Listening and Lurking - Identifying Business Problems in Need of Information Solutions
Jinfo Blog

By Jan Sykes

Abstract

With lean staffing in many organisations and less time for face-to-face discussions, information managers are testing alternative ways to interact with their target audience. Jan Sykes discusses how lurking in online communities and social networks can be a helpful means of learning about issues relevant to co-workers and associates. Lurking and listening are viewed as a part of a more comprehensive strategy for managing social media content along with other information resources.

Item

We live with an embarrassment of riches in terms of channels for professional communications - starting with the traditional enterprise email discussion groups, collaboration rooms and enterprise social media resources. These are now layered with open virtual communities and special interest groups. 

Such communities are often comprised of persons from around the world connected with a goal of asking questions, sharing ideas, and collaborating. 

Information professionals may find that identifying and listening in on these virtual conversations are ideal ways to hear first-hand about current business problems in need of information solutions, particularly if they lurk - follow the conversation without posting for a while - in sites where their co-workers post actively.

Protocols for Participating

Once you determine sites or groups where colleagues are posting, how do you join the conversation? It is important to consider and abide by some basic protocols, including:

• Can anyone join or is an invitation required?
• How will you introduce yourself?
• Can anyone contribute to the discussion?

Lurking enables you to become familiar with topics being discussed, key contributors, influential voices, and the general tone of the conversation. 

Upon hearing questions or points of frustration to which you can offer relevant solutions, you will then feel free to engage in the discussion with specific answers or recommendations for appropriate content sources or advice regarding research tactics. 

Benefits of Engagement

We have heard from information managers that this tactic yields numerous benefits, including:

• Fresh insights into important current business issues
• Extending their reach within their current user base
• Virtually meeting new clients
• Affording opportunities to recommend specialised information resources
• Increased visibility for the information professional role and potential contributions.

Social Media Strategy

Listening and lurking is a practical approach to becoming more involved in online communities and the broader enterprise social network. 

There is also a strategic role for information managers. Given the prevalence of social content and increasingly sophisticated tools for filtering and analysing it, information managers' outreach strategy and operational plans must include efforts to manage those aspects of social media of greatest value to the organisation.

Find Out More

In the Subscription Article "Leveraging Social Media to Discover Information Needs", Jan Sykes shares her thoughts on the importance of recognising social media trends, particularly ways in which social media is becoming embedded in the enterprise.

Social media components must become incorporated in the information centre communications and outreach planning in order to keep abreast of important conversations and business discussions, meeting our users where they are.  

This Blog Item is part of the FreePint Topic Series "Making Information Visible".

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