The main Internet benefits and tools

We suggested earlier that benefits for residents and housing associations might come in three areas: online services, increased resident participation and community development, and personal learning and work opportunities.

  • Different Internet benefits for individuals and organisations (e.g. information, communication, operational effectiveness) need different Internet tools (email, web - and more).

  • Achieving the benefits requires far more than access and equipment - it may involve training, support, development and management of content.

  • Some benefits can be realised through public or community access, through digital TV or mobile phones. Others require home access to Internet-enabled computers.

Types of benefits

The type of specific benefit achieved by the use of ICTs by individuals, groups and non-profit organisations usually falls within the five categories below. For a more substantial discussion of benefits see http://www.makingthenetwork.org/tools/bene.htm. In summary:

  • Information: finding information by searching the web and online forums, participating in forums and email discussion lists, receiving email newsletters, using portal sites.

  • Communication. One-to-one, one-to-many, and many-to-many forms of communication by email and other tools. This may be within an organisation, between organisations, and/or between individuals.

  • Collaboration. Using email, the web and other tools to work with others. Best done in association with other methods (phone, meeting). Visibility. The web and email can provide even small organisations and individuals with a substantial presence and increased influence. This may be through creation of a website, but also through participation in online forums.

  • Managing efficiently. Email, group working tools and the web can all be used by individuals and organisations to improve the way they do things.

Tools

Most people using the Net are familiar with one-to-one email and finding information by searching the web. Some may be creating websites. Often, however, the most useful tools like email lists are overlooked or used inefficiently. In this study we have reviewed:

  • Email. Basic one-to-one communication.

  • Email newsletters. Emails with news items which may include links to websites, sent by one person to many but without a facility for subscribers to respond to each other.

  • Email lists. Systems which enable subscribers to send an email to an email postbox which then 'starbursts' their message to all other subscribers, creating the potential for an online forum.

  • Text messaging. One-to-one and one-to-many by mobile phone, and computer to phone.

  • Chat. Real-time 'me-you-them-me-you' etc. text exchanges on a website with a number of people, which may or may not be moderated.

  • Instant messaging. One-to-one real-time chat with the ability to see whether nominated users are online and available for exchanges.

  • Online forums on websites, also called message boards. These can work if there is a lot of traffic on the website and keen interest in issues. Otherwise email alerts may be useful to remind people of the opportunity for discussion.

  • Intranets - in effect private Internet. Systems which provide users with a range of integrated tools for publishing and retrieving information, communicating, collaborating and carrying out other online activities. These are increasingly deployed within large organisations and - with appropriate development and management - become an integral part of the organisation's day-to-day operations. They provide organisations with enormous internal benefits, and are sometimes extended as extranets to include clients and suppliers (with differing degrees of access).

  • Enhanced email lists. A number of commercial suppliers (e.g. http:// www.yahoogroups.com, http://www.smartgroups.com) offer email list facilities together with a website for the list which archives messages, and also offers calendars, polls, file libraries and other facilities for subscribers. These services are free to subscribers, supported by advertisements. They allow subscribers to create a communications platform which has some of the characteristics of an intranet or extranet. However, added features require registration which can be complex. If technical expertise is available, an alternative is to assemble the tools from different free or ad-support sources.

  • Audio and video files. Given access to an appropriate server (computer permanently connected to and accessible on the Net) and audio/video equipment, it is possible to publish files which users can download and play or 'stream' (that is, play as soon as they are accessed online). A number of community technology projects and media centres are showing the way, and UK online centres are increasingly likely to develop these capabilities.

  • Websites. Because websites are easy to understand for non-users of the Net, or those with limited experience, they may be cited together with one-to-one email as 'the solution' rather than as part of the mix. It is rather as if all print communication were seen as letters and magazines. Websites are relatively easy to publish, but require careful planning to be effective and considerable maintenance if they are to be more than static brochures or snapshots of information. They can at one level be a simple collection of pages (which might otherwise appear in print), or a portal or gateway to a wide range of other communication tools.

  • Search engines. While search engines don't index everything on the Net (and may give prominence to those who pay for the privilege) they do allow those seeking information to find an incredible array of content and contacts.

  • Video conferencing and Net meetings. Private and public sector organisations are increasingly using a mix of video, audio, graphic and text environments to hold virtual meetings. Most tools are available free, and usable with a fast connection.

There is more about basic tools at http://www.makingthenetwork.org/ tools/nettools.htm.

Achieving the benefits

Net tools - and content associated with them - can only be brought into play when a number of other things are in place, either within the home or office.

  • Appropriate infrastructure - the pipes and boxes. This may be the public Internet or specific local systems - for example, cabling on an estate, a wireless network - together with the permanently connected computers needed to handle local content or route other material.

  • Private access. Home users have to be able to connect to the Internet or local system through their computer, TV set-top box or mobile device. They may use a slow telephone line connection or faster 'broadband' link is that is available by cable or other means. Faster generally means more expensive.

  • Equipment: the computers or other device must be capable of running the necessary software to deploy the tools. Today's mobile phones handle email, text messages and some web. Most computers bought within the last two years will run or can access the tools listed. Digital TV can be used for web and email, but there are limitations.

  • Confidence and competence. Even with the necessary equipment and access many people find computers daunting and a completely new and challenging experience. They will often need training and support.

  • Public or community access. Online centres can offer free or lowcost access and equipment for people and the support of staff or other users, and as such are an enormously important bridge to the online world. However, they are not necessarily a substitute for home access if people wish to make extensive use of the Net. There's a big difference between public access - Internet-enabled computers for use in public places - and community access with others around to help.

  • Content. If landlords and residents are to use the Net for housingrelated benefits, they will need to develop new content and services. This may range from putting information currently in print on to the web - perhaps without much benefit - to repairs-reporting, exchanges, community information, discussions, self-publishing.

  • Information moderators and managers. While many of the tools can be used on an individual basis, many-to-many communication and collaborative working depends upon someone in the online community having some skills in facilitating interactions. In addition, at the organisational level, information will rapidly become unusable unless there is a management strategy which integrates online with print and other information.

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