter of given the user the proper introduction and training.
Training can be a bit hard for Facebook, at least initially, because the service is capable of so much nowadays. I think its important to first explain what it means by joining a specific network and what it allows. Beyond that, establishing an identity, by adding some personal interests, hobbies, and a profile picture help to make the user feel more at home. Once a user has an identity of sorts, helping them seek out a real-life friend on the network is important. As the user finds more friends, they will naturally spend more time on the service, making the return on investment, in terms of personal enjoyment, quite high.
In terms of explaining what Facebook is used for at a more specific-level, I would start by saying that it can be thought of as a bulletin-board of sorts, where your friends frequently pass by to see snippets of what new things are happening in your life and to leave messages commenting on them. I think it’s fairly important to emphasize the bulletin-board aspect to explain that Facebook is more than a one-on-one conversation. As a contrast to email messages, Facebook tends to be more casual, short, and open. Overall, frames play an important role in getting a user comfortable with Facebook, but fortunately, most of the frames that Facebook deals with already exist in a new user’s life, and it is simply a matter of given the user the proper introduction and training.
Training can be a bit hard for Facebook, at least initially, because the service is capable of so much nowadays. I think its important to first explain what it means by joining a specific network and what it allows. Beyond that, establishing an identity, by adding some personal interests, hobbies, and a profile picture help to make the user feel more at home. Once a user has an identity of sorts, helping them seek out a real-life friend on the network is important. As the user finds more friends, they will naturally spend more time on the service, making the return on investment, in terms of personal enjoyment, quite high.
Assignment 5: John Fox
In order to effectively create a book that tells people from the ages of 40 and 60 how to use facebook, it is important to use framing in order to give them a good connection to things that they are familiar with. To do that well, you first have to contemplate what makes facebook what it is. All the different features relate to different generations of a technology.
First and foremost facebook is a weird combination of a phone/contact book and a yearbook. A yearbook usually has a picture of a person and the organizations that person was apart of, while a contact book has contact information (adresses, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses). When you are friends with someone before you graduate you usually ask them to sign your yearbook, usually with personal anecdotes for insight into that person's personality. When explaining a basic facebook page I'd say a profile is basically all the information that is found in a yearbook of a particular person. There is the profile picture, the contact info, list of organizations they are apart of as well as an about me section that is used to personalize each persons profile. Of course, the more people use Facebook, the better feel it has to those two different frames. If all your friends were on Facebook it would be like looking at an old electronic yearbook.
After you explain a basic page it becomes a lot easier to explain the other features. Photo albums, the messenger, wall posts, statuses and then added applications can be explained through other technologies. Photo albums can be explained through photo albums/digital cameras, messengers by phones, wall posts through answering machines etc. Any way you look at it framing is an effective tool.
First and foremost facebook is a weird combination of a phone/contact book and a yearbook. A yearbook usually has a picture of a person and the organizations that person was apart of, while a contact book has contact information (adresses, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses). When you are friends with someone before you graduate you usually ask them to sign your yearbook, usually with personal anecdotes for insight into that person's personality. When explaining a basic facebook page I'd say a profile is basically all the information that is found in a yearbook of a particular person. There is the profile picture, the contact info, list of organizations they are apart of as well as an about me section that is used to personalize each persons profile. Of course, the more people use Facebook, the better feel it has to those two different frames. If all your friends were on Facebook it would be like looking at an old electronic yearbook.
After you explain a basic page it becomes a lot easier to explain the other features. Photo albums, the messenger, wall posts, statuses and then added applications can be explained through other technologies. Photo albums can be explained through photo albums/digital cameras, messengers by phones, wall posts through answering machines etc. Any way you look at it framing is an effective tool.
Assignment #5 - Midlife Facebook Crisis
In order to have 40 to 60 year old people use Facebook effectively, you would need to describe it to them in terms of aspects of the technology that they would actually use and enjoy. Don't tell them about how it's such a great place to post photos of crazy parties. Instead, focus on the social networking aspect - the ability to easily keep in touch with friends who also use Facebook. People in their 40s and 50s would probably value Facebook for catching up with old high school and college friends, as well as for bonding with colleagues at work. I think a training session on sending and accepting friend requests, communicating with Facebook friends via Wall messages, and setting privacy preferences would be helpful.
Teaching 40-60 year olds about Facebook may be challenging because Orlikowski's technological frames will no doubt play a role in their learning. On average, they have less experience with such interactive and social websites such as Facebook than college-age people do. Therefore, they might try to cast Facebook into the frame of ordinary email. One way to overcome this may be to turn on email alerts so that the users get accustomed to checking their Facebook profiles often. This could encourage them to explore more of the site's features, such as photo sharing and applications.
Many Facebook users end up spending quite a lot of time on the site. The main return on that investment is the ability to easily keep in touch and communicate with friends. People in the 40-60 year age group might also benefit from using Facebook in the workplace (although it might not be the most efficient collaboration technology in that context). Another benefit could be simply knowing that they are participating in a cool new technology. The training topics mentioned above could help people maximize their payoffs without feeling like they are wasting too much time on Facebook.
Teaching 40-60 year olds about Facebook may be challenging because Orlikowski's technological frames will no doubt play a role in their learning. On average, they have less experience with such interactive and social websites such as Facebook than college-age people do. Therefore, they might try to cast Facebook into the frame of ordinary email. One way to overcome this may be to turn on email alerts so that the users get accustomed to checking their Facebook profiles often. This could encourage them to explore more of the site's features, such as photo sharing and applications.
Many Facebook users end up spending quite a lot of time on the site. The main return on that investment is the ability to easily keep in touch and communicate with friends. People in the 40-60 year age group might also benefit from using Facebook in the workplace (although it might not be the most efficient collaboration technology in that context). Another benefit could be simply knowing that they are participating in a cool new technology. The training topics mentioned above could help people maximize their payoffs without feeling like they are wasting too much time on Facebook.
Assignment #5 - Eugene Chang
For my “how to” book on Facebook, there are few points that Orlikowski and Grudin make that would structure the book very well. The explanation on what Facebook is has to be centered on it being a social technology, but by relating it to previously known technologies for the reader. This means for example, showing how Facebook is in a way, an expansion on e-mail by allowing a centralized and more user-friendly way of interacting with friends and family. This helps shift the technological frame slowly and push the new user into a bigger frame that still encompasses the old one.
The usefulness of Facebook comes in the way one uses it. Everyone has their own different style of how much they use Facebook, and I would suggest that the new user figure out what is most comfortable for him or her. By guiding the user through different uses for each feature (walls used for conversation and just general updates, for example) while trying to keep it all within some previous experience can help the user decide. Interestingly, the way the user will use Facebook is not only dependent on his or her style, but also to what extent the user’s friends use Facebook. This is part of Grudin’s discussion on critical mass; the more people you know on Facebook, the more likely you are to use it. If the new user will have very few friends on Facebook, that person will have to decide if it is worth the investment of time and resources. It may not be worth it for that person to go online, check Facebook everyday, just to see that no one is keeping in touch with him/her.
Finally, the rewards of using Facebook is the accessibility and ease in keeping up with other people. If the user loves e-mailing friends, sharing pictures, etc. then the return is very high. The interface is relatively simple and even more people will be keeping up with whatever the user decides to put on his/her profile.
The usefulness of Facebook comes in the way one uses it. Everyone has their own different style of how much they use Facebook, and I would suggest that the new user figure out what is most comfortable for him or her. By guiding the user through different uses for each feature (walls used for conversation and just general updates, for example) while trying to keep it all within some previous experience can help the user decide. Interestingly, the way the user will use Facebook is not only dependent on his or her style, but also to what extent the user’s friends use Facebook. This is part of Grudin’s discussion on critical mass; the more people you know on Facebook, the more likely you are to use it. If the new user will have very few friends on Facebook, that person will have to decide if it is worth the investment of time and resources. It may not be worth it for that person to go online, check Facebook everyday, just to see that no one is keeping in touch with him/her.
Finally, the rewards of using Facebook is the accessibility and ease in keeping up with other people. If the user loves e-mailing friends, sharing pictures, etc. then the return is very high. The interface is relatively simple and even more people will be keeping up with whatever the user decides to put on his/her profile.
Assignment #5 - Austin Lin (akl29)
Orlikowski's technological frames theory would dictate that users who are introduced to Facebook would try to understand it in terms of existing technologies and augmenting it with any novel features of the new technology. I would explain Facebook as a tool for you and your friends to share your favorite things, share photos, send messages, and keep up with the latest news. Your Facebook profile is a virtual About Me page that others can view. On your profile page you have your contact information similar to a business card, but also information about your interests/hobbies which allow others to realized commonalities. The Photos feature is allows you to post pictures and share them with friends. The Wall is similar to writing on a whiteboard on someone’s door. Facebook acts like a virtual pocketbook in which you can keep track of all your friends’ information as well as their own shared items.
Facebook as a whole can be used in different ways (i.e. as a blog, as a rolodex, as an event organizer) because it is made up of many different components. By framing the individual features of Facebook into existing mental models, users can understand them in terms of familiar technologies and immediately apply them to certain tasks in their lifestyle. The benefit of Facebook is that it integrates many of these features to become more than a sum of its parts. New users would need to augment their existing frames with the fact each tool can be integrated with their whole social network. Features such as status updates or photo tagging may not have direct technological frames for some users and their use will need to be augmented with new models.
Grudin states that one of the challenges in groupware is that users must realize the direct benefit of the application before putting in the work. Giving users a series of simple tasks to complete could augment the verbal explanation of Facebook and allow users to realize the benefit of the application. For example: requesting to be friends with another person, inviting a friend to an event and then posting pictures and wall messages afterwards to follow up.
Critical mass is a huge issue for social networking sites that rely on network effects in order to provide value to users, if none of a user’s friends are using Facebook or are using another social network, the user has no incentive to use Facebook and would be drawn towards a competing network. To overcome these challenges, targeting a few of Facebook’s niche features to specific users would allow them to realize an immediate benefit and gradually expand to use the whole system. For example, my mom loves to share photos, so the Photos feature of Facebook would be instantly appealing to her. Involving a tight knit group of users would also increase the return on investment so that users will have friends in their social circle and in their age group.
Facebook as a whole can be used in different ways (i.e. as a blog, as a rolodex, as an event organizer) because it is made up of many different components. By framing the individual features of Facebook into existing mental models, users can understand them in terms of familiar technologies and immediately apply them to certain tasks in their lifestyle. The benefit of Facebook is that it integrates many of these features to become more than a sum of its parts. New users would need to augment their existing frames with the fact each tool can be integrated with their whole social network. Features such as status updates or photo tagging may not have direct technological frames for some users and their use will need to be augmented with new models.
Grudin states that one of the challenges in groupware is that users must realize the direct benefit of the application before putting in the work. Giving users a series of simple tasks to complete could augment the verbal explanation of Facebook and allow users to realize the benefit of the application. For example: requesting to be friends with another person, inviting a friend to an event and then posting pictures and wall messages afterwards to follow up.
Critical mass is a huge issue for social networking sites that rely on network effects in order to provide value to users, if none of a user’s friends are using Facebook or are using another social network, the user has no incentive to use Facebook and would be drawn towards a competing network. To overcome these challenges, targeting a few of Facebook’s niche features to specific users would allow them to realize an immediate benefit and gradually expand to use the whole system. For example, my mom loves to share photos, so the Photos feature of Facebook would be instantly appealing to her. Involving a tight knit group of users would also increase the return on investment so that users will have friends in their social circle and in their age group.
Assignment 5 (Pete Hunt)
The strategy of explaining a new collaboration technology varies with the intended audience of the explanation. For example, in the Orlikowski reading, the CIO originally felt that Lotus Notes should be rolled out as quickly as possible, and users could automatically pick up and organically adopt the technology. This is exactly what happened with Facebook. No one ever sat down and specifically taught me how to use the website; I just started using it because everyone else was and figured it out as I went along.
Explaining Facebook to an older crowd would require a bit more grounding. Rather than explain how it is a “social network” that allows people to “connect with their friends,” I would explain to them the concrete tasks that people often perform while on Facebook. For example, I would explain that the message function is analogous to email, and that there is photo sharing functionality, and an event management system. I would go into the reasons why each of these are important and why they would benefit the end user.
Orlikowski discusses “reward systems” in relation to the use of a new technology. In this instance, by joining Facebook, the 40-60 year old user could connect with friends and family and constantly stay updated on what they are doing and new developments in their lives.
Hands on, one-on-one training is by far the most effective way to go about educating the new users on their technology. Walking them through individual use cases, such as creating an account, writing on someone’s wall, or uploading a photo, would be much more effective communicated one-on-one rather than via a tutorial video or written instruction.
Overall, explaining how Facebook works can be done relatively easily, but must be explained differently than a younger user who is more ingrained in the community.
Assignment 5: Jeanette Pineiro
If I were creating a “How to” book on Facebook for 40-60 year olds I would first describe it as an online social network where a person can meet new people or stay in contact with current friends. You can do this by creating a profile with information and pictures of yourself. Other people can find you or you can find them. They can send you messages or you can chat with them on Facebook. I would suggest that they use Facebook to find other people in their area that they may have things in common with. I think that most 40-60 year olds probably do not have many opportunities for socializing outside of their family or jobs. Therefore, they can use this network as a means of socializing. I would also explain that if they wanted to create a group or promote an event that they knew was occurring they could do that also.
In terms of training, I would begin by teaching them the most important things first, like how to sign on and filling out the basic information on a profile page. I would show them how to add pictures and personalize their profile the way they want. Then I would teach them how to find and add people as friends. After that it would be important for them to know how to send messages, chat with other people on facebook, and create groups and event pages.
The technological frames that can help people of this age range identify with Facebook is the use of email and basic knowledge of using a computer. For example, if they know how to use email then they know the concept of having an account with a user name and password. They also understand the concept of being able to message with people back and forth because it is basically what is happening when corresponding with people through email. Basic knowledge of the computer will help them when they have to search for certain people or if they want to create a basic event or group page. The ability to expand your social network is a great return on the time investment that they will probably be exerting. For the time that you put in updating your page and becoming part of groups, you can gain friends that are not only from your area, but maybe in other states or countries. It is also a great way to learn more about technology and have a social life that does not always require you to leave the house.
In terms of training, I would begin by teaching them the most important things first, like how to sign on and filling out the basic information on a profile page. I would show them how to add pictures and personalize their profile the way they want. Then I would teach them how to find and add people as friends. After that it would be important for them to know how to send messages, chat with other people on facebook, and create groups and event pages.
The technological frames that can help people of this age range identify with Facebook is the use of email and basic knowledge of using a computer. For example, if they know how to use email then they know the concept of having an account with a user name and password. They also understand the concept of being able to message with people back and forth because it is basically what is happening when corresponding with people through email. Basic knowledge of the computer will help them when they have to search for certain people or if they want to create a basic event or group page. The ability to expand your social network is a great return on the time investment that they will probably be exerting. For the time that you put in updating your page and becoming part of groups, you can gain friends that are not only from your area, but maybe in other states or countries. It is also a great way to learn more about technology and have a social life that does not always require you to leave the house.
Assignment 5: Michael Triche
If I was to explain Facebook to 40-60 year old individuals, I would explain “how to” use Facebook to my aunt for example who is in that range in basic non technological terms. She uses the computer like most individuals these days within that range. I would tell her it is a tool to network with people that you know and meet friends. With Facebook, you sign in and can search for people that you may know. I would explain how they could form groups much like they would do in the real world by creating it then asking or requesting others to join. I would tell them about the services that all the buying and selling or goods and the promotion of events. I would suggest that they start slow by signing on then adding a couple friends by searching for them, then looking through the different groups and tools. By adding a couple of friends they could receive and send out requests to join groups or come to events or purchase items.
The training that I would design is going from the most important and useful techniques to the hardest and less useful techniques. I would start out by adding a friend, I would then show them how to send and receive messages and instant messages. From there I would teach them how to manipulate their page to show what they would like to convey. From there the last subject that I would go over is the marketplace and how to add items to it and look for items. The rewards that I would discuss are those most apparent such as building a network and getting messages across to people that you want such as what organizations you take part in.
Orlikowski discusses how people understand how to use new technologies based on existing technological frames. Frames that are associated with users such as my aunt would include their basic use of the computer which Facebook enhances and uses for specific purposes such as the ability to search for almost everything. The roles of some of these frames would be useful for example signing on to computers is the same as signing on to Facebook. The frames technology wise and in the actual world such as joining groups, being a part of communities, and scheduling and finding out about events . Older ways of getting users to come to events could be used. The idea of going online from the actual world has to pose a high return on investment and be easier than in the real world. This return could be gaining friends faster than in the actual world or advertising for an event faster and quicker than in the actual world.
The training that I would design is going from the most important and useful techniques to the hardest and less useful techniques. I would start out by adding a friend, I would then show them how to send and receive messages and instant messages. From there I would teach them how to manipulate their page to show what they would like to convey. From there the last subject that I would go over is the marketplace and how to add items to it and look for items. The rewards that I would discuss are those most apparent such as building a network and getting messages across to people that you want such as what organizations you take part in.
Orlikowski discusses how people understand how to use new technologies based on existing technological frames. Frames that are associated with users such as my aunt would include their basic use of the computer which Facebook enhances and uses for specific purposes such as the ability to search for almost everything. The roles of some of these frames would be useful for example signing on to computers is the same as signing on to Facebook. The frames technology wise and in the actual world such as joining groups, being a part of communities, and scheduling and finding out about events . Older ways of getting users to come to events could be used. The idea of going online from the actual world has to pose a high return on investment and be easier than in the real world. This return could be gaining friends faster than in the actual world or advertising for an event faster and quicker than in the actual world.
Assignment 5 Julie Bai
If I were to write a book about Facebook targeted at 40-60 year olds, I would explain it in terms that they are familiar with, at the same time, make sure that they understand its capabilities and its function as a social network. Orlikowksi (1992) explains that “when confronted with a new technology, individuals try to understand it in terms of their existing technological frames.” I would describe Facebook as an interactive online yearbook where users can get in touch with others they lost contact with. However, explaining just that would not help them understand the possibilities and social networks that could not exist before Facebook.
For older generation to interact effectively with Facebook, their existing technological frames need to be modified. Their modification is influenced by communication and education related to Facebook (Orlikowksi, 1992). Explicit information about how Facebook can be used to get in touch with others and how it is different from other mediums such as email would help them understand Facebook's capabilities. I would explain that Facebook extends yearbook in that it includes yearbooks of their acquaintances, and further international ones. Facebook is interactive in that users can create and/or edit their profile, and post pictures and videos to share with others. It would also encourage formation of groups and events. Training would be helpful for them to explore Facebook’s possibilities.
I would design the training that is intuitive and group-oriented. Rather than focusing on the personal use of the site, such as learning how to write on others’ walls or post pictures, I would provide training as a group activity. First, I would let them register as users and ask them to find each other and add as friends on Facebook. I would also explain that finding a person on Facebook is similar to finding a person in a yearbook in that they need to search the person by name, and then find the person with the matched information they know. Once they have added each other on Facebook, I would encourage them to use walls, message box, profiles and applications to communicate to each other. This would allow them to see Facebook as a medium for socializing, rather than a complicated new technology that is time-consuming to learn.
For older generation to interact effectively with Facebook, their existing technological frames need to be modified. Their modification is influenced by communication and education related to Facebook (Orlikowksi, 1992). Explicit information about how Facebook can be used to get in touch with others and how it is different from other mediums such as email would help them understand Facebook's capabilities. I would explain that Facebook extends yearbook in that it includes yearbooks of their acquaintances, and further international ones. Facebook is interactive in that users can create and/or edit their profile, and post pictures and videos to share with others. It would also encourage formation of groups and events. Training would be helpful for them to explore Facebook’s possibilities.
I would design the training that is intuitive and group-oriented. Rather than focusing on the personal use of the site, such as learning how to write on others’ walls or post pictures, I would provide training as a group activity. First, I would let them register as users and ask them to find each other and add as friends on Facebook. I would also explain that finding a person on Facebook is similar to finding a person in a yearbook in that they need to search the person by name, and then find the person with the matched information they know. Once they have added each other on Facebook, I would encourage them to use walls, message box, profiles and applications to communicate to each other. This would allow them to see Facebook as a medium for socializing, rather than a complicated new technology that is time-consuming to learn.
Assignment 5: Facebook - lj37
I figure one of the best ways to think about this blog post is imagine explaining Facebook to my parents. To explain it to them, I would say that it’s a networking tool, used to keep track of our friends. Since Orlikowski's discussion of technological frames suggests that they would try to understand it in terms of existing technology, I would say it’s like having a homepage about yourself that you update often, and is connected to the ‘homepages’ of all the people you’re friends with. I’d suggest that they use it as a way to stay updated on the lives of their friends, as well as keep their friends updated. Along the lines of Orlikowski’s discussion, I would further clarify by putting emphasis on how every individual aspect of Facebook for the most part already exists in their lives, it’s just augmented by all being in one place, and being constantly updated.
In terms of training, I think it would be helpful, especially to subjects that don’t usually use the internet for anything but news and email (such as my mom), to walk through the processes of editing profile, changing profile image, changing notification settings, and adding pictures. Now I know that my mom might get easily confused when faced with a page full of information such as the home page in Facebook, but I still don’t think I’d include a detailed walk through the home page. The reason for this is that pages such as that one should really be designed to make it easy for the user to figure out what’s going. In this case, I think it’s pretty well done.
I would say that the rewards for using this technology include keeping in touch with your friends, keeping abreast of what they’re up to, as well as keeping your friends updated on you. Grudin's discussion of return on investment implies that subjects would be more willing to invest time into using Facebook if they could forsee worthy rewards. In the case of my parents, I would point out that they could sign on one day and see that a friend’s status says something about a business trip to their area. This might give them an opportunity to call them and extend an invitation that they otherwise might have missed. There are even more mundane and practical rewards, such as simply having a constantly updated address/phone book, which I know my mom in particular would really appreciate. Even though this benefit seems so simple, I can attest to how much easier having a place to go if I really want to reach someone is.
In terms of training, I think it would be helpful, especially to subjects that don’t usually use the internet for anything but news and email (such as my mom), to walk through the processes of editing profile, changing profile image, changing notification settings, and adding pictures. Now I know that my mom might get easily confused when faced with a page full of information such as the home page in Facebook, but I still don’t think I’d include a detailed walk through the home page. The reason for this is that pages such as that one should really be designed to make it easy for the user to figure out what’s going. In this case, I think it’s pretty well done.
I would say that the rewards for using this technology include keeping in touch with your friends, keeping abreast of what they’re up to, as well as keeping your friends updated on you. Grudin's discussion of return on investment implies that subjects would be more willing to invest time into using Facebook if they could forsee worthy rewards. In the case of my parents, I would point out that they could sign on one day and see that a friend’s status says something about a business trip to their area. This might give them an opportunity to call them and extend an invitation that they otherwise might have missed. There are even more mundane and practical rewards, such as simply having a constantly updated address/phone book, which I know my mom in particular would really appreciate. Even though this benefit seems so simple, I can attest to how much easier having a place to go if I really want to reach someone is.
Blog Assignment numba five-vince davis
If I were trying to produce a Facebook training manual for the uninitiated I would start by providing an understandable frame for people to root this new technology in. This would be most easily accomplished by providing examples of technologies that they are familiar with and/or already using, such as e-mail and phone calls. It is important to note that too much time should not be spent comparing Facebook to other technologies because if people see too many features in common with the methods of communication that they are already familiar with and using or else you run the risk of underselling the potential return on the investment of their time.
The concept of Facebook with its numerous social networking applications and features could prove to be overwhelming at first, but I would still want to stress that it is a new and useful tool, so I would start by explaining to them that Facebook is not digital a phonebook or photo-blog, it is more of a running conversation that can be picked up and continued at your convenience. Spotlighting the chat, direct messaging, photo tagging, and wall posting functions invokes people’s preconceived ideas on ways to use technology to stay in contact with friends and family but shows that Facebook is a place where these functions can be bundled together as a one-stop website that affords them the same functionality of their current e-mail and other digital communications websites.
When it comes to the actual production of the ‘how-to’ project, I would lean towards an interactive CD guidebook, very similar to those ‘teach yourself e-bay’ CD’s people are always pedaling on TV. I feel that an interactive program that would show step-by-step how to set up a profile and use the basic features (wall, tagging pictures, finding/adding friends, etc…) on screen would make for an easy transition to actually setting u p a profile.
If constrained to printed media for the guide I would strive to produce a clean and uncluttered book that first highlighted the numerous core features of Facebook and highlighted their ease of use and convenience when compared to the old ways of using multiple programs or websites to keep in touch with friends. I would make sure the book included numerous screen shots from Facebook so readers would have a clear reference when they are setting up their own profiles. I would also spotlight the fact that users ca control how much information they share and with whom alleviating the fear of loss of privacy that often times comes when someone is adopting a new technology.
The concept of Facebook with its numerous social networking applications and features could prove to be overwhelming at first, but I would still want to stress that it is a new and useful tool, so I would start by explaining to them that Facebook is not digital a phonebook or photo-blog, it is more of a running conversation that can be picked up and continued at your convenience. Spotlighting the chat, direct messaging, photo tagging, and wall posting functions invokes people’s preconceived ideas on ways to use technology to stay in contact with friends and family but shows that Facebook is a place where these functions can be bundled together as a one-stop website that affords them the same functionality of their current e-mail and other digital communications websites.
When it comes to the actual production of the ‘how-to’ project, I would lean towards an interactive CD guidebook, very similar to those ‘teach yourself e-bay’ CD’s people are always pedaling on TV. I feel that an interactive program that would show step-by-step how to set up a profile and use the basic features (wall, tagging pictures, finding/adding friends, etc…) on screen would make for an easy transition to actually setting u p a profile.
If constrained to printed media for the guide I would strive to produce a clean and uncluttered book that first highlighted the numerous core features of Facebook and highlighted their ease of use and convenience when compared to the old ways of using multiple programs or websites to keep in touch with friends. I would make sure the book included numerous screen shots from Facebook so readers would have a clear reference when they are setting up their own profiles. I would also spotlight the fact that users ca control how much information they share and with whom alleviating the fear of loss of privacy that often times comes when someone is adopting a new technology.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Assignment 5 - Kayla Fang
Although Facebook provides services for a very wide range of interests and needs now, I would describe the social networking site primarily as a “dynamic shared personal scrapbook.” Facebook is used, ultimately, as a means to express information about oneself, in terms of identity,memories, associations, interests, and connections. As a frame of reference, a scrapbook functions as exactly that—a collection of “pages” that share information about a person, their interests, their memories in pictures, little notes about events, short entries about various topics of interest.
The benefit of this frame is to give new users a sense of “ownership” of their Facebook profile and realize that the service exists primarily for self-expression, albeit in a social network rather than just one’s family as in the case of the scrapbook. This may allow new users to appreciate “the premises and purposes” of Facebook, according to Orlikowski, so that they may use it more effectively.
After having established a solid frame of reference for the new user, it is important to then explain the social features of Facebook that lonely scrapbooks did not have. For example, almost all the scrapbooking features of Facebook are coupled with ways in which others can add to your scrapbook, perhaps by putting in photos of you that they have, commenting on notes or Internet links. The significance of Facebook is that, in addition to expressing you as a person individually, it also expresses you as a member of your friends and acquaintances, since most social information is public.
The benefits derived from participating in such a social networking site is the same as the pleasure of reenacting stories, sharing photo albums, and swapping yearbooks, but multiplied so that any of the above activities is easily accessible, conducive to people’s very busy personal schedules, and can casually be carried out over long distances. As a return on investment (ROI) Facebook no doubt lets a participant interact more efficiently and thoroughly than in traditional social sharing models. In addition to being able to quantify the benefits of Facebook over the traditional scrapbook/photo album swap model (looking at 10 times more friends pictures of swapping 20 extra stories per week), one can measure the advantages of being part of Facebook in a much more qualitative and long-term sense, a measurement that Grudin argues is more important in evaluating technology. For example, how can one measure the benefit of seeing pictures and comments of a wedding that one is missing from different sources, uploaded via Facebook mobile, WHILE the wedding is taking place? The immediacy and simultaneity of sharing in an experience while it happens is completely different from hearing about a wedding afterwards.
Assignment #5: Daniela Retelny
Explaining a new web 2.0 technology such as Facebook to a 40-60 year old would take a little thinking. Older people are not used to technologies such as Facebook, where you can do so much on one platform. Therefore, I would use Orlikowski’s view of technological frames to explain to this older generation the benefits of using Facebook. By using technological frames, which involves the perception of technology in terms of older technologies, I could explicitly show these older people how they could accomplish a majority of their day to day communication tasks by typing in one web address.
If I were to write a how to book about Facebook on this topic, I would focus on the features that would be most useful to them, primarily private messages, wall posts, Facebook chat, pictures and events. I would explain to them the benefits of using each tool in terms of past technologies they may have used or tasks they may have done. Depending on what they want to say and how much time they want to spend, I would recommend either wall posting, inbox messaging or Facebook chatting. I would explain the photo and event applications as a way to share their pictures and invite friends to events all at once, rather than having to individually mail their friends their pictures or call and invite each one of their friends to their events. Given their age, I would suggest that they stick to these 5 Facebook tools to accomplish their goals. If these users have questions or need training I would direct them to Facebook’s help and FAQ section which is pretty explicit and helpful.
The rewards to using Facebook (which is free) relate to Grudin’s discussion on the return of an investment. These new Facebook users could potentially save a lot of time and money by using the website. Instead of having to call all of their friends, which would take a lot more time and cost significantly more money, these users could write on their wall, send them a message, or even Facebook chat with them. Lastly, by using Facebook, these elder users are making staying in touch with all of their friends no matter where they are located so much easier, that in itself is a big return of an investment.
If I were to write a how to book about Facebook on this topic, I would focus on the features that would be most useful to them, primarily private messages, wall posts, Facebook chat, pictures and events. I would explain to them the benefits of using each tool in terms of past technologies they may have used or tasks they may have done. Depending on what they want to say and how much time they want to spend, I would recommend either wall posting, inbox messaging or Facebook chatting. I would explain the photo and event applications as a way to share their pictures and invite friends to events all at once, rather than having to individually mail their friends their pictures or call and invite each one of their friends to their events. Given their age, I would suggest that they stick to these 5 Facebook tools to accomplish their goals. If these users have questions or need training I would direct them to Facebook’s help and FAQ section which is pretty explicit and helpful.
The rewards to using Facebook (which is free) relate to Grudin’s discussion on the return of an investment. These new Facebook users could potentially save a lot of time and money by using the website. Instead of having to call all of their friends, which would take a lot more time and cost significantly more money, these users could write on their wall, send them a message, or even Facebook chat with them. Lastly, by using Facebook, these elder users are making staying in touch with all of their friends no matter where they are located so much easier, that in itself is a big return of an investment.
Assignment 5: Eric Dial- facebook for older people
If I were trying to explain Facebook to older people I would first try and relate it to something they know very well. Orlikowski states that in order for people to learn new technologies, we must first relate it to something they already use and understand. The first thing I would tell my age group is Facebook is like leaving people a message on their answering machine. They're not going to respond right away, but you can leave them a message and they'll get back to you when they read it.
The Facebook I would suggest for my age group would be very different from the Facebook I use. I would suggest to them that they only way they use Facebook is to post on other people's wall and searching for people. I feel like these two uses of Facebook are very easy and would be very beneficial for them. I would tell them to shy away from uploading photos, joining groups, and adding new applications because right now, these things aren't necessary. Once they become comfortable to posting on walls and searching for people, then we can move on to other things.
In order to train people on how to use Facebook, I would give them a CD that breaks down every aspect of Facebook and how it is used. There would be tutorials on how to create an event, uploading a picture, and adding applications because I feel like these things require people to actually do them in order to understand their purpose.
I believe if a person in this age group learned how to use Facebook as well as a college student, then there life would be a lot easier and enjoyable, and according to Grudin, if technology can do this people are happier. Being able to connect with people you haven't spoken to or seen in years is always great so the reward of learning this application is enormous.
The Facebook I would suggest for my age group would be very different from the Facebook I use. I would suggest to them that they only way they use Facebook is to post on other people's wall and searching for people. I feel like these two uses of Facebook are very easy and would be very beneficial for them. I would tell them to shy away from uploading photos, joining groups, and adding new applications because right now, these things aren't necessary. Once they become comfortable to posting on walls and searching for people, then we can move on to other things.
In order to train people on how to use Facebook, I would give them a CD that breaks down every aspect of Facebook and how it is used. There would be tutorials on how to create an event, uploading a picture, and adding applications because I feel like these things require people to actually do them in order to understand their purpose.
I believe if a person in this age group learned how to use Facebook as well as a college student, then there life would be a lot easier and enjoyable, and according to Grudin, if technology can do this people are happier. Being able to connect with people you haven't spoken to or seen in years is always great so the reward of learning this application is enormous.
Assignment 5 - Radhika Arora
Orlikowski defines “technological frames” as the cognitive elements that help technology and information associated with that technology become more salient (p. 364). In this case, technological frames would be those cognitive elements that already exist in the audience’s mind that would help them understand Facebook better. Although these preexisting technological frames do help an audience member better understand a new technology, we must make sure to design the manual to not only explain the features but also how to incorporate them (something Orlikowski defines as a problem in her study).
The first step I would take in explaining Facebook would be to relate it to their real world experiences. For example, we can relate a profile picture to a yearbook picture. It is a picture specifically chosen to show the person in his/her best light. Doing so will help them understand the reasoning behind Facebook better and being able to relate Facebook to the real world (e.g. poking = saying a quick hi) will help them adapt to the new technology faster.
The next step, after orienting them with how Facebook is similar to real life, would be training the target audience to how Facebook is different. I would thoroughly explain options such as Facebook apps, the news feed, the profile, photo albums and the wall. The profile, photo albums and the wall are central to a user’s experience on Facebook. The reason I would explain applications and the news feed is because, as Orlikowski states that training helps the users understand how the new technology “differs from other technologies with which they are familiar” (p. 365) and these two features are quite unlike what is available in other technologies. I would suggest, at least at first, to concentrate on just using the major features of Facebook (e.g. wall, photos, profile) and then expand to other, more unique features such as bumper stickers etc.
Like Grudin mentions in his introduction, individuals only need a reward from a technology in that it makes life easier or more enjoyable (p. 324). That is one of the major rewards of using Facebook. For one, the birthday reminders help you remember everyone’s birthday (of course dependent on if you sign in) and makes is easy to send a wish across. Also, the phonebook keeps track of all your friends’ numbers and if they change their number, it automatically updates. Other major rewards include an easy way to keep in touch with classmates and acquaintances both from the present and the past.
The first step I would take in explaining Facebook would be to relate it to their real world experiences. For example, we can relate a profile picture to a yearbook picture. It is a picture specifically chosen to show the person in his/her best light. Doing so will help them understand the reasoning behind Facebook better and being able to relate Facebook to the real world (e.g. poking = saying a quick hi) will help them adapt to the new technology faster.
The next step, after orienting them with how Facebook is similar to real life, would be training the target audience to how Facebook is different. I would thoroughly explain options such as Facebook apps, the news feed, the profile, photo albums and the wall. The profile, photo albums and the wall are central to a user’s experience on Facebook. The reason I would explain applications and the news feed is because, as Orlikowski states that training helps the users understand how the new technology “differs from other technologies with which they are familiar” (p. 365) and these two features are quite unlike what is available in other technologies. I would suggest, at least at first, to concentrate on just using the major features of Facebook (e.g. wall, photos, profile) and then expand to other, more unique features such as bumper stickers etc.
Like Grudin mentions in his introduction, individuals only need a reward from a technology in that it makes life easier or more enjoyable (p. 324). That is one of the major rewards of using Facebook. For one, the birthday reminders help you remember everyone’s birthday (of course dependent on if you sign in) and makes is easy to send a wish across. Also, the phonebook keeps track of all your friends’ numbers and if they change their number, it automatically updates. Other major rewards include an easy way to keep in touch with classmates and acquaintances both from the present and the past.
A5 Jon Baxter
Facebook is a website that lets you connect with other people that you know and keep in contact with them and see what they're up to without having to bother them. To use Facebook, you create a profile that reveals as much or as little of yourself as you want, and then you can choose to do any number of things to keep your online-self interesting, such as posting pictures or videos, or publishing a status or a note to let people know what you're up to. You ask other people to be your "friend" so that you can see their information and updates and they can see yours. There are many ways to directly communicate with your friends also: you can post messages (or almost anything else) on their wall, which anyone else can see (so it's similar to leaving someone a note on their locker in high school, or on their desk at work - the point is other people can see it). You can also send them messages, which is similar to email. Once you have friends, some of the things that they’re doing on Facebook will show up on your news feed so that you don’t have to visit everyone’s profile to see if they’ve updated anything.
As you can see above, I am using Orlikowski’s technological frames theory to orient the 40-60 yos to Facebook by talking in terms of things they are familiar with, but it would be important for them to see how these frames have to be extended because they can apply to your whole social network. Some of the features don’t have easy-to-apply fames, so new models would have to be made. It would also be helpful to give them examples of how they would use these features and how that would be similar to what they currently do now. Once they were comfortable with using the features I explained above, then it might be appropriate to explain applications, chat, links, privacy, etc. since they will now have a better handle on the conventions and norms of Facebook. In terms of Grudin’s discussion of return on investment, as long as it can be made clear that invested time and effort is outweighed by the value gained through Facebook, the 40-60 yos will feel happy that they’ve gained a return on their investment. Considering this, it might be prudent to let the users try each feature after I’ve explained it and have a demonstration of what the impact would be, so that they understand how powerful Facebook is and so that they don’t get discouraged with all training and no benefit.
Assignment 5: Guide for People Who Can't Use Facebook Good and Wanna Learn to Do Other Stuff Good Too [will gunn]
After reading Orlikowksi's discussion of frames, I think I can now explain to my mom why I spend so much time "talking to my friends on the Facebook." Facebook actually combines many services of other websites into one application. I think most users, even internet neophytes, have used services such as email and photosharing.
Almost everybody that I know in the 40-60 age group has at least minimal experience online, so they have some working knowledge of major web applications. I think that these existing technological frames would serve as a solid introduction to Facebook. Half the battle is explaining what Facebook is "for", and comparing it to known applications can illustrate that point very quickly. Facebook has aspects similar to email, such as wall posts and comments (but I'd definitely stress that these are public), as well as a private message system. In fact, someone less tech savvy may prefer Facebook's messaging system, as everybody has to use their real name instead of a pseudonymous address that can be hard to remember. Also, in my experiences, many older internet users tend use some sort of photosharing site, such as Yahoo, to exchange family pictures with relatives. Facebook obviously incorporates this, but with sorting features that they will enjoy. They can choose to see all pictures of one specific person, or they can see different albums that person has uploaded.
I would definitely suggest for them to keep to the basics, such as adding friends and making wall posts. I would also explain that the main return on their investment would be an ability to keep in touch with all sorts of acquaintances, from old friends to relatives. They would likely have little need for groups, events, or bumperstickers. Also, their basic training would just be a few minutes of supervise use. I would have them search for their friends, look through some pictures, and learn the terminology (such as notifications and requests to ground them in the jargon), as well as privacy settings. Our generation is much more open to being open, while older users will want to know who sees what.
I think that older users will definitely invest the time it takes to learn the technology if the rewards are outlined. Easy communication is a very powerful incentive. I know from experience, as my parents learned to text so that they could easily get in touch with me whenever they needed to...even if my mom still hasn't mastered T9 typing.
Almost everybody that I know in the 40-60 age group has at least minimal experience online, so they have some working knowledge of major web applications. I think that these existing technological frames would serve as a solid introduction to Facebook. Half the battle is explaining what Facebook is "for", and comparing it to known applications can illustrate that point very quickly. Facebook has aspects similar to email, such as wall posts and comments (but I'd definitely stress that these are public), as well as a private message system. In fact, someone less tech savvy may prefer Facebook's messaging system, as everybody has to use their real name instead of a pseudonymous address that can be hard to remember. Also, in my experiences, many older internet users tend use some sort of photosharing site, such as Yahoo, to exchange family pictures with relatives. Facebook obviously incorporates this, but with sorting features that they will enjoy. They can choose to see all pictures of one specific person, or they can see different albums that person has uploaded.
I would definitely suggest for them to keep to the basics, such as adding friends and making wall posts. I would also explain that the main return on their investment would be an ability to keep in touch with all sorts of acquaintances, from old friends to relatives. They would likely have little need for groups, events, or bumperstickers. Also, their basic training would just be a few minutes of supervise use. I would have them search for their friends, look through some pictures, and learn the terminology (such as notifications and requests to ground them in the jargon), as well as privacy settings. Our generation is much more open to being open, while older users will want to know who sees what.
I think that older users will definitely invest the time it takes to learn the technology if the rewards are outlined. Easy communication is a very powerful incentive. I know from experience, as my parents learned to text so that they could easily get in touch with me whenever they needed to...even if my mom still hasn't mastered T9 typing.
Assignment #5 - Peter Clain
In Orlikowski’s article on organizational issues in groupware, she defines a technological frame as “[a] reference that individuals have about the world, their organization, work, technology, and so on” (364). When presented with a new technology, a person’s natural reaction is to seek understanding by connecting that technology with their preexisting technological frames. Explaining a modern technology such as Facebook, then, becomes a task of explaining the technology in terms of reference that the user would understand. If the user age is between the ages of 40 and 60, this reference becomes more difficult, because they may or may not be familiar with social networking sites and the potential uses for the technology.
How, then, should the technology be explained to this age group? One reference that all members of this group should share is the concept of a yearbook. Yearbooks have pictures, they connect you to all your friends, and you can write messages in your friends’ yearbooks. Facebook is much like a digital yearbook on the internet. A person’s page is a lot like their page would be in a yearbook – it contains their name, year in school (if applicable), and any other information that they may have. “Wall posts” function as messages left in friends’ yearbooks, and they can function like email communication as well (another technological reference).
After the user gains a base understanding through this reference, they will then need to go through training. According to Orlikowski, “Training […] is central to their understanding of [a technology’s] capabilities and appreciating how it differs from other technologies with which they are familiar” (365). The first part of the training would explain the potential uses for Facebook, ensuring that the user would take full advantage of the system instead of simply using it like a reference technology. This would include the explanation of Facebook’s event, group, and application features – all within the context of enriching communication with others (so as not to encourage it as a personal technology). Details about using these features, as well as other aspects of the site, would constitute the rest of the training.
The real factor in this user adopting Facebook, however, would come down to their return on investment. Because it is not a corporate technology, the real return on investment comes from the user’s happiness. “[The user is] happy if it makes life easier, more enjoyable, or garners respect” (Grudin, 324). Staying in touch with friends and communicating using Facebook’s features would, hopefully, achieve this result.
How, then, should the technology be explained to this age group? One reference that all members of this group should share is the concept of a yearbook. Yearbooks have pictures, they connect you to all your friends, and you can write messages in your friends’ yearbooks. Facebook is much like a digital yearbook on the internet. A person’s page is a lot like their page would be in a yearbook – it contains their name, year in school (if applicable), and any other information that they may have. “Wall posts” function as messages left in friends’ yearbooks, and they can function like email communication as well (another technological reference).
After the user gains a base understanding through this reference, they will then need to go through training. According to Orlikowski, “Training […] is central to their understanding of [a technology’s] capabilities and appreciating how it differs from other technologies with which they are familiar” (365). The first part of the training would explain the potential uses for Facebook, ensuring that the user would take full advantage of the system instead of simply using it like a reference technology. This would include the explanation of Facebook’s event, group, and application features – all within the context of enriching communication with others (so as not to encourage it as a personal technology). Details about using these features, as well as other aspects of the site, would constitute the rest of the training.
The real factor in this user adopting Facebook, however, would come down to their return on investment. Because it is not a corporate technology, the real return on investment comes from the user’s happiness. “[The user is] happy if it makes life easier, more enjoyable, or garners respect” (Grudin, 324). Staying in touch with friends and communicating using Facebook’s features would, hopefully, achieve this result.
Assignment 5: Keeping Up [Daniel Gustafson, dgg67]
Orlikowski points out that even with proper training in a new technology, existing technological frames can be difficult, if not impossible to break. In trying to market Facebook to a significantly older demographic, one must take this fact into consideration. Rather than trying to break their existing technological experience and introduce them to the larger, much more difficult concept of social networking I feel it would be best to explain Facebook in ways that augment their existing technological frames.
Most likely, this group primarily uses the internet for email correspondence (a glaring over-generalization, but not implausible), and so it would be most effective to present Facebook as a more powerful correspondence tool. I feel an "instructor" would most likely lose some of his/her audience the instant the term "social networking" is mentioned. It is therefore important to follow a specific order in presenting Facebook to the audience, putting the features most familiar to their existing technological frames first, and the most abstract features last. I would present Facebook messaging as an alternative to traditional email, but be sure to next demonstrate the chat feature (and checking who is online) as in instantaneous form off communication. Wall posts would most likely be the least familiar concept to this demographic, and should probably be avoided (widely distributed, public messages to others most likely wouldn't catch on). Photo Albums could be a large source of support for Facebook if presented right. First the group should be introduced to creating their own albums and viewing albums on other profiles, familiar concepts to nearly all, and then introduced to the concept of tagging photographs for ease in finding pictures of individuals. Training should continue like this, finding the most familiar concept, then extrapolating to the most abstract concept of each category.
As this technology is being presented to them as a more powerful correspondence tool, the rewards are self explanatory, however the incentive to switch technologies is not. Given that Facebook messages are by default forwarded to an email address, and you need an email address to sign up for Facebook, I would predict the most common complaint to be "Why not just keep using email and avoid the switching process?" This is where Facebook can shine as a homepage and/or communications portal. With "traditional" email communication, photo albums, instantaneous chat, threaded messages (for planning large-attendance events), etc. all gathered into one convenient and attractive dashboard, there is little reason for this demographic not to extend their technological frames to the Facebook system.
Most likely, this group primarily uses the internet for email correspondence (a glaring over-generalization, but not implausible), and so it would be most effective to present Facebook as a more powerful correspondence tool. I feel an "instructor" would most likely lose some of his/her audience the instant the term "social networking" is mentioned. It is therefore important to follow a specific order in presenting Facebook to the audience, putting the features most familiar to their existing technological frames first, and the most abstract features last. I would present Facebook messaging as an alternative to traditional email, but be sure to next demonstrate the chat feature (and checking who is online) as in instantaneous form off communication. Wall posts would most likely be the least familiar concept to this demographic, and should probably be avoided (widely distributed, public messages to others most likely wouldn't catch on). Photo Albums could be a large source of support for Facebook if presented right. First the group should be introduced to creating their own albums and viewing albums on other profiles, familiar concepts to nearly all, and then introduced to the concept of tagging photographs for ease in finding pictures of individuals. Training should continue like this, finding the most familiar concept, then extrapolating to the most abstract concept of each category.
As this technology is being presented to them as a more powerful correspondence tool, the rewards are self explanatory, however the incentive to switch technologies is not. Given that Facebook messages are by default forwarded to an email address, and you need an email address to sign up for Facebook, I would predict the most common complaint to be "Why not just keep using email and avoid the switching process?" This is where Facebook can shine as a homepage and/or communications portal. With "traditional" email communication, photo albums, instantaneous chat, threaded messages (for planning large-attendance events), etc. all gathered into one convenient and attractive dashboard, there is little reason for this demographic not to extend their technological frames to the Facebook system.
Assignment #5 - Jeffrey hertzberg
As Orlikowski states, when we are introduced to new technologies or new inventions, we try to think of them using already existing technological frames in our minds. That is, we will describe and think of them in terms of older technologies so as to better allow us to understand and use the new technologies. I would most certainly keep this concept in mind while explaining to a 40-60 year old person what facebook is and how to use it.
If the person I am explaining facebook to just took it using already existing technological frames in their mind, they would almost absolutely miss out on many interesting and useful features within the social networking site. The first step would be to explain to them how a social networking community like Facebook is not just another email or picture album, but a site that truly allows many types of CMC interaction between a variety of people and friends all around the world. I would emphasize the ability to network and learn more about your current and future acquaintances through their profiles and other means of communication available on facebook like the wall and private messages. I would explain to them that there are many other tools available then just messaging and so on, and construct a tutorial forcing them to use several different features. Join a group, create an event and invite friends to the invite with RSVP's, upload a picture and tag it, create a note, instant message with a friend, etc... I would try to place each of these into the context of an existing technological frame that they are already familiar with to make the transition smoother. I would make absolutely sure that they understand and are learning from their training, since training is one of the most important parts of their understanding of a new technology, and eventual creation of a new technological frame.
I believe that once they discover the ease at which they can find lost friends, and learn what they are doing with their life today, as well as choose how they wish to represent themselves in this social networking space, it will become easier to understand why existing frames will not completely allow them to describe facebook. This is the return on investment that makes it worth their time, being able to connect with old friends and acquaintances, and explore a new world of people and events. Also, just being able to say to their children/grandchildren that they are now users of and completely understanding of the facebook social networking technology. Once this occurs they should even begin to enjoy their time on facebook as many younger people do which is another positive return on the time spent creating their online persona through facebook.
If the person I am explaining facebook to just took it using already existing technological frames in their mind, they would almost absolutely miss out on many interesting and useful features within the social networking site. The first step would be to explain to them how a social networking community like Facebook is not just another email or picture album, but a site that truly allows many types of CMC interaction between a variety of people and friends all around the world. I would emphasize the ability to network and learn more about your current and future acquaintances through their profiles and other means of communication available on facebook like the wall and private messages. I would explain to them that there are many other tools available then just messaging and so on, and construct a tutorial forcing them to use several different features. Join a group, create an event and invite friends to the invite with RSVP's, upload a picture and tag it, create a note, instant message with a friend, etc... I would try to place each of these into the context of an existing technological frame that they are already familiar with to make the transition smoother. I would make absolutely sure that they understand and are learning from their training, since training is one of the most important parts of their understanding of a new technology, and eventual creation of a new technological frame.
I believe that once they discover the ease at which they can find lost friends, and learn what they are doing with their life today, as well as choose how they wish to represent themselves in this social networking space, it will become easier to understand why existing frames will not completely allow them to describe facebook. This is the return on investment that makes it worth their time, being able to connect with old friends and acquaintances, and explore a new world of people and events. Also, just being able to say to their children/grandchildren that they are now users of and completely understanding of the facebook social networking technology. Once this occurs they should even begin to enjoy their time on facebook as many younger people do which is another positive return on the time spent creating their online persona through facebook.
Assignment 5 (Eric Gunther)
Orlikowski says that two things affect how users react to a new technology: the product information given to them and the training they receive. The Facebook homepage is very minimalist and offers little information about their product; while younger users are quick to jump on the next internet fad, older users (in the 40-60 year old range) require more to become users. Additionally, Facebook offers no training for their product, under the assumption that most of their users are savvy enough to figure things out. This assumption works for younger users because most of them already have Myspace sites, Xangas, Livejournals, etc. The older crowd however, has what Orlikowski calls "technological frames" that vary from Facebook a great deal.
To introduce Facebook to an adult of this age I would make a comparison first: Facebook is like your rolodex on steroids. Everyone (hopefully) you know has a Facebook page and on it they have their phone number, instant messenger, random personal information like interests and musical tastes, even their picture! Think of how your business opportunities would grow if, instead of a black book of contacts who you can barely remember, you had access to their interests, previous places of employment, and of course a picture so you don't forget what they look like. While kids use Facebook for social networking, adults could find it extremely useful for business networking, staying in contact with family members, etc.
But of course this all sounds too complicated; the rolodex or address book only require the ability to turn pages. According to Orlikowski "training users on new technology is central to their understanding of its capabilities and appreciating how it differs from other technologies"; people just can't learn on their own. Obviously my training for Facebook would include some kind of user manual or a guiding CD, but that's not nearly enough for the user to truly appreciate how Facebook differs from traditional technology. I would have the trainee attempt two business interactions with a colleague from their past: in one situation they get to use Facebook and in the other they only have their colleagues phone number and perhaps address. Hopefully the trainee will then be able to understand the value of Facebook.
As Grudin puts it, people are happier if a technology "makes life easier, more enjoyable or garners respect." No doubt having all your contacts available with a few clicks makes life easier. Viewing their interests, pictures and events makes life more enjoyable. And remembering that someone's favorite activity is golf might land you on the greens, making deals and gaining respect. Let's see your rolodex do that.
Assignment 5 -- Adam Towne
The Book Jacket:
Facebook, a powerful networking tool for people of all ages is at your disposal. Are you going to be left in the dust, or join the herd that is finding old friends, organizing events, and keeping in touch with friends and family all over the world? If you want to spread your technological wings, this guide to Facebook is all you will ever need.
First, it is important to tell your new users to throw away their preconceptions. They need to forget that they believe that this is just like email, or a phone replacement. If users come in with these preconceptions, and they are not effectively challenged and addressed during the training process, according to Orlikowski, “people act towards technology on the basis of meaning it has for them” (364). This means that users will be unable to use the full scope of Facebook’s features and maximize their user experience, as happened with Notes.
The 40-60 years olds need to understand that email, or messages, are a part of Facebook so that they will be able to more easily use that functionality, but not see email as a replacement. That is the challenge. This can be overcome by introducing messages in the framework of overall Facebook communication, and how using the Wall, messages, and Events together is just as good as sending an email or an evite, if not better.
My training program would begin with an explanation of the Wall, Photos, and the Profile page (personal aspects), as well as connecting with friends. This is the heart of Facebook. What 40-60 year olds are most interested in are connecting with long lost relatives and old friends. Facebook is one of the most effective ways to do this, since searching for people is very is a snap. This is an easy confidence booster for users, and I would suggest that they first focus on this to motivate them to learn more.
With just a little time put into Facebook, adults will be able to connect with many people from long ago, a huge return on their investment. One possible way to test the reward they receive is by seeing if these new relationships make them happier and how many relationships they maintain. Understanding the heart of Facebook will enable users to discover more on their own, or they could read further into the book for an explanation of applications and other Facebook features. It is possible that they will uncover new features by exploring the system with their friends.Assignment 5- Melanie Aliperti
After reading the Grudin and Orlikowski articles this week, I think I would be much more capable of writing a useful Facebook handbook for 40-60 year olds. In tackling this projec, I would first examine the Facebook technologies that are similar to things that age demographic would be familiar with. Their existing technological frames may cause 40-60 year olds to use Facebook messaging as an alternative to email, the photo features as an alternative to online photo galleries like flickr and webshots and facebook chat as an alternative to IM. These technologies all help link people to their immediate social networks, and thus they may limit themselves to allowing Facebook to do the same. Therefore, one of the first things I would stress in both the communication of Facebook information and the training (the two things that Orlikowski discusses in being useful to overcoming technological frames), would be that Facebook is useful for connecting you to people that you may not already be in constant communication with. I could in turn link this concept to the idea that the time a user spends using Facebook will be compensated for by an increase in his social network. Grudin also suggests that people want evidence that they’re actually getting a good return on their investment, so I would probably try and do some studies to gather research that could support the hypothesis of Facebook’s social network enlarging properties.
I also think it would be important for people to see that Facebook is indeed a collaborative tool. Therefore in training I might attempt to train several people at once and have them work together, showing them how Facebook is successful in connecting two or more people. Orlikowski says that “where structural properties support shared effort, cooperation and collaboration, it is likely that the technology will be used collaboratively.” By training people in groups, I think they would get a stronger idea of Facebook as a tool that joins people together rather than as just an individual oriented technology.
Finally, I think the training and discussion of the tool should also place a strong emphasis on Facebook unique features such as the wall application, groups and events. This would help users to see why Facebook is useful as more than just an email/photos/IM alternative and let them have a better understanding of the tool as a whole.
I also think it would be important for people to see that Facebook is indeed a collaborative tool. Therefore in training I might attempt to train several people at once and have them work together, showing them how Facebook is successful in connecting two or more people. Orlikowski says that “where structural properties support shared effort, cooperation and collaboration, it is likely that the technology will be used collaboratively.” By training people in groups, I think they would get a stronger idea of Facebook as a tool that joins people together rather than as just an individual oriented technology.
Finally, I think the training and discussion of the tool should also place a strong emphasis on Facebook unique features such as the wall application, groups and events. This would help users to see why Facebook is useful as more than just an email/photos/IM alternative and let them have a better understanding of the tool as a whole.
Assignment 5-Steve Swigut
Orlikowski explains that “when confronted with a new technology individuals try to understand it in terms of their existing technological frames, …if these existing frames are sufficiently different, however, these frames may be inappropriate”. For this reason, I would try and explain to the 40-60 year old individuals that facebook is not just a way to talk to your friends or to email another. If they thought of it in this perspective, they would miss out on all of the collaborative features such as the pictures, messages, calendar options, groups, friending abilities, and other countless applications.
I would explain it to them as one of the most interactive and full ranged social networking sites available. In order to explain how to use FB I would first have to train them on all of the features of FB with a mixed interactive CD and guidebook. They could learn by reading about the different features of FB and then watch the CD and interactively practice the features being shown to them. Orlikowski also states that “training on new technology is central to their understanding of its capabilities and appreciating how it differs from other familiar technologies.” Since frames are so important, I would have the training start with familiar uses such as sending messages/emails and move gradually into harder tasks such as creating events, modifying privacy levels, and finding and friending old acquaintances. This way the learning would stay within their comfort levels and move gradually into its other vague abilities. They could use it to stay in touch with relatives, friends, and everyone else. This could be done through posts on walls, putting up pictures, importing blogs, etc as they became more comfortable.
The main rewards I would stress would be the happiness and social rewards of staying in touch with family, friends, and anyone else in their life. They could morph their frames to understand the different aspects of FB through the training and further understand its other collaborative rewards in time. Their return on investment would be all of the happiness and reduction in future time needed to stay in touch with people from using FB. By learning to use FB they could be exposed to hundreds of friend’s lives without having to make a phone call or write an email just by looking at their profile. This return would be far greater than the time needed to learn FB once they knew how to use all of its features. And also like stated in Grudin’s paper the return on investment does not always involve productivity.
I would explain it to them as one of the most interactive and full ranged social networking sites available. In order to explain how to use FB I would first have to train them on all of the features of FB with a mixed interactive CD and guidebook. They could learn by reading about the different features of FB and then watch the CD and interactively practice the features being shown to them. Orlikowski also states that “training on new technology is central to their understanding of its capabilities and appreciating how it differs from other familiar technologies.” Since frames are so important, I would have the training start with familiar uses such as sending messages/emails and move gradually into harder tasks such as creating events, modifying privacy levels, and finding and friending old acquaintances. This way the learning would stay within their comfort levels and move gradually into its other vague abilities. They could use it to stay in touch with relatives, friends, and everyone else. This could be done through posts on walls, putting up pictures, importing blogs, etc as they became more comfortable.
The main rewards I would stress would be the happiness and social rewards of staying in touch with family, friends, and anyone else in their life. They could morph their frames to understand the different aspects of FB through the training and further understand its other collaborative rewards in time. Their return on investment would be all of the happiness and reduction in future time needed to stay in touch with people from using FB. By learning to use FB they could be exposed to hundreds of friend’s lives without having to make a phone call or write an email just by looking at their profile. This return would be far greater than the time needed to learn FB once they knew how to use all of its features. And also like stated in Grudin’s paper the return on investment does not always involve productivity.
Assignment Five - Facebook Tutorial (Katie Dreier)
“Where people’s mental models do not understand or appreciate [the technology] … such technologies will be interpreted and used as if they were more familiar technologies” (362). While facebook has tools that mimick other technologies such as e-mail, not all of its features are intutitive. Thereore, my Facebook How-To would make clear to the user from the start that whereas some features seem similar, this social networking site differs from previous technologies. Further, “education should stress the required shift in technological frame, as well as provide technical and logistic information on use” (368). This is exactly what my tutorial would do; stress the importance of accepting new ‘ways,’ by ignoring old frames of reference.
My How To would have chapters; each dedicated to an increasingly more difficult Facebook task. Each chapter would be a step-by-step list of how to accomplish each task, accompanied by appropriately labeled screen shots. The tutorial would present facebook as an “all-in-one social networking tool.” Since “when confronted with a new technology, individuals try to understand it in terms of their existing technological fames, often augmenting these frames to accommodate special aspects of the technology,” the training will make clear that while facebook mimicks some previously used social networking tools, it should be approached as a new, all-inclusive technology. (Orlikowski, 364).
Orlikowski admits “existing frames may be inappropriate, and individuals will need to significanly modify their technological frames in order to understand or interact effectively with the new technology” (364). The paper refers to this process as a “significant problem.” I wouldn’t want users to dismiss Facebook for its new innovative ideas. “If people have a poor or inappropriate understanding of the unique and different features of a new technology they may resist using it” (364). The goal is to provide the user with the broadest and widest understanding possible of Facebook.
Orlikowski suggests, “demonstrations of group applications can help to provide insight. Learning collectively may foster joint understanding and expectations” (368). In-person demonstrations will therefore supplement the in-depth chapters. Hopefully, “through experimentation and use over time, creative ideas and innovations will flourish” (368-369).
This training would require a significant amount of time to be invested. I would strive to “make the costs and benefits relatively clear” though. (Grudin 324). Since “individuals are happy if the technology makes life easier,” I’m positive this will translate into a positive return on investment. (Grudin 324). Grudin comments “time is needed to establish conventions and practices governing use,” but that the performance will payoff. (327).
My How To would have chapters; each dedicated to an increasingly more difficult Facebook task. Each chapter would be a step-by-step list of how to accomplish each task, accompanied by appropriately labeled screen shots. The tutorial would present facebook as an “all-in-one social networking tool.” Since “when confronted with a new technology, individuals try to understand it in terms of their existing technological fames, often augmenting these frames to accommodate special aspects of the technology,” the training will make clear that while facebook mimicks some previously used social networking tools, it should be approached as a new, all-inclusive technology. (Orlikowski, 364).
Orlikowski admits “existing frames may be inappropriate, and individuals will need to significanly modify their technological frames in order to understand or interact effectively with the new technology” (364). The paper refers to this process as a “significant problem.” I wouldn’t want users to dismiss Facebook for its new innovative ideas. “If people have a poor or inappropriate understanding of the unique and different features of a new technology they may resist using it” (364). The goal is to provide the user with the broadest and widest understanding possible of Facebook.
Orlikowski suggests, “demonstrations of group applications can help to provide insight. Learning collectively may foster joint understanding and expectations” (368). In-person demonstrations will therefore supplement the in-depth chapters. Hopefully, “through experimentation and use over time, creative ideas and innovations will flourish” (368-369).
This training would require a significant amount of time to be invested. I would strive to “make the costs and benefits relatively clear” though. (Grudin 324). Since “individuals are happy if the technology makes life easier,” I’m positive this will translate into a positive return on investment. (Grudin 324). Grudin comments “time is needed to establish conventions and practices governing use,” but that the performance will payoff. (327).
Assignment 5
Last year my mom joined Facebook and explained that she just wanted to see if any of her college friends had a Facebook. She had little luck finding anyone, and she didn’t know what else to do (or how to do anything) so she hasn’t used it since. This is why many people probably would need a “how to,” because “if people have a poor or inappropriate understanding of the unique and different features of a new technology they may resist using it” (Orlikowski 364).
An explanation would have to include networking purposes, the fact that you can keep in touch with people all over the world, easier than ever before. Keeping in touch doesn’t just mean email anymore, you can share pictures, invite people to events, chat, post messages, and write notes. You can see pictures of your new niece or your cousins wedding, you can be notified of a local reunion, see where your old roommate is now living and working. The only resources that you need (besides internet access and an email address) are your time, and the benefits of staying in contact with people to such an extent are surely great.
These individuals would “try to understand it in terms of their existing technological frames…” (Orlikowski 364) and assuming basic web/email competence, they should have no trouble actually registering for a Facebook since the simple forms are common in many websites. The layout of the profiles has the tab format, so this may be familiar and in an existing frame of reference from using other sites. However, for the rest of the site, it would be useful to have very clear, step by step, instructions about how to do things. For example, if you want to add an album, do 1,2 and 3.. The training would need to include all of the features that 40-60s would likely use in the context of networking. This means searching, photos, wall posts, notes, chat, and messaging, but training could also include explanations of what else if offered on Facebook so that they are aware of the other features. In training, we would help the users identify ways in which Facebook features are similar to sites they already use, as to build on/augment their existing frame of reference. This way they can more easily overcome the frames they have of Facebook being an unsafe, confusing, silly profile site for the younger generation. A final lesson in training would be privacy settings, since we would need to train for what the user would want.
It would be hard to measure a definite return at first as it might be a sort of “immeasurable thing” (Grudin 327). However, after using Facebook for some time, the users would see returns in the form of maintaining relationships, useful knowledge about how to communicate, and fun/happiness in being connected.
An explanation would have to include networking purposes, the fact that you can keep in touch with people all over the world, easier than ever before. Keeping in touch doesn’t just mean email anymore, you can share pictures, invite people to events, chat, post messages, and write notes. You can see pictures of your new niece or your cousins wedding, you can be notified of a local reunion, see where your old roommate is now living and working. The only resources that you need (besides internet access and an email address) are your time, and the benefits of staying in contact with people to such an extent are surely great.
These individuals would “try to understand it in terms of their existing technological frames…” (Orlikowski 364) and assuming basic web/email competence, they should have no trouble actually registering for a Facebook since the simple forms are common in many websites. The layout of the profiles has the tab format, so this may be familiar and in an existing frame of reference from using other sites. However, for the rest of the site, it would be useful to have very clear, step by step, instructions about how to do things. For example, if you want to add an album, do 1,2 and 3.. The training would need to include all of the features that 40-60s would likely use in the context of networking. This means searching, photos, wall posts, notes, chat, and messaging, but training could also include explanations of what else if offered on Facebook so that they are aware of the other features. In training, we would help the users identify ways in which Facebook features are similar to sites they already use, as to build on/augment their existing frame of reference. This way they can more easily overcome the frames they have of Facebook being an unsafe, confusing, silly profile site for the younger generation. A final lesson in training would be privacy settings, since we would need to train for what the user would want.
It would be hard to measure a definite return at first as it might be a sort of “immeasurable thing” (Grudin 327). However, after using Facebook for some time, the users would see returns in the form of maintaining relationships, useful knowledge about how to communicate, and fun/happiness in being connected.
E. Stokes (ees37) Assignment 5
“Imagine an electronic address book that contained not only contact information, but pictures, interests, birthdays, as well as a means of communication in the form of email and instant message. This user friendly, secure, all-in-one website, known as Facebook, is the modern form of communication. When your children don’t answer your calls or respond to your emails, it’s almost guaranteed that you can contact them and keep tabs on them via Facebook.”
By comparing Facebook to an electronic address book, the user will be able to grasp the overall concept of the website and look at it as an improved technology, one that does not require brand new technological frames.
My “how-to” would be in the form of a CD that they watched and interactively learned how to use Facebook. It would begin by introducing a basic online address book, and gradually adding different capabilities one step at a time, beginning with “friending” your contacts.
“Once your contact, possibly your niece, Sarah, who is at grad school in California, accepts your “friend request”, you are given access to Sarah’s contact information, recent photos of Sarah, her favorite movies, music and much more.
Only after I have illustrated the positive return on their time, patience, and energy, and provided them with a strong technological frame, would I suggest they log on. According to Orlikowksi, without prior knowledge, exploring a “new” technology may hinder the adoption process as the user develops a weak technological frame. This is the importance of a strong frame- logging into Facebook with confidence and high hopes.
Once logged on, I would continue to hold their hand to explore the many personal benefits available to them. “Thank God for that birthday column!”
By comparing Facebook to an electronic address book, the user will be able to grasp the overall concept of the website and look at it as an improved technology, one that does not require brand new technological frames.
My “how-to” would be in the form of a CD that they watched and interactively learned how to use Facebook. It would begin by introducing a basic online address book, and gradually adding different capabilities one step at a time, beginning with “friending” your contacts.
“Once your contact, possibly your niece, Sarah, who is at grad school in California, accepts your “friend request”, you are given access to Sarah’s contact information, recent photos of Sarah, her favorite movies, music and much more.
Only after I have illustrated the positive return on their time, patience, and energy, and provided them with a strong technological frame, would I suggest they log on. According to Orlikowksi, without prior knowledge, exploring a “new” technology may hinder the adoption process as the user develops a weak technological frame. This is the importance of a strong frame- logging into Facebook with confidence and high hopes.
Once logged on, I would continue to hold their hand to explore the many personal benefits available to them. “Thank God for that birthday column!”
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Assignment 5: Beth
My mom actually just joined the Facebook network. As soon as she “friended” me, I wondered what made her join. What was she looking for in this social tool?
Obviously there are many appealing things about Facebook that draw people in. Training middle-aged users to use Facebook would have to point out more than just its features, as Orlikowski concluded from his research of people adopting Lotus Notes. It should emphasize the many ways to use this all encompassing social tool. A how-to would include a brief description of uses in sections including editing your profile, adding friends, keeping in touch through wall posts and messages, posting and viewing photo albums, fixing privacy settings, playing games, and creating or joining groups and events. I would include where you click for these items from the home page and tailor it toward what a middle-ages person might want to use it for. For example, I would not focus on attending college events, but might discuss how to search for an old college friend instead.
Orlikowsky writes that when people start to use a new technology they “understand it in terms of their existing technological frames, often augmenting these frames to accommodate special aspects of the technology.” To accommodate for this tendency, the training would also be careful not to focus too much on things they already use. For example, relating messages to email too much might mean that they will use it in their technological frame of email and never see the other advantages of Facebook beyond this frame. Orlikowsky shows that it is not always enough to use a new tool to replace what you already use, but to use it in new ways. To achieve this, training would have to strive to integrate this tool into their existing habits as well as show them new things they might want to use it for in order to get more out of its use.
Grudin writes about many ways to measure the effects of technology besides productivity performance. In these terms, Facebook not only could make it faster to message people or see what their favorite movies are, but it could give people abstract rewards like interaction with others, feeling more included, and maybe make them fill in style as Facebook has become so popular. It might help them participate in things, like in a group or events they might want to attend. I realize now that it’s not so strange for my mom to use Facebook for the social network effects just like us college students.
Obviously there are many appealing things about Facebook that draw people in. Training middle-aged users to use Facebook would have to point out more than just its features, as Orlikowski concluded from his research of people adopting Lotus Notes. It should emphasize the many ways to use this all encompassing social tool. A how-to would include a brief description of uses in sections including editing your profile, adding friends, keeping in touch through wall posts and messages, posting and viewing photo albums, fixing privacy settings, playing games, and creating or joining groups and events. I would include where you click for these items from the home page and tailor it toward what a middle-ages person might want to use it for. For example, I would not focus on attending college events, but might discuss how to search for an old college friend instead.
Orlikowsky writes that when people start to use a new technology they “understand it in terms of their existing technological frames, often augmenting these frames to accommodate special aspects of the technology.” To accommodate for this tendency, the training would also be careful not to focus too much on things they already use. For example, relating messages to email too much might mean that they will use it in their technological frame of email and never see the other advantages of Facebook beyond this frame. Orlikowsky shows that it is not always enough to use a new tool to replace what you already use, but to use it in new ways. To achieve this, training would have to strive to integrate this tool into their existing habits as well as show them new things they might want to use it for in order to get more out of its use.
Grudin writes about many ways to measure the effects of technology besides productivity performance. In these terms, Facebook not only could make it faster to message people or see what their favorite movies are, but it could give people abstract rewards like interaction with others, feeling more included, and maybe make them fill in style as Facebook has become so popular. It might help them participate in things, like in a group or events they might want to attend. I realize now that it’s not so strange for my mom to use Facebook for the social network effects just like us college students.
Assignment #5 -- Facebook User's Manual (Nzingha)
Based on the findings of Orlikowski’s 1992 study, mental models play a large role in users’ capacity to adapt to and effectively use a new technology. As older users first trying out Facebook, many will have no similar, suitable mental model to approximate how Facebook should be used. Due to a lack of know-how and savvy, they will most likely skip over many of the unique affordances of the medium, which will cheapen the experience.
A user’s guide to Facebook aimed at the older generation would have to take into account their lack of familiarity with technology and detail the many things Facebook can help them achieve in an easy-to-understand way. There may also be value to giving them examples of technologies and objects they are familiar with which Facebook is similar to (a yearbook, email, an online photo album).
In my opinion, the best way to achieve this would be similar to a cell phone manual. It should begin with an overview of critical pages of Facebook, such as the homepage, and explain what each section and button leads to. After this overview, it should break down into sections, which make clear how each feature can be used and the rewards for using them.
For example, the section on viewing someone’s profile should point out the significant portions, such as the wall, the profile picture, the information section, and the photos. Each of these subsections should contain simple and detailed instructions, and make clear what the user stands to gain from viewing and using each of these parts of the profile.
Two important features of Facebook that should be highlighted are the photos section and the applications. The interactive and familiar games on Facebook – like Scrabble, Connect 4 and Tetris – add a unique element to interaction with friends, colleagues and acquaintances. Since people love to share pictures of their families and their lives, familiarizing older users with the photos section will quickly convince them that Facebook has unique conveniences to offer them.
It is also worth noting that the main draw for younger users – the convenience of contacting someone via the wall – may not be as attractive to older users who are more sensitive about their privacy. For this reason, the private message feature should be emphasized as an alternative.
More than merely emphasizing Facebook's affordances, I believe the most important thing would be the tone of the guide. It must be kept simple, yet engaging, because no matter how many opportunities Facebook provides to enrich the communication experience, if the manual is not appealing, users will almost most certainly not even give it a try.
A user’s guide to Facebook aimed at the older generation would have to take into account their lack of familiarity with technology and detail the many things Facebook can help them achieve in an easy-to-understand way. There may also be value to giving them examples of technologies and objects they are familiar with which Facebook is similar to (a yearbook, email, an online photo album).
In my opinion, the best way to achieve this would be similar to a cell phone manual. It should begin with an overview of critical pages of Facebook, such as the homepage, and explain what each section and button leads to. After this overview, it should break down into sections, which make clear how each feature can be used and the rewards for using them.
For example, the section on viewing someone’s profile should point out the significant portions, such as the wall, the profile picture, the information section, and the photos. Each of these subsections should contain simple and detailed instructions, and make clear what the user stands to gain from viewing and using each of these parts of the profile.
Two important features of Facebook that should be highlighted are the photos section and the applications. The interactive and familiar games on Facebook – like Scrabble, Connect 4 and Tetris – add a unique element to interaction with friends, colleagues and acquaintances. Since people love to share pictures of their families and their lives, familiarizing older users with the photos section will quickly convince them that Facebook has unique conveniences to offer them.
It is also worth noting that the main draw for younger users – the convenience of contacting someone via the wall – may not be as attractive to older users who are more sensitive about their privacy. For this reason, the private message feature should be emphasized as an alternative.
More than merely emphasizing Facebook's affordances, I believe the most important thing would be the tone of the guide. It must be kept simple, yet engaging, because no matter how many opportunities Facebook provides to enrich the communication experience, if the manual is not appealing, users will almost most certainly not even give it a try.
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