1. Program Management in
a Connected World
PM Challenge
February 9-10, 2010
Skip Hatfield
Project Manager – International Space Station
Common Docking Adapter, NASA JSC
Beth Dickey
Public Affairs Specialist, NASA HQ
Used with Permission
2. A Changing World
• Just a few years ago, the program manager
did not need to spend a great deal of time
thinking about external communication
• “Just leave it to PAO”
– They’ll tell you when you need to show up for a
press conference
– They’ll ask you for information/comments on
questions from reporters
In today’s digital world, communication is
instant. Your message creates immediate
perceptions almost immediately. Make
sure it’s a message you can live with!
February 9-10, 2010 PM Challenge 2
3. How The World Changed
• “Individuals who never dreamt they could
upload…suddenly found that they can have
a global impact on the world, as
individuals.”
– Thomas Friedman, The World is Flat
• Info consumers became info producers
• Blogs emerged
• Social media applications proliferated
February 9-10, 2010 PM Challenge 3
4. Make Way for PREDITORs
• Traditional media were slow to adopt new
distribution channels and business models
• Downsizing hit veteran space reporters
• PREDITOR – online video producer,
reporter, editor
February 9-10, 2010 PM Challenge 4
6. Implications for the Program Manager
• Like any emerging technology, today’s
rapidly changing information environment
offers both threats and opportunities
• The threat
– Others will define your message – and they
may not always be altruistic!
– Provides great forum for those with alternative
visions
• The opportunity
– Share thoughts, plans and accomplishments
and get feedback
– Engage stakeholders in creative new ways
February 9-10, 2010 PM Challenge 6
7. Information Moves Fast…
Email sent evening of Sept 2….
From: Hanley, Jeffrey M. (JSC-ZA111) Within a couple of hours, picked
Sent: Wednesday, September 02, 2009 up by multiple sites including
10:06 PM NASA Watch, Orlando Sentinel,
To: Coats, Michael {Jsc-Center- and Space Politics
Director}(JSC-AA111)
Subject: Reaction......
Leaked to Florida Today early Sept 8…
February 9-10, 2010 PM Challenge 7
8. Blogs Attract Opinions
Within minutes of posting, comments begin
to appear – and many are full of vitriol,
personal attacks, questions of integrity
Information shared through social
media often moves faster than
NASA can, leaving stakeholders
demanding answers.
February 9-10, 2010 PM Challenge 8
9. “The Deciders”
Video posted on YouTube using excerpts from Augustine Hearings
February 9-10, 2010 PM Challenge 9
10. What is Social Media?
• User-generated content
• A conversation
February 9-10, 2010 PM Challenge 10
11. Growth of Social Media
• Facebook
• January 2009 150 million users
• December 2009 350 million users
• Twitter (web visitors only)
• January 2009 6 million users
• December 2009 23 million users
• http://acarvin.posterous.com/social-media-trends-2009-and-beyond
February 9-10, 2010 PM Challenge 11
12. How NASA Uses Social Media
February 9-10, 2010 PM Challenge 12
13. NASA Sets the Standard
• Among the most successful
implementations of social media in
government
• 116 channels and counting on YouTube,
Facebook, Flickr and Ustream
• Official terms of service agreements
February 9-10, 2010 PM Challenge 13
14. STS-129 Tweetup: A Case Study
• For the first time, Twitter followers were
invited to witness a space shuttle launch –
Nov. 16, 2009
• Goals: share launch excitement with a new
audience and spur international discussion
of NASA via social media
• 101 tweeps
• 21 states and D.C., Canada, England,
Morocco, New Zealand
• Brought 150,000 followers
• Gained 23,000 followers
February 9-10, 2010 PM Challenge 14
15. STS-129 Tweetup:
Traditional Media Coverage
• NBC, CNN, CNN International
• Major TV network affiliates highlighted
local participants
• NPR, AP Radio News, Federal News Radio
• SpaceflightNow.com covered Tweetup in
parallel with the launch countdown
• Associated Press story ran in Wall Street
Journal, USA Today, Houston Chronicle,
Newsday, Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe
and 20 other publications
• +1,300 related online articles
February 9-10, 2010 PM Challenge 15
16. STS-129 Tweetup:
New Media Coverage
• Ustream: 7,724 unique viewers (total
12,730)
• #nasatweetup hashtag reached No. 3
trending topic on Twitter
• 3,000 tweets in < 2 hours
• 10,484 tweets by 8 a.m. Nov. 24
• +960 people contributing tweets
• 400,000 people in 2 days exposed to NASA
messages
• +2,000 Flickr photos
February 9-10, 2010 PM Challenge 16
17. Social Media is Hard Work
• ~$50,000 for logistics and audiovisual
support and travel
• +30 employees (HQ, KSC, KSC Visitor
Complex)
• 188 work days
• Biweekly or weekly telecons for four
months prior to the event
February 9-10, 2010 PM Challenge 17
18. Trending Social Media Topics
• Trust and credibility
• Safety and security
• Success and maturity
• Record retention
• Content management
• Control
February 9-10, 2010 PM Challenge 18
19. Benefits of Using NASA’s Infrastructure
• Metrics
• Trained professionals to help
February 9-10, 2010 PM Challenge 19
20. Getting Started
• NASA has terms of service agreements
with Flickr, Ustream, YouTube, Facebook
and Twitter
• To use these tools as official agency
communications: http://apps..gov and
follow the instructions
• See an apps.gov tool you like but we aren’t
using? Request a NASA terms of service
agreement
February 9-10, 2010 PM Challenge 20
21. Use Social Media Successfully
• Tell your own story (good or bad) before
someone else tells it for you
• Understand the pitfalls
• Make a communication plan and update it
frequently
• Set realistic goals
• Analyze return on investment
• Maintain the conversation
February 9-10, 2010 PM Challenge 21
22. The Manager’s Responsibility…
• Managing your program’s message needs
to be an integral part of your daily activity
– Understand what is being said about your
program
– Learn how to communicate your vision, your
mission, and your progress
• Being prepared to quickly respond to
misleading or inaccurate stories being
spread
• Essential to actively develop a simple
description of your mission and plans
February 9-10, 2010 PM Challenge 22
23. Openness and Transparency
• The best policy is always to be forthright
and open
• The current administration has a clear
policy on openness in government
– “My Administration is committed to creating an
unprecedented level of openness in
Government. We will work together to ensure
the public trust and establish a system of
transparency, public participation, and
collaboration. Openness will strengthen our
democracy and promote efficiency and
effectiveness in Government.”
www.whitehouse.gov
February 9-10, 2010 PM Challenge 23
24. Thoughts for the PM
• Be aware of what’s being said
– Read the most important blogs daily
– Keep abreast of all the news
February 9-10, 2010 PM Challenge 24
26. Closing Thoughts
• New realities in external communication
require new ways of thinking
• The world of communication is evolving
rapidly and the rules are changing
• It’s important for the program manager to
be aware of these trends, and to adapt!
February 9-10, 2010 PM Challenge 26
28. Brief Blog List
• NASA Watch (www.nasawatch.com)
• Space Politics (www.spacepolitics.com)
• Flame Trench
(http://www.floridatoday.com/content/blogs
/space/)
• NASASpaceflight (www.nasaspaceflight.com)
• Space (www.space.com)
• Space Review (www.thespacereview.com)
February 9-10, 2010 PM Challenge 28
