Thursday was a jammed packed day of information that came from attending the #140NWConf in Vancouver, WA. Hats off to the local Clark County Emergency Management CRESA staff who put this event on for the "world."
I've got a few observations to share with you from what I picked up by attending this event--in person.
- Jeff Pulver, the founder of #140 Conferences, had an idea about doing a conference carried live across the world that focused on social media. Instead of having hour long talks and breakout sessions, it is one big session with 10 minutes for individuals and 20 minutes for panels. We didn't have one PowerPoint presentation. Now it is being replicated across the world and saved to be used in the future via YouTube. His next one is in New York City in June.
- Jeff opened the session talking about as a kid being very lonely and also becoming a HAM Radio Operator. The connection between being a HAM Operator and social media is dramatic. A network of people you know, even from around the world who you have never met, yet with whom you interact everyday. It is a life changing and your new connections can abound. Jeff isn't lonely anymore!
- The biggest challenge I see in people is their being afraid of the medium for any number of reasons. One key one (once they get past the mechanics of using it) is that they consider it an additional thing to do. "How will I fit it into my day?" Here is the solution, it is not something additional that you do, it becomes part of how you do your work. Just as the Internet use of today is part of "how we function" so too social media needs to be integrated into your work life as just another tool.
- The media is doing the best job of using social media as part of how they do business today. They are still learning and adapting--but they are using it and they know there is no turning back. Their business will die without it!
- Hats off to the CRESA staff who put this on. Cheryl Bledsoe had the idea, but it was she and her team that pulled it off with technical help from many other people. A great example of a team effort.
- As the conference was about to go live and be streamed online in real time there was a technical glitch. It turned out that it was the provider's issue and not the team at the hotel. The problem was quickly fixed. All is not lost, the YouTube version of the entire day in segments will be up on the Internet in a couple of weeks. I'll be sure to share this with you when it comes out.
- Adapting to the crisis of the moment without live streaming was a lesson in itself. Situational awareness, troubleshooting and then finding another vendor to carry the conference. Compliments off to the service provider having the trouble, they recommended a competitor and did not try to string the #140ConfNW folks along.
- I helped moderate the event and there was no time to take your "eye off the ball" since the players were rotating so quickly. Only one goof--MINE! When I jumped the gun and did my own presentation "Adapting to No" ahead of where it should be on the agenda. Oops! How embarrassing was that!!! By the end of the day it felt like I'd been in an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) activation. Interestingly all the presenters showed up. There were no "no shows" for speakers that day.
I had to take a day of vacation in order to attend--but well worth the time and effort to do so. Watch for more information and a future article on "Adapting to No" at Emergency Management Magazine.
