Been meaning to post this. This looks to me like a solid (and highly visual) procedure for engaging bloggy types that the US Air Force released recently.
(Originally found via this blog post from Wired) In terms of process, this is not unlike that SWARM methodology developed by Tod Maffin that I mentioned a while back. Being an infographic, it’s a lot easier to quickly digest than an overly wordy policy or vague guidelines. I could see a version of this being developed in many government workplaces (assuming employees are empowered to participate online in the first place). Very handy tool that you could post up on the wall of your cubicle. Here’s some context – from an insightful post from @dmscott at Web Ink Now on the Air Force’s recent social media efforts:
In an environment where many corporations are scared witless about social media, here a huge global organization firmly committed to social media communications to spread messages, stories, knowledge and ideals. [Capt. David Faggard, Chief of Emerging Technology at the Air Force Public Affairs Agency in the Pentagon – the man behind the chart] says that the focus is on: “Direct Action within Social Media (blogging, counter-blogging, posting products to YouTube, etc.); Monitoring and Analysis of the Social Media landscape (relating to Air Force and Airmen); and policy and education (educating all Public Affairs practitioners and the bigger Air Force on Social Media).”
I especially liked this bit:
If you’re nineteen years old and based in Afghanistan, you don’t just go and update your Facebook status with your exact location and duties. “We educate people in the Air Force about security of social media to make sure that people don’t expose secrets via Twitter or Facebook some other media,” Capt. Faggard says. “However, many airmen are really smart and communications can be very valuable to families and friends back home so we don’t want to close it down completely.”
i.e. the attitude is rather than block social sites willy nilly, educate, empower and trust your employees to use social software responsibly. Done right, this results in a better online reputation for the org, and a stronger engagement with your stakeholders and audiences too. Nice!