Proposal 3 Industry Specific Science And Technology Blogs

NRC Key Science and Technology Sectors: A Business Blog for Increasing Collaboration

and Sharing Knowledge Within Canada

CISTI Innovation Challenge: March 18, 2009

Introduction

• Who is familiar with blogging?• We harness the power of the business blog to create a

professional online newsletter– Expose our services and expertise– Provide quality information on each of NRC's key industry

sectors– Increase collaboration

• Our demonstration (to follow) will illustrate these points

Background

• Email Exchanges– Can we expose this information exchange to more people?

• Focus on NRC's Key Industry Sectors• Existing information exchange will power the content for each

key sector

Blogs

• Need an electronic medium for publishing content and providing collaboration

• What is a Blog?– Website– Posts (most recent first)– Regularly updated and moderated

Market Survey

• Other Scientific Research Blogs in Canada– Science Canada

• http://sciencecanada.blogspot.com/• This blog lacks quality (just collects links)

– Eco Can• http://www.eco-can.ca/• This blog has a good focus – the environment

Focus (Main Idea)

• We are filling a niche by providing focus and quality• We have several key sectors – these sectors align with NRC's

key sectors– Each and every article pertains to a key sector– Frequency - at least one article per month

• Quality posts – unique content – generated by field experts

Strategic Alignment

• CISTI– Increases commercialization activities of NRC and Canadian

SME's• NRC

– Contributes to competitiveness of Canadian Industry in Key Sectors

– Strengthens Canada's innovation systems• Government of Canada

– Increases online collaboration and consultation with Canadian public

Technology

• Powered by Wordpress– Open Source (free)– Fully Customizable– Easy to Maintain

• Our Blog (Prototype)– Already implemented– Let me show you!– http://132.246.83.130/htdocs/wordpress/– http://132.246.83.130/htdocs/wordpress/wp-login.php

Issues

• CLF compliance• Bilingual• Controlling content (Posting rules and Monitoring)

– Liable/Slander issues– Copyright– Confidentiality– Disclaimers against advice etc.

• We’re early, but not the first:– http://blog.privcom.gc.ca/ – http://blog-blogue.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/eng/marsville09/

Estimated Resources Required

Task Resource Hours Quantity CostInitial Set-up & Development Programmer $2,500

Web Designer $2,500Content Development TBA 25 12 $20,000

IS 10 12 $5,000Other

Content Editing Editor (Blog entries) 2 12 $1,000Audio & Video Editor 5 6 $1,000

Administration & Maintenance Administrator / Moderator 5 12 $3,000Legal NRC Legal Services $20,000

Total (Year 1) $55,000

Microphones for podcasts x 12 $1200Podcast software FreeAudio / Visual equipment – available through most institutes FreeVideo editing software - Windows Movie Maker FreeTranslation $10,000

Human Resources

Other Costs

Postscript: The New Reality

• Although designed to be delivered by CISTI, NRC Key S&T Sectors Canada could easily be administered by IRAP

Conclusion

• This product fulfills a niche– Canadian Science Blog with quality content– Contributes and facilitates body of knowledge in each key

industry sector• The implementation of this blog is fully feasible

– Practically already completed– Can be deployed in a few short months

• This product will carry on into the future• Science Watch Canada, Scientific American, Key Sectors

Canada– imagine - that can be us