Presented by Nicola Osborne at the University of Edinburgh MSc in E-Learning Alumni Seminar, which took place at the Virtual University of Edinburgh in Second Life on Wednesday 20th February.

1. The Course of Online Events
Never Did Run Smooth?
20th February 2013
Nicola Osborne
Nicola.osborne@ed.ac.uk

2. Introduction to Will’s World
• 10 month project to create a Shakespeare
Registry enabling discovery across
Shakespeare resources.
• Aim: demonstrate the value and principle of
aggregation as a tactic.
• Part of the JISC/RLUK Discovery initiative
• Anticipated users include developers,
Shakespeare researchers, etc.

3. Will’s World Blog

4. Will’s World at Culture Hack Scotland
• Participation and creation of Macbeth XML and related
resources for Culture Hack Scotland 2012 (prior to the
completion and launch of the Registry).
• 3 hacks, including Winning “Shakey App” based on Will’s
World data.
• Raised awareness of
project, data and potential
use of Will’s World Registry.

5. Will’s World Registry

6. Will’s World Hack
• Event to raise awareness of the Registry and
potential use.
• Originally planned as in-person event.
• Online event selected as innovative, accessible,
and viable for short timescale (approx. 4 weeks).
• Team conducted a feasibility study and survey of
potential participants to identify interest,
technologies, format, practical issues.
• Significant challenges: identifying participant
community, supporting participation, enabling
team formation, making it tangible.

7. Making it Tangible: Survival Packs

8. Sharing Hack Spaces…
Ruff: Will’s World Survival Pack /Muriel of Edinburgh. Model: Kiwi the Cat. Photographer and
Styling: Muriel Mewissen, Will’s World Project Manager. Laser eyes: Model’s own.

9. Support: Check-ins via Google+ Hangouts

10. Support: Twitter & IRC
• Team &
Developers
available via
Twitter, IRC.
• Support in
working hours via
email and check
ins.
• Support in
evenings &
weekends.

11. Support: Google+ Circle & Community
• Google+ Circle for
registered
participants
• Google+
Communities
launched during
the event, allowed
ongoing
discussion.
• YouTube more
accessible archive.

12. Creating a Buzz: Pinterest
• Test

13. What We Learned: Online Hack Format
• Lack of clarity around hack roles put off some
potential participants with great ideas.
• Online-only format appealed more to developers
and more technical participants.
• A week is perhaps too long/too much like work for
engagement in this sort of event.
• Offline hacks are usually a space to experiment
away from work distractions. Harder to make space
for online hack participation in busy lives with lots
of distractions and competing priorities.
• BUT some brilliant hacks were created!

14. What We Learned: Supporting Online Hacks
• More time in planning and supporting the Hack
would have been beneficial.
• Online participants come to organisers for support
more frequently, offline hack participants are more
likely to support each other.
• Facilitating team formation online was very tricky,
particularly when individuals have disparate
schedules, time zones, interests.
• Too many communications choices was more
confusing for participants, and time consuming for
staff, than actually useful.

15. The Hacks: A Brilliant Array!

16. Would we do it again?
Yes!
•Some things worked brilliantly: tangibility; developer
support; check-ins; video; silliness.
•Some aspects we knew might be an issue (e.g. lead
time, support requirements, team building) and we
would improve upon.
•Some things we would change: use fewer
technologies; tie the online hack into some sort of in-
person activity/meet ups; earlier matchmaking
between developers and other participants.

17. Find out more…
• Registry: http://willsworld.edina.ac.uk/
• Blog: http://willsworld.blogs.edina.ac.uk/
• Project Page:
http://edina.ac.uk/projects/shakespeare_summary.htm
• Google+ Community:
https://plus.google.com/communities/10622650294610300
8023
• YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/willsworldhack
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/WillsWorldHack
• Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/willsworldhack/
• Will’s World at CHS 2012:
http://willsworld.blogs.edina.ac.uk/2012/04/30/wills-world-
at-culture-hack-scotland/