Remember the movie called Six Degrees of Separation starring Stockard Channing (you know Rizzo from Grease?). O.K. so I’m showing my age now. It also starred a young Will Smith and Donald Sutherland, but enough of that! I had the pleasure of recently reading the script of the play upon which the movie is based. It was written by John Guare in 1990 and it raised this fantastic concept that we are separated at most by only six other people from every other person on this planet. The line itself is said by one of the main characters in the play, Ouisa, and she says…..

“I read somewhere that everybody on this planet is separated by only six other people. Six degrees of separation. Between us and everybody else on this planet. The President of the United States. A gondolier in Venice. Fill in the names. I find that A) tremendously comforting we’re so close and B) like Chinese water torture that we’re so close. Because you have to find the right six people to make the connection. It’s not just big names. It’s anyone. A native in a rainforest. A Tierra del Fuegan. An Eskimo. I am bound to everyone on this planet by a trail of six people. It’s a profound thought.”

You can watch the movie trailer where this line is repeated (more or less) or find out more about the history of the theory which apparently came from Nobel Peace Prize winner Guglielmo Marconi who attempted to find out the number of radio relays he would need to cover the earth.
Either way, it sure is a profound thought. There was even a game that someone dreamed up called “The Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” game…… you had to figure out how you were connected to the movie actor, Kevin Bacon (again, it’s an age thing).

But that was back in 1990 (or ’93 for the movie). It’s now 2011 and with social media being the “connection mecca” that it is, I started to wonder how many degrees of separation there are now between me and every other person on this planet. Surely it has to be less than 6……. 4?……. 3?…… who knows? And is it still comforting that we’re now even closer or is it even more torturous because we’re so close. Am I really that bothered about not being connected to an Eskimo or a gondolier in Venice or even Kevin Bacon? I have to admit that I like using Facebook and LinkedIn as a way of connecting with people I might not otherwise have had the chance to. But there are also times when people have tried to connect with me and I’ve thought “I wish it hadn’t been quite so easy for them to find me!” So maybe it’s not about how many degrees of separation there are but how quickly we now can make those connections. Finding “the right six people” (as Ouisa put it) is easier and faster than it’s ever been.

Perhaps John Guare needs to write a sequel to this much loved play and movie to bring it into the 21st century. If he did, what do you think the title of the play would be today? Would it be “Three Degrees of Separation” or would it be “Six Degrees of Separation at the Speed of Light”? Or perhaps you’ve got a better idea?

Have you had a drink this month?  Lots of us at Latitude have decided not to.

Gearing up for a dry February, Latitude has registered for FebFast 2011. For the next 28 days we’ve agreed to abstain from our glasses of bubbles, wine, beer and other such beverages (lucky it’s the shortest month!).

So what’s this all for?

In addition to the health of our “wallets, waistlines and livers”, we’re raising funds to give young people with drug and alcohol related problems a second chance at life.

Check it out at www.febfast.org.au- you can even sponsor us if you want to take up a good cause without having to forgo tonight’s bevvie!

Ok, well I’m off home now for a refreshing lemon, lime and soda tonight!

As a man I’ve been told that I am unable to simultaneously undertake a number of tasks at the same time. This is the domain of the female, who thanks to some clever wiring in the brain, which men do not possess, is able to have 3 conversations, shop, text, check email and read the latest copy of Women’s Health all at the same time. OK, maybe that is a little over the top, or is it?

Technology these days allows us the freedom and the ability to undertake tasks simultaneously. Ever since mobile phones were released, it was not enough for us just to make a phone call. We’ve always wanted more. From giving us the ability to text and take a grainy picture while playing a game of ‘Snake’ through to today’s smartphones which allow us to do so much more at the one time. Take the recently released Windows Phone for instance. The home screen alone allows you to see your calls, emails, text messages, social network updates, photos and even more all at the same time. Think about the level of information available to you and this is even before you look up and take in your actual physical surrounds.

The question then stands, with all this information coming at us at once, how much of it are we actually taking in? Can we actually soak up everything we are bombarded with?

In the work place, studies have found that this information overload is a serious issue, with a study of 1,700 people by LexisNexis indicating that 49% of respondents couldn’t deal with the amount of information that they were being presented with each day. This is work related information of course but then put on top a personal life and the need to be connected with this each day, makes this statistic a little frightening.

With the seemingly unending pursuit of having our lives at our fingertips added to the responsibilities that we have in the workplace, something has got to give. Of the 49% studied by LexisNexis, 51% of them said that they were on the verge of giving up. Not a good sign.

Given that the ability to connect with the outside world is likely to continue increasing in complexity as time goes by, I think it is time that us males learn how to multi task better!

Author’s Note: Whilst writing this blog, I was not on Facebook, texting or reading Women’s Health.

The online tax push by Gerry Harvey (Harvey Norman), and other large Australian retailers such as Myer, David Jones, Target, House, Borders is receiving incredible (and ongoing) backlash from angry consumers. What the retailers are proposing, is for either the local GST to be scrapped on goods sold for less than $1000, or for a similar duty to be applied to goods bought from overseas online sites.

This tax push reveals two key points – the retailers’ lack of understanding of their customers, and their lack of understanding of the power of social media.

The ordinary people on the street (aka the customers) are flocking to Twitter, Facebook and YouTube to express their anger and disgust over the retailers’ proposition. In fact, the retailers’ public push for this online tax appears to have opened a can of worms. While many people are now saying they will no longer buy from these stores (particularly Harvey Norman), it has also provided consumers the chance to air ALL their grievances to do with the big retailers.

Media reports that the retailers are stunned by the reaction from consumers, which is interesting as we all know shoppers love getting a ‘bargain’. And they love the convenience of shopping online. Combine the two and it’s a heady mix. Trying to take this away from them is like taking a lollipop from a child. It’s never going to end well.

Before the advent of social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube etc (that allow everyone a say) this proposed online tax would probably have gotten off the ground without a peep to be heard from disgruntled consumers.

However, social media has changed all this, as borne out by the reactions to this proposed campaign.

Following the public outcry, a recent media release from Gerry Harvey reveals he is stepping away from the campaign, saying it was ‘suicidal’ to have been involved. The backlash to him personally and his chain of franchises, Harvey Norman, has been too strong.

The irony in all this is that retailers source cheap goods and labour from overseas (and consumers are aware of this), but do not want consumers to be able to do the same.

A lesson in amongst this entire fracas is that companies need to create sustainable and mutually respectful relationships with their customers.

In the meantime, the retailers have alerted the public as a whole to the advantages of online shopping with overseas companies – wide range, big savings. Welcome to the 21st century!

The polls below tell the story.
Source: Sydney Morning Herald 7 Jan 2011

It has been a pretty hectic first month for me at Latitude Insights but what a blast it’s been. Already immersed in two very different communities it’s been great to learn and understand the various methods that make managing a community such a rewarding and valuable experience, not just for me but for our clients and members as well.

I have an online research background, so the idea of communicating with people via the Internet wasn’t new to me and is something I find very interesting. There is definitely a certain skill required to get the most out of people with whom you have no actual direct contact with but as people become more and more online savvy, the less noticeable the gap between online and offline communications continues to become. You may miss out on seeing how people express themselves physically but online I find that people are much more inclined to open up to you with information they may not usually share in a face to face environment.

Online communities evolve and run like any other community. There are leaders, there are followers and a mesh of relationships will build with time. What surprises me is just how quickly this happens. After the initial login, members introduce themselves and find common ground, as you would when you meet someone for the first time in real life. As a moderator, it’s a matter of using and nurturing these relationships in order to get participants talking with each other and also with me. Before long members are discussing and posting topics of their own such is the comfort that they have sharing information in the community. Communicating online is now no longer seen as scary or the domain of the IT geeks and as a result people are so much more comfortable engaging with others and meeting new friends. They help each other, they celebrate each other’s achievements and support each other through troubled times, just like a real community.

As a moderator I’ve learned that in the end I have to keep order but still don’t want to be the ‘tough guy’ who isn’t seen to have fun or have a personality and can be someone who members will want to chat and share their experiences with. How can I expect everyone in the community to share themselves if I’m not doing it myself?

I was used conducting focus groups with up to 8 participants at a time so have had to adjust to communities of over 100 running over a much longer time period. Sure, not everyone is talking at the same time but it really is great to see a larger group dynamic evolve to include me but also the experience of friendships grow and build.

Like the communities, I’m looking forward to growing and building upon my experience as time goes on.

Latitude Insights has outgrown its office and we are gearing up to move to our new home later this month. Our larger team brings fresh perspectives and different ways of thinking. At the same time, we are also aware of maintaining Latitude’s close-knit collaborative culture, whilst harnessing ideas within a larger number of people.

Creativity is pivotal for progressive thinking. At Latitude we have tried to adapt a culture to reflect this…

Knowledge sharing is key to our creative process, and ideas can come from anyone. Internally, the titles on our business cards do not mean much. We have access to everyone’s ‘knowledge bank’ and thus ideas are discovered, nurtured and swiftly shared. Thought exchange is encouraged, and we all have the option to formally present our ideas to the rest of the team. The simple act of eating lunch together triggers insight, as we compare notes on how we are doing things, and how things could be done better. There is a 360-degree flow of information, from all levels of the business.

Whilst these everyday practices appear to be insignificant, their role in inventiveness is crucial. After all, it takes only a small seed of inspiration for creativity to flourish.

It’s almost been a year since I started working with insights communities and I have learnt that they are filled with constant surprises. If you had asked me last September, what I expected from a role of an insights community moderator, I would have summed up, “To facilitate focus groups…online”. So a year later, what do I have to add?

Today I would say that a community moderator is more than just a facilitator. We spend months with participants in a community – I’ve even had a member describe the community as his “second family”. This is not unexpected; given that everyday we are invited into the lives of members. We travel their paths through pregnancies, holidays, graduations, and even funerals. The role of moderator is stretched to confidante, advisor, watchdog, IT tech, storyteller, leader, pupil, events organiser, cheerleader, and friend.

So, walking the thin line between the professional and personal, how does this tie in with our research? How do we remain objective, whilst we are subjective to the trials and tribulations of our members? I believe we don’t. Through the lens of familiarity, we grasp a deeper understanding of where members are coming from. Communities provide an environment to harness relationships, and this is a unique opportunity for qualitative research.

In the last year I have learnt how to be a better moderator by getting to know members. I have learnt how to be a better researcher by analysing data within a broader context. I look forward to the next 365 days of communities, and welcome whatever twists and turns they may bring…

Part of what I love about working with the team at Latitude is the opportunity to laugh each and every day.

Throughout the week, our community moderators post blogs to their members to touch base, say hello, give them an update and (hopefully) make them smile.

With our unique approach to community engagement, moderators are encouraged to inject a healthy dose of their own personality into communications with their members, with often humorous results. Throwing in a few tidbits of novelty information, or a joke or two allows us all to reveal a little about what interests us, makes us tick, or cracks us up, which in turn encourages members to do the same.

Here’s a couple of snippets from some recent moderator blogs…

One moderator shares her weekend of indulgence with her community…

To celebrate International Talk Like A Pirate Day…

While this sort of dialogue may not be a source for powerful insights for our clients, what it does facilitate is a fun, friendly atmosphere in which our members can express themselves openly, engage with us as moderators and bond with each other as members.

Because after all, who doesn’t love to laugh every now and again!