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Making USGS information effective in the electronic age, USGS Open-File Report 03-240

APPENDIX VIII - Brainstorming - Action Items from the Workshop

This Appendix summarizes the brainstorming and voting results for "to do" items that workshop participants suggested. To make the list more manageable, these items were subdivided into five related categories after the workshop: For Internal Development, For Improving Science in Discourse, For Interactive Discourse, For Non-scientific Communications, and For Outreach/Education/Public Displays. These were arbitrary, but convenient, categories.

The voting was done on the basis of three components: Importance, Immediacy, and Communication. Importance refers to a subjective ranking of the likely impact this item will have on furthering the visibility and effectiveness of the Program (from 1 = low to 3 = high). Immediacy defines the likely time frame in which the action item is likely to be achievable and have an impact (from 1 = short-term to 3 = long-term). Communication refers to the style of communication (from 1 = one-way to 3 = discourse).

The voting was done after the workshop via a Web site. Only 9 of the 35 participants voted, so these results are included for interest only, and are not representative of a workshop consensus. The tallies are given in the table in two forms: by actual vote and an average. The actual vote gives three numbers, e.g., 2/3/2, which refer to the number of votes for "1" (i.e., 2 votes), "2" (i.e., 3 votes) and "3" (i.e., 2 votes). In this example, only 7 votes were cast. The average is calculated by a weighted mean assuming 9 votes, for which any blank votes (in this example, 2 blank votes) count as "1". Hence the average is therefore:

{(2 x "1") + (3 x "2") + (2 * "3") + (2 x "1" (blank)) }/9 = 1.78

This weighted average yields a range of values from 1.00 (low) to 3.00 (high). Rankings that receive a numerical average of 2.5 or greater are highlighted with shading.


Table 8-1: Action Items for Internal Development

For Internal Development Importance
1=low*
3=High
Immediacy
1=shortterm*
3=longterm
Communication
1= one-way*
3= discourse
Short video library 2/3/2 1.78 2/4/1 1.86 6/0/0 1.00
>Slide & photo library 1/2/4 2.11 4/3/0 1.43 6/0/0 1.00
Fact sheet every project 0/2/7 2.78 5/4/0 1.44 5/1/2 1.63
Exit interviews 2/0/3 1.67 2/2/1 1.80 1/2/2 2.20
Personnel directory 0/1/6 2.44 6/1/0 1.14 4/0/2 1.67
Video narratives 2/4/1 1.67 1/3/3 2.29 4/1/1 1.50
Journalist, anthropologist, historian, theologian on staff 4/1/3 1.78 2/1/5 2.38 0/0/7 3.00
"Geo-Shaman" mascot that looks like Tom A. 7/0/0 1.00 2/1/3 2.17 3/0/2 1.80
DB of local/regional policy makers 1/4/2 1.89 1/5/1 2.00 3/0/3 2.00
Direct links to data 1/1/6 2.44 3/2/3 2.00 3/1/3 2.00
Power point library for every project 3/4/0 1.44 2/3/2 2.00 4/2/0 1.33
Bibliographies for every project 1/2/5 2.33 5/2/1 1.50 5/0/2 1.57
Web page for every project 0/1/8 2.89 6/2/1 1.22 3/3/2 1.88
Designated contact for every big issue/region 0/4/5 2.56 6/1/2 1.56 3/3/3 2.00
Imagery page within area 0/3/3 2.00 1/4/1 2.00 3/1/1 1.60
Non-flat Web pages/presences with some depth 1/1/6 2.44 1/5/1 2.00 4/1/2 1.71
Handicap accessible 0/1/6 2.44 6/1/0 1.14 5/0/2 1.57
Metadata 0/1/8 2.89 6/2/1 1.22 5/0/3 1.75
Continuing education for program staff (to broaden, rather than how to do your job). 0/6/3 2.33 0/4/5 2.56 1/4/3 2.25
Capture the wisdom of principal scientists in a formal way (e.g., Web pages on expertise, data base, etc. that are linked to projects). 0/4/3 2.11 1/4/2 2.14 5/1/0 1.17
Logo similar to Bull Seis. Soc. America Atomic Clock that showed a count-down in the nuclear age 6/1/0 1.11 1/2/4 2.43 6/0/0 1.00

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* Actual votes (e.g., 2/3/2) and weighted average (1.78); shading indicates an average>2.5.


Table 8-2: Action Items For Improving Science in Discourse

For Improving Science in Discourse Importance
1=low*
3=High
Immediacy
1=shortterm*
3=longterm
Communication
1= one-way*
3= discourse
Decision support system like Murray's 0/2/4 2.33 1/3/2 2.171/2/3 2.33
Synthesis of existing base maps 0/3/5 2.44 3/5/0 1.63 3/3/1 1.71
Predictive models 1/1/7 2.67 1/2/6 2.56 3/2/4 2.33
Layers-data, derived, knowledge, narratives 0/1/6 2.44 0/3/4 2.57 3/2/2 2.14
Flybys of terrain, processes 1/6/1 1.89 2/3/3 2.13 3/2/2 2.14
Centralized long-term storage of important data 1/2/5 2.33 0/4/4 2.50 2/1/4 2.29
Hazard assessments 0/0/7 2.56 2/4/1 1.86 3/1/2 1.83
Zoomable searches 0/4/4 2.33 2/4/2 2.00 3/1/3 2.00
Regional synthesis 0/3/5 2.44 0/6/2 2.25 4/1/2 1.71
Virtual reality/3D scenarios 2/5/1 1.78 1/3/4 2.38 4/1/2 1.71
Ensure dynamism ñ keep fresh 0/1/5 2.22 2/2/2 2.00 2/1/0 1.33
Dynamic maps historical changes 0/5/3 2.22 0/6/2 2.25 4/2/2 1.75
Land use changes in project areas coastal zone 0/4/3 2.11 0/6/1 2.14 2/2/3 2.14
Vulnerability maps 0/1/7 2.67 0/7/1 2.13 3/1/4 2.13
Yearly estimates - status & trends freeboard on the lifeboat & sea statue (include clever graphic to show adjustable freeboard and adjustable sea state). 2/2/3 1.89 2/1/4 2.29 5/1/1 1.43
Visiting Scholars visit USGS for a week to present seminars 2/2/5 2.33 5/3/1 1.56 2/0/7 2.56

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* Actual votes (e.g., 2/3/2) and weighted average (1.78); shading indicates an average>2.5.


Table 8-3: Action Items for Interactive Discourse

For Interactive Discourse Importance
1=low*
3=High
Immediacy
1=shortterm*
3=longterm
Communication
1= one-way*
3= discourse
Interactive chat room/Geol. 4/1/3 1.78 4/3/1 1.63 0/0/8 3.00
Best practices for interacting with partners/public 1/3/2 1.78 1/3/2 2.17 1/0/3 2.50
Why people should give a damn 1/3/2 1.78 2/2/2 2.00 2/2/2 2.00
Interactive USGS kiosks 4/1/3 1.78 2/3/3 2.13 1/4/3 2.25
Science forums 0/1/6 2.44 2/4/1 1.86 0/1/6 2.71
Spam congressional staffers 3/1/3 1.78 5/0/1 1.33 1/0/5 2.67
Real time cruise pages 2/3/3 2.00 3/3/1 1.71 3/2/2 1.86
Myknowledgebank.com customize by user 2/5/0 1.56 0/3/4 2.57 1/5/1 2.00
Audio, multimedia on Web 1/6/1 1.89 1/6/1 2.00 4/3/1 1.63
Feedback surveys 0/1/7 2.67 5/2/1 1.50 0/2/6 2.75
Citizen dialog features 2/1/3 1.78 2/4/0 1.67 0/2/4 2.67
Mailing list for Web page updates 2/2/4 2.11 4/4/0 1.50 3/3/2 1.88
TV ads 4/2/2 1.67 3/1/4 2.13 5/2/1 1.50
Daily/weekly in-depth feature 4/2/1 1.44 2/2/3 2.14 4/3/0 1.43
Earth & sky - radio program beach & ocean 4/1/3 1.78 4/0/4 2.00 4/3/1 1.63
sim city with geology added - sim coast 2/3/2 1.78 1/2/3 2.33 2/3/1 1.83
Geology games/free prize for feedback 4/1/3 1.78 2/4/2 2.00 2/2/4 2.25
Outside advisory boards 0/3/5 2.44 3/5/0 1.63 1/1/7 2.67
Virtual tours/IPIX 1/5/2 2.00 2/3/3 2.13 3/3/2 1.88
Pick a few mediagenic spokespeople 4/4/0 1.44 3/2/2 1.86 2/2/3 2.14
Prototype to start dialog 2/3/1 1.56 1/3/1 2.00 0/1/3 2.75
Case studies successful/failed science public discourse 1/4/2 1.89 0/7/0 2.00 2/2/2 2.00
Formal relationships local libraries & stakeholders 1/5/1 1.78 1/4/2 2.14 2/3/2 2.00
Geology of NPS - state/local coastal parks & seashores 0/3/5 2.44 3/4/1 1.75 1/3/4 2.38
Clipping service for special interest newsletters - push and pull 2/2/5 2.33 3/4/2 1.89 1/4/4 2.33
Geographic/historical summaries why is city/mountain 2/4/1 1.67 2/3/2 2.00 3/2/2 1.86
Lists of known causes & effects 1/3/3 2.00 2/4/1 1.86 5/1/1 1.43
Link/dialog with professional societies/environmental groups/other advocacy groups 0/3/5 2.44 4/3/1 1.63 0/2/6 2.75

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* Actual votes (e.g., 2/3/2) and weighted average (1.78); shading indicates an average>2.5.


Table 8-4: Action Items for Non-scientific Communications

For Non-scientific CommunicationsImportance
1=low*
3=High
Immediacy
1=shortterm*
3=longterm
Communication
1= one-way*
3= discourse
Stories & articles like National Geographic 0/4/4 2.33 2/3/2 2.00 3/2/2 1.86
Narratives first 1/4/2 1.89 1/3/2 2.17 4/1/1 1.50
Visualizations of census data in regions we work on 3/1/2 1.56 3/1/1 1.60 4/1/0 1.20
How much CO2 is that? 2/3/4 2.22 5/1/2 1.63 3/2/3 2.00
Literary, artistic & other cultural perspectives 1/4/2 1.89 1/3/2 2.17 1/1/4 2.50
Sound management & adequate resources 0/1/5 2.22 1/2/2 2.20 2/1/1 1.75
Coastal & Marine Geology for Dummies 3/3/1 1.56 1/4/1 2.00 3/3/0 1.50
Thesaurus 0/6/1 1.89 2/4/0 1.67 4/2/0 1.33
Multimedia glossary of all C&M scientific/tech terms 2/5/0 1.56 0/5/1 2.17 4/2/0 1.33
Gazeteer (geographic) submarine features 0/5/3 2.22 3/4/0 1.57 5/1/1 1.43
Congressional briefings 1/0/6 2.33 6/1/0 1.14 0/2/5 2.71
Field trips for congressional staffers 2/0/6 2.33 4/3/1 1.63 1/1/5 2.57
Restoration success stories 1/1/4 2.00 3/2/1 1.67 3/0/3 2.00
National Geographic style maps (with interpretive text on other side) 2/4/2 1.89 1/5/1 2.00 3/2/2 1.86
Seminar series to discuss social context of our science 1/3/4 2.22 4/2/1 1.57 0/2/5 2.71
Telephone line recording of someone singing CMGP concept of the day (is the Reston cafeteria lady available? 6/1/0 1.11 3/0/3 2.00 4/1/1 1.50

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* Actual votes (e.g., 2/3/2) and weighted average (1.78); shading indicates an average>2.5.


Table 8-5: Action Items for Outreach/Education/Public Displays

For Outreach/Education/Public Displays Importance
1=low*
3=High
Immediacy
1=shortterm*
3=longterm
Communication
1= one-way*
3= discourse
Links to classrooms 2/2/4 2.11 2/4/2 2.00 1/2/4 2.43
Educational materials - downloads & handouts 0/0/8 2.78 4/3/1 1.63 3/2/2 1.86
Geologist.com 3/0/2 1.44 3/0/2 1.80 2/0/2 2.00
Field trip guides 1/3/2 1.78 0/5/1 2.17 3/2/0 1.40
Scientists school field trips 1/4/2 1.89 1/3/3 2.29 1/1/4 2.50
Involve high schools in projects 0/5/2 2.00 3/1/3 2.00 0/1/5 2.83
Geologic essay & photo contests (non-USGS) 2/4/2 2.00 3/4/1 1.75 1/4/2 2.14
Traveling displays 1/2/5 2.33 3/2/3 2.00 1/3/4 2.38
Trading cards - people, concepts, stuff 5/1/0 1.11 1/1/4 2.50 3/2/0 1.40
Trinkets 6/1/0 1.11 2/1/4 2.29 6/0/0 1.00
Geology postage stamps 4/1/3 1.78 1/3/4 2.38 4/3/0 1.43
Open houses 0/2/6 2.56 5/1/2 1.63 1/1/5 2.57
Public lecture series 0/1/7 2.67 5/3/0 1.38 1/1/5 2.57
C&M visitor centers 2/2/3 1.89 2/3/2 2.00 1/0/5 2.67
Ads in Subways and Buses 6/1/0 1.11 1/1/5 2.57 6/0/0 1.00
Partnerships (and staff exchange) with aquariums, National Seashores, Marine Sanctuaries, etc. 0/1/7 2.67 3/5/0 1.63 0/2/5 2.71
Summer intern program for high-school science teachers 0/1/6 2.44 3/3/1 1.71 0/3/3 2.50

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* Actual votes (e.g., 2/3/2) and weighted average (1.78); shading indicates an average>2.5.


Skip past index at bottom of page
Title Page / Summary / Introduction / Goals / Overview /  Outcome

Appendices:  I. Agenda /  II. Vision / III. Earth Science / IV. Communication / V. CORDlink
                       VI. MRIB /  VII. CMGP Homepage / VII. Brainstorming / IX. Participants

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