Mid-term ReviewBrussels, 22 March 2012

The project TAO is managed by the Bern University of Applied Sciences and is co-funded under the Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) Joint Programme by the Swiss Federal Office for Professional Education and Technology, the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, and the European Commission.

www.thirdageonline.eu

Content

• Project Overview

• How the Project Creates Value: Project Activities

• Organizational Issues / Management Issues

• Impact and Dissemination

1. Project Overview

(20 min)

Project TAO (Third Age Online)

Three Main Goals:

1. Develop and disseminate effective methods to encourage older persons to join

online communities

2. Develop new service offerings in the context of online communities

3. Improve the user experience of community platforms (accessibility, usability,

sociability)

For the Benefit of Seniors, Online Communities, and Society (Triple Win)

Two Central Questions:

How can we stimulate older persons (60+) to participate in online communities? (to integrate them & enhance their social relationships in later life)?

How can we use the growing number of older persons to boost collaboration in online communities?

Consortium Partners / Co-operating Partners*

* The size of the dots is proportional to the amount of project work / volume of in kind contributions of the partners (as of Oct. 2010)

Wikimedia Deutschland

Berner Fachhochschule

Seniorweb.NL

UM Merit

Universität Ulm

Zeix AGStiftung Zugang für alleWikimedia Schweiz

Seniorweb CH

Swisscom AG

terzStiftungMD Systems

Coop

Management Structure

B. Estermann (BUAS)B. Estermann (a.i)P. Kenel+ various team members

B. Estermann (a.i.)

R. Glott (UM Merit)

S. BannierD. RichterT. SchwarzeF. ThiloT. HelferM. MarquardM. Westerhaus

M. Marquard (ZAWiW)

M. WesterhausR. SchneiderS. BannierA. Ninck, J. BennettK. Torben-NielsenB. EstermannS. Lücke, D. Reich

P. Kenel (WMCH)

A. BühlmannW. AffentrangerK. GrabenhorstE. Schmidt+ numerous volunteers/ staff members

E. Klein (BUAS)

M. RieschA. BolfingM. DietikerS. Grossenbacher

8 PM

107.5 PM 13 PM56 PM53 PM

28.5 PM

28 PM

Community Activities and Action Research (SP 1/4)- Goal of the Activities and Action Research

• show older persons the possibilities of using the internet for collaboration and networking

• conceptualizing and initiating different activities & covering with action research

• experiences have to be collected and systematized for transfer

- Strategies

• diverse activities from rather traditional (face-to-face) activation and advertising to new online activities and

collaboration in virtual groups

• broad and also target group-specific addressment; homogeneous age groups and intergenerational settings

- Difficulties / Challenges

• many older persons have strong reservations against online activities, they cannot imagine the personal

benefit for their everyday lives

• we have to demonstrate the potential personal benefit to be gained from online collaboration and online

communities not only for the fourth age but also for the third age

• Our results indicate that using or not using online communities is less a question of technological barriers

(usability) but rather a question of motivation and the expected benefit

• role models and good examples are needed

Software Development (SP 2)

- Goals

• Improvement of User Experience for online community platforms

• Focus on Usability and Accessibility

- Platforms

• MediaWiki wrt. Accessibility / Partner: „Access for All“ (and WM CH/D)

• Drupal wrt. Usability / Partner: MD Systems (main contributor for Drupal

platform)

- Goals reached

• Accessibility Test for German Wikipedia, based on WCAG 2.0

• Usability Enhancements for D7 published and released

Impact analysis (SP 5)

Purpose of the SP• An account of measures and effects that also includes a validation in terms of success

and conditions under which these measures have been implemented.

Activities• Surveys

- Cross-sectional survey onliners (two wave) vs. offliners (first onliner survey completed, cf. infra)

- Re-analysis Wikipedia & FLOSSPOLS surveys• Context analysis

- Scope / target group: Organizations offering online services for seniors, either as a direct target group or as part of a broader target group

- Illustrates a broader range of activities that aim at similar targets as TAO and to which TAO activities and results can be compared

Problems / Difficulties / Challenges• Delayed start of survey in Germany

Evaluation (SP 6)

- Purpose of the SP

• Evaluate the project activities with regard to the triple win objective (benefits for

seniors, online communities, and society) from a multi-stakeholder perspective

(Evaluation & Advisory Board); provide guidance with regard to dissemination

- Activities

• Regulary inform the Evaluation & Advisory Board about project activities

• Annual E&A Board Meeting (very positive first meeting in Sept. 2011)

• Follow-up on E&A Board recommendations

- Difficulties / Challenges

• Withdrawal of the lead person early 2012 following a promotion

• Keep up the dialogue with the E&A Board during the year

• Make better use of the E&A Board for outreach activities

Public Relations / Community Relations (SP 7)

- Purpose of the SP

• Manage the flow of information between the TAO project and its publics – both

the public at large and the participating communities.

• Ensure a positive perception of the project within the communities involved.

• Provide the project with the necessary publicity to ensure maximum impact.

- Activities

• Maintain the project Website

• Presence at fairs, conferences, etc.

• Media relations / Relations to political stakeholders

- Difficulties / Challenges

• „Interim“ solution after the departure of the initial lead person early 2011; lack of

personnel resources

• Concentrated efforts (selling „the project“) vs. autonomous actions by partners

(selling individual project activities; enabling partners)

2. How Does the Project Create Value? (Project Activities)

(30 min)

TAO-Actions: measures for mobilization, integration and retention (SP1/4)

Silberwissen - Winning and Activating Seniors

Information- and motivation lecture

Goals: To informTo whet appetite for contributingQuality assurance Open knowledge

Workshop 1Editing in Wikipedia

Goal: Each participant has written and formatted texts with Wikipedia-SyntaxPracticing in one‘s own accountWriting, copying and formatting texts independentlyRequirements for text contributions

Workshop 2Wikicommons – uploading and using own pictures

Goal: Each participant has uploaded and linked 2-4 pictures with the Wikipedia sitesBasic information about free licensesWikicommons as the world‘s biggest free media collectionUploading and linking own pictures with articles

Silberwissen-Goals in TAO 1.Project year

Freie Fahrt ins Internet

- Info Stand, Courses/Workshops, Support,

E-Learning, and Community to improve older

people‘s online experience

- For Seniors by Seniors (mostly volunteers)

- low-threshold, easy access

- Main Partners:

• seniorweb.ch

• Coop

• Pro Senectute Thurgau

• Wikimedia CH

• Swisscom

• Bern University of Applied Sciences

Freie Fahrt ins Internet - Objectives

First Year Realizations Second Year Goals

Volunteers 42 new „Ambassadors“, „Workshop Instructors“, and „IT-Helpers“6000+ hrs of volunteering

40 „Workshop Instructors“

80 regional „IT-Helpers“

Info Stand and Introductory Workshops

2 course locations 108 workshops / 497 participationsCost: 80-90 CHF per participation(without in-kind contributions)

6 course locations180 workshops / 1200 participationsCost: 50-60 CHF per participation(without in-kind contributions)

Computer/Internet -Support

Launch of support service in fall 2011

4000 support cases

E-Learning / Blended Learning

Concept for e-learning development

4 workshop series for the creation of e-learning modules10 active learning groups

Freie Fahrt ins Internet - Outlook

Insert Map

http://www.seniorweb.ch/

Specials @ SeniorWeb.NL• Six Specials to introduce social media & online

communication applications

• Practical and accessible handbooks and user guides

tailored to the older person

Activities:

• Promotion of the specials to members

• Motivation sessions for trainers: Train the trainers

• Workshops in Learning Centers

• Research (impact analysis) to get insights in:

. their current knowledge and use of social media

. their expectations of the training/course

. their willingness to learn

. their teaching methods

. new knowledge of social media

. future use of social media

Specials @ SeniorWeb.NL

Co-creation @ SeniorWeb.NL- create a user-driven open innovation ecosystem which enables users to take an active part

in the research, development and innovation process of SeniorWeb- allow SeniorWeb’s members to share, combine and renew each other's ideas, opinions

and findings through forms of interaction and learning- involve SeniorWeb members in innovating the existing and developing new services and

applications:• Web contact services• PC / hardware purchase assistance

Activities:- Stakeholder consultation through focus group conversations- Co-design session- Online assessment- Theme tables (based on world café)

Output:- Comparison of co-creation / participatory methods for seniors- Guidelines for co-creation sessions with seniors

Wiki Loves Monuments

- International photo contest around

cultural heritage monuments

- 2011: Ca. 170‘000 photos in 18

countries

- Over 5‘000 participants (mostly new

users)

- Easy way to participate and improve

Wikipedia in one‘s neighbourhood

- Wikimedia CH / Wikimedia DE /

Wikimedia NL made special efforts to

include senior participants in 2011

Wiki Loves Monuments

- Participation rate of 50plus – preliminary

results from survey

• All the countries: 23% (n = 146/642)

• NL: 41% (n = 15/37)

• DE: 32 % (n = 35/111)

• CH: 22 % (n = 5/23)

- WLM is becoming a global contest in

2012

- Potential for outreach destined to

seniors on a global basis in the future

http://www.wikilovesmonuments.nl/doemee 

Wikipedia Accessibility Test (SP2)

- Test object: German Wikipedia web site

• Handicaped test experts (AfA)

• Tests based on WCAG 2.0 and WAI-ARIA

- Recommendations for improvement

• Concerning MediaWiki platform, authors & authoring tools

- Planned Goals

• Communicating Results (TAO Web site, Mediawiki.org + active communication (WM/D, WMF)

• Feedback from Community

• Generating Impact on Development Partners (first results are available)

• Accessibility Task Force

• Wikimania 2012 / accessibility topic at Hackathon (hacking days at wikimania/Washington D.C.)

TAO Handbook & Community of Practice

TAO Survey Onliners – First Wave

• Does internet and community use make a (positive or negative) difference regarding social

inclusion and well-being?

• Instruments/questions: use of published/ validated scales and questions as much as possible

• Total: 2912 respondents (DE: 1925 | NL: 426 | CH: 561)

• Preliminary results based on analysis of 1382 respondents; analysis of complete data base has

just begun

Interesting findings (so far):

• Very homogeneous groups

• Differences regarding housing situation (NL: 2-person household, D: single household) and

urban / rural location (D: urban, CH: suburban / village, NL: village)

• Mental health index (MHI-5) shows only little variation between countries

• There are differences regarding the use of the Internet, but they could have been triggered by

activities of the community partners (will be checked with full dataset)

• Psychosocial consequences scale shows no significant differences between the 3 countries

(might imply limited effects of Internet), although there are differences in some of the 18 items

3. Organizational Issues / Management Issues

(20 min)

Main Project RisksMain Project Risks(Probability * impact estimated at 12 on a 0-20 scale).

Description Prevention / Mitigation Impact on Project

Insufficient personnel resources (quantitatively / qualitatively)

Original WMCH project manager not fit for the job; difficult personnel situation at WMCH, ZAWiW, Seniorweb CH, BUAS, and others in varying degrees

Ad interim and/or replacement solutions; shifting of taks to other partners; prioritization of activities.Slow-down in certain areas; time lags; additional overhead; fewer PR efforts (However: can also be an indicator for success when scaling up activities)

Lack of continuity regarding project team members

Departures leaders sub-projects 6 and 7; staff fluctuations at ZAWiW

Ad interim and/or replacement solutionsSlow-down in certain areas; fewer PR efforts

Organizational problems / individual partners' lack of organizational maturity

Especially a challenge for community partners for which the newly developped activities call for a steep progress in their organizational development (SenCH, WMCH, terzStiftung, to a lesser extent WMDE)

Carried out a pre-project at SenCH;support organizational development as part of action research; slow down the pace; shift resources from SP5 to SP4Slow-down in certain areas; resource problems and time lags in SP4.

Insufficient sustainability of mobilisation efforts

A constant threat when developping new activities which haven‘t been tested yet for their efficacy and/or in contexts where existing structures are insufficient to ensure effective multiplication (applies to most measures for mobilization)

User-centered approaches; early evaluation of effectiveness; Business Model approach to ensure sustainability on the provision sideInherent project risk from the outset; crucial with regard to project success

Difficulties in financing specific project activities

Financing of project activities at terzStiftung and SenCH

BUAS has supported SenCH in their fundraising efforts; support of organizational developmentterzStiftung: re-definition of project role; late start of activities

Inputs from Evaluation Board – Action Plan (1/2)

Measure Purpose ImplementationFocus research activities according to clear prioritization criteria

Avoid over-charging the project; focus the project activities on the main goal of the project; focus the project activities on innovation, user needs, demand from practitioners, sustainability of solutions, and know-how transfer.

Prioritization criteria have been agreed upon and are being implemented.

Develop business models with view on consulting activities

Come up with business ideas at an early stage of the project; focus on sustainable solutions; avoid getting lost in the multitude of possible issues.

Process initiated in December 2011; paused due to resource issues; taken up in March 2012.

Develop the TAO Handbook on a collaborative platform (Wikiversity) and embed it in an open Community of Practice; use the Design Thinking approach

Design the Handbook as a living knowledge base, providing fast access entry points; organize the know-how transfer within the consortium and beyond the project in one place; create possibilities for participation for external people; embed innovation management in a multi-stakeholder approach (researchers, end users, pratictioners); think “outside-in”, starting from the user perspective.

Work on the Wikiversity-project was initiated in November 2011; it is managed according to the Design Thinking method

Inputs from Evaluation Board – Action Plan (2/2)

Measure Purpose ImplementationMake the literature studies available to the members of the evaluation & advisory board for comments and additions

Profit from the know-how of board members.

The literature study “60plus” was sent out last fall. Feedback to the literature study “volunteers” will be solicited in March 2012.

Develop Facebook courses

Promote Facebook as a platform of entry; elaborate possibilities of usage in collaboration with practice partners

Facebook courses have been started at SeniorWeb.NL; a pilot course has been carried out by ZAWiW.

Set up a mailing list for Evaluation Board members

Keep the Evaluation Board members up to date, keep the conversation going throughout the year

The mailing list is in use

Promote the TAO Facebook page for exchange among project members and other interested parties.

Point Evaluation Board members and other stakeholders to project results; exchange information about TAO-related topics

A small number of people is using the TAO Facebook page to spread their news; it will be further promoted as project deliverables are published

Dealing with Resource Scarcity – Prioritization

Prioritization Criteria

Criterion TypeThe activity is directed at active participation of 50+ in online communities and/or online social networks MUST

There is a particular focus on creativity and innovation SHOULDA real demand has been demonstrated (user centered approach, buttom-up initiative)

SHOULD

There is an explicit demand and strong implication from the side of a practice partner

SHOULD

The activity has a high multiplication potential (successful pilot implementation, plausible business model)

SHOULD

The activity is methodologically useful for the production of the handbookSHOULD

There is a particular focus on and readiness for know-how transfer (between partners or beyond the consortium)

SHOULD

Ethical Issues

- Data Protection

• Informed consent needed for gathering and processing of personal

data

• Use of personal data only for the purpose indicated at collection

• Anonymization / pseudonymization as soon as possible

• National regulations apply

- Relationship with End Users / Practice Partners

• Practice partners and end users as equal partners in the action

research process and co-creation approach

Collaboration and Communication

Communication

Software Development

Impact Analysis / Evaluation

Handbook & Community of Practice

Community Development

Project Management

Many inter-connections between sub-projects

Various working group settings

Scalable organizational and communication structures

Building up organizational structures that reach beyond the project

7 sub-projects

6 areas of collaboration that cut across the 7 sub-projects

4. Impact and Dissemination

(20 min)

Value Creation in Collaborative Networks

Knowledge

Capacity Building

Outreach

Action

Exchange of information and know how. Participants decide individually whether they will make any changes or take actions.

Provision of training, research and other services which increase the participants’ capacity to implement solutions individually

Elaboration of strategies for change, leading to an exchange or coordination of resources; common development of artifacts

Engagement in collaborative actions; deliver services or ensure production in a coordinated fashion

Inspired by: Agranoff, R. 2006. Inside Collaborative Networks: Ten Lessons for Public Managers. Public Admin Rev, Dec. 2006.

Sub-systems of value creation

TAO Win-Win-Win

Legend

color code:advanced / completedwell on trackin preparation / initiated

Project Activities and Value Creation

Knowledge

Capacity Building

Outreach

Action

TAO Working DaysGrundtvig Learning Partnerships (e.g „Seniors in the Knowledge Society“)Advisory/Evaluation BoardAcademic Conferences and PublicationsTAO Handbook

Preliminary Study „60plus and Online Communities“MediaWiki Accessibility TestUser Research @ SenNL; Action ResearchE-Learning Workshop @ SenCHDrupal usability improvementsPreliminary Study „Volunteers“Surveys; Context AnalysisCo-Creation Workshops @ SenNL

Common PR effortsTAO Community of Practice @ WikiversityAccessibility Forum @ WikipediaWhite paper; TAO Consulting Concept

SilberwissenFreie Fahrt ins InternetSocial Media Specials @ SenNLFacebook & Google+ courses @ ZAWiWE-Learning @ SenCHWiki Loves MonumentsterzScoutsOld-young reading project

Impact Assessment (with Focus on Actions)Action Impact Targets (Indicators) Impact AssessmentSilberwissen Number of new authors

Number of new articlesNumber of edited articlesNumber of conversationsIntergenerational impact (communication between generations)Health impactImpact on quality of lifeDissemination (snowballing)

Wikimedia analysisBrief interviewsMental health index (MHI-5)

Freie Fahrt ins Internet Number of new membersActivity of new membersEffect on traditional membersEffect on conversations (inside / outside)Intergenerational impact (communication between generations)Health impactImpact on quality of lifeDissemination (snowballing)

Seniorweb.ch databaseBrief interviewsMental health index (MHI-5)

Social Media Specials @ SeniorWeb.NL

Number of participants / readersNumber of producersIntergenerational impact (communication between generations)Health impactEffect on conversations (inside / outside)Dissemination (snowballing)

Seniorweb.nl databaseBrief interviewsMental health index (MHI-5)

E-Learning @ SenCH

Facebook & Google+ courses @ ZAWiWWiki Loves Monuments

terzScouts

Virtual Learning Projects @ ZAWiW

Impact Assessment (from a Holistic Perspective)

Impact assessment takes place with regard to three types of impacts:

1.The impact of the Internet on the quality of life and social inclusion of

seniors

> surveys in SP5

2.The impact of our activating measures on the members of our community

partners and on the community partners themselves

> activity impacts, captured by SP4

3.The impact of third party organizations' measures to activate their

members/seniors

> context analysis in SP5

Dissemination Plan (1/2)What Partners Date Target(s)

Large scale efforts to integrate older people in Wikimedia communities

WMCH WMDEUM-Merit ZAWiW BUAS (Wikimedia Foundation)

By 2013 8 European countries involved

By 2015Offline measures implemented in 15 European countries and in a few extra-European countries

By 2015Online measures implemented on 20 language versions, corresponding to ¾ of the world’s population

Large scale efforts to encourage more elderly people to participate actively in senior communities (consulting based on TAO Handbook)

UM-Merit ZAWiWBUASSenNL (?)

By 2013 4 European countries involved

By 2015Successful methods to boost participation in senior communities have been propagated to 15 European countries

Dissemination Plan (2/2)What Partners Date Target(s)

Accessibility / usability enhancements to the MediaWiki platform

AfABUAS(Wikimedia Foundation)

By 2013Improvements are implemented and deployed on the major language versions of Wikipedia

Usability enhancements to the Drupal platform

MD Systems BUAS

By 2013Improvements are set to be deployed with the next major release

terzScouts: Senior Scouts for usability testing of online services, linked to the certification of such services

terzStiftungBUAS

By 2013 Market introduction in Switzerland

By 2015Targets for internationalization to be defined (Erasmus project application pending)