How We're Using This Site

The RJI Collaboratory Network has brought together several hundred of the brightest minds in the world of journalism to focus on entrepreneurial opportunities in our changing industry. So now what?

The mission of the collaboratory network is two-fold:

• Bring smart, motivated folks together

• Start them collaborating on journalism projects

Here's how you can use this Ning network to join that effort.

Main Page -- You can directly access most of the active areas through the main page navigation tabs at the top, or the links to blog posts, groups, and other content in the central column. Sometimes, we'll put a poll or special announcement at the top of the central column. The left sidebar column links to the members page and gives you an overview of the latest activity, while the right sidebar column offers a Twitter and Flicker stream.

What's New -- Find out what's new on the site

The "What's New" tab links to a page that provides weekly highlights from the blogs, groups and wikis, including news about specific projects that could use the help and know-how of Collaboratory members.

Our Blogs -- Chronicle your activities, ideas and discussion

All members can blog on the network, and their posts will be featured on the main page, the blog page that's accessible through the "blog" navigation tab, and on their member page.

Our Groups -- Focus your ideas and turn them into action

Our group pages, like the main page of the site, feature a billboard that provides an overview of the group's aim -- that text block is meant to serve as a kind of timeline and idea collector for the group, and could be used to index important group blog posts. Also, there's a group blog managed by the group leader. S/he can use it to highlight activity in the group, including its comment wall, where everyone is free to post (read more about use of the group blog here). Remember, anyone can start a group and your groups can use the group tools differently. The general idea, though, is that the blogs are a place for free-form ideas, and groups are a place for directed activities, such as launching a Web-based news organization. You can access groups through the "groups" tab on the main navigation.

Our Members Page -- Find help for your projects

If you're looking for someone with special expertise, try visiting the members page. You can member's individual pages to learn more about them and to see their latest activities. Or, use the advanced search function to identify those with skills or interests that match your needs, then message them directly.

Project Wikis -- Get your projects moving

If the group leaders need a place for more complex project coordination -- such as what needs doing, who's doing it and when it needs to be done -- they can use the Project Wiki. The main wiki page includes a brief description of each project, which links to the project's wiki page. The wiki pages, in turn, will provide links back to project groups or blogs onRJICollaboratory.org.