The Value of User-Generated Content
There is an increased prevalence of user-generated content (UGC) — discussion groups, blogs, wikis — on the Internet
What is User-Generated Content?
Engineered Content is created by established knowledge experts and content owners who are part of an official intranet team. Engineered content is usually expert edited, meaning it's passed from the content provider to an authority on the subject matter — a sort of quality control stage where the content is verified and edited by an expert if necessary — before it's posted onto the intranet. Since this type of content has a high level of oversight, many users consider it more reliable and credible.
UGC, on the other hand, is created by users themselves. It can be in the form of posts on discussion groups, personal or departmental blogs, or wikis. UGC can come from many of sources — and in much greater numbers than engineered content — with varying degrees of content oversight. Unfortunately, UGC is also more likely to contain biased information, blurring the line between fact and interpretation. In this respect, UGC can end up telling readers more about the author than on the subject matter. Users might view UGC as being less reliable in their decision making process.
User-Generated vs. Engineered Content
If an intranet populated with engineered content is like the 60 Minutes news show, where stories are worked on by veteran reporters and producers, then UGC is a call-in program where viewers themselves provide much of the content — in the form of opinions and questions — for the show. But the differences between user-generated and engineered content extend beyond the issue of who's providing it. There are issues of:
Ownership: Engineered content — commissioned by official intranet teams — is clearly intellectual property belonging to the organization, but who owns UGC? When users provide commentary using corporate resources, will the company or the author own the intellectual property?
Quality and Relevance: Since any user can create UGC, via multiple points of entry, it's more difficult to control the quality and relevance of the content being input.
Structure: Depending on the medium used, it might be difficult to structure, classify, and index (for search engines) free-form UGC.
Credibility:Since all users can become potential content providers, little is known about the credibility of the person and the content being posted
Oversight: If anyone is allowed to create intranet content, how will submissions be governed and moderated (if at all).
Listed below are some of the pros and cons of User Generated Content:
PROS
Moderating User-Generated Content
Sustainable Development
International Institute For Sustainable Development - http://www.iisd.org/
The U.K's Sustainable Development Commission - http://www.sd-commission.org.uk/index.php
"The Sustainable Development Commission (SDC) Wales is the Welsh Assembly's independent advisory body on sustainable development. The Commission reports direct to the First Minister for Wales on key policy areas including local government, regeneration and health. This ensures that the work which is going on over the breadth and depth of the sustainable development agenda is widely recognised. SDC helps government departments, local authorities and businesses put sustainable development at the heart of what they do."
The Welsh Assembly's independent advisory body on sustainable development
- http://www.sd-commission.org.uk/wales.php