We invite you to be part of the process of building the 'next generation' of the ruralnet|online service. You can do any of the following:

* BROWSE AROUND and see the collective ideas and thinking. Take away what you like if you think it will be useful in your work. Everything on here is accessible to everyone on an attribution/share-alike basis
* COMMENT ANONYMOUSLY
* REGISTER AND WRITE your own thoughts and have your comments attributed to you

Here's some background information:
- what's ruralnet|online?
- what are the objectives of this process?
- >>more

Thanks for joining in.

Here's some background information:
- what's ruralnet|online?
- what are the objectives of this process?
- what's the timetable?
- is this part of a bigger strategy?
- the ruralnet|uk communications strategy
- can I contribute in other ways?
- how can a keep a track of what's going on? Do I have to visit this website everyday?

- all items tagged 'background'

No, you don't need to visit this website everyday to check for new contributions. There are three options for keeping track of what's going on on this website:

If you use an RSS Reader (skip to 3 you you don't know what this is) you can:

1 - subscribe to a feed that will let you know when a new item is posted here
2 - subscribe to another feed that will let you know when a comment is posted here

If you use email you can:
3 - subscribe to receive email updates by entering your email on the homepage (bottom right).

All subscription options are available at the bottom right of the homepage.

Well, yes, but it would be MUCH BETTER if you could register and contribute here. However, during this exercise we will be scouring the Internet for anything tagged 'ruralnet' and bringing it into this website. So, if you're already blogging elsewhere and write something that you think would be useful to us please add 'ruralnet' as a tag.

Or, you can email us at create@ruralnet.org.uk

Many thanks.

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In October 2006 we used the net:gain methodology to review our strategy for the delivery of our online services. The outcome was scarey! We had a lot of work to do. We realised that we had to completely re-engineer our systems so that we could operate online in the same way that we operate offline. Offline we support local action by adding value to what is already going on. But online we expected everyone to come to us for support. We needed to change this. We needed to add value to what was going on locally or within existing online communities.

So, we came up with the plan with 4 threads of activity - see image - click on it to enlarge. The first 2 threads were quick wins. Thread 1 was about getting our open access services (Inforurale and xPRESS Digest) onto the next generation of technology so that others could pull the information they need into their existing websites. Thread 2 focussed on moving our own corporate websites on to 'Web 2.0' platforms so that we could also pull the content of Inforurale an xPRESS onto our own sites. We also wanted to move the control of website content from our IT Team and put into the hands of the 'owners' of each website. This thread went hand in hand with the development of a new Communications Strategy which I am happy to post if people are interested.

Thread 3 was more difficult as it relates to services were we need to know the identification of the user. However, this is now largely complete and our new Experts Online service was launched in late October 2007.

This consultation/co-creation activity relates to Thread 3 and is about pulling together services and providing facilities to enable collaboration between all those involved in rural regeneration in the UK. However, we expect to utilise the lessons we learn here for other online collaborative communities.

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Our objectives are:

1 To involve as many people as possible in defining what the new ruralnet|online should be. These will include:
- past users
- existing users
- potential users
- the best brains in the business of online communities

2 To collectively produce a specification for the new ruralnet|online

3 To learn - everyone who visits this website should learn something

4 To build relationships that will be helpful in our future work

5 To launch the new ruralnet|online on 10/4/08 at collaborate|2008

6 To have fun

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ruralnet|online is ruralnet|uk's online service providing support services to individuals, communities and organisations involved in UK rural development. ruralnet|online was launched in March 1998 (more here).

The services delivered to users have developed and changed in relevance over the years. When launched most people did not have email and this was a key attraction. We have also provided a telephone support service to users. Again, this was a key part of the service for the majority of our users who were new to the use of online services.

Other services include Experts Online, GrantNET and xPRESS Digest.

Over the last 12 months ruralnet|uk has moved the individual services to 'next generation' technical platforms (aka Web 2.0). We are now able to redesign ruralnet|online a make it more accessible and easier to use. This consultation and co-creation exercise will shape the next version which will be launched at ruralnet|uk's collaborate|2008 event on 10/4/08. Return to the homepage

I mentioned silos in my previous post and I think it's worth expanding on what effect they have on the business model of something like ruralnet|online.

In the beginning there was the flower and its petals