#responsiveDEN Coming to you live from the Media Factory

#responsiveDEN Responsive Design isn't just about design or technology

There's little doubt that forward-thinking news publishers big and small will be ramping up their mobile efforts in 2013.

But while that may be strategically straightforward, implementing an effective cross-media publishing strategy will continue to present significant technical, organisational and business challenges.

With the array of channels and devices increasing, it's probably not surprising that the RWD (Responsive Web Design) vs AWD (Adaptive Web Design) is a hot debate right now. Or that the title for the next Digital Editors Network meetup on 21 Februrary in the Media Factory in Preston is #responsiveDEN.

Sure, we'll be taking an indepth look at the various approaches to web design that intends to provide an optimal viewing experience — easy reading and navigation with a minimum of resizing, panning, and scrolling — across a wide range of devices from desktop computer monitors to mobile phones. But we'll also be thinking more laterally about what Responsive Design means, including the need for content to be in formats that enable innovation in presentation forms (across channels, devices), functions (customisation, curation, repurposed, conversation, etc ) and financing (costs savings, additional income). These obviously have implications not only on operational level, but also for the business.

To help us unpick the issues, the #responsiveDEN programme, which kicks off with lunch  at 12:45 and runs until 5pm, followed by a networking reception until 6:30, will include: 

Indepth case studies: "Implementing RWD at leading news publishers in the UK and US"

• MNA Digital development manager Mark Cadman and electronic editor Abigail Edge who led the team that charted the Express and Star and Shropshire Star’s route to responsive web design will be lifting the lid on that innovative project - and how their efforts have paid off.   
• [Update: 15/01/2013] Seattle Times managing editor for digital Erik Ulkin will be discussing their responsive-design election app - and lessons learned.
• [Update: 15/02/2013] Hayden Evans, creative director of the Trinity Mirror-owned digital agency Rippleffect, will be discussing TM's new adaptive design website. 

Panel Discussion:  "What now, what next? Designing and Managing Responsive Channels, Content, Communities and Commerce" with: 

• Aidan McGrath of Aetopia will talking about managing and monetising so-called "digital assets" (images, video, and pdf's etc.) including:  geotagging assets at point of capture to enable the aggregation and delivery of hyper-local content;  "project-based" content acquisition, curation and workflow; and  monetising assets through B2B and B2C channels.
• Carl Savage of Mobiletech will be giving a Scandanavian  perspective of responsive design. "I’ll be looking beyond the hype of responsive design at the challenges editors face in creating great reader experiences and how to monitise them," said Carl, who has been involved with Internet businesses since the mid-90’s and currently helps Nordic businesses such as MobileTech with their UK sales and marketing.  
• Grig Davidovitz is CEO of RGB Media and regular workshop presenter for the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers. Grig will be presenting a new concept: Journalistic Responsive Design. Using this methode, the journalistic experience is defragmented into its components: modules and article templates. The dynamic connection of the article templates is generating an ever-changing, engaging content experience perfectly fitted for each device and screen size. 
• Paul Egglestone of  Digital Coordinator at UCLan's School of Journalism & Digital Media will be demonstrating the award-winning  Interactive Newsprint project which is bringing together communities, technologists, researchers and professional journalists to develop and test a new way of telling stories using paper that connects to the internet.  

• Rick Waghon is CEO of Addiply. On the back of funding from the Technology Strategy Board to make Addiply's API Public this summer, Addiply ceo Rick Waghorn will outline the opportunities he foresees for mobile app developers to make their designs more responsive to in app advertising.

The discussions will be chaired by DEN co-founders Nick Turner (@nickincumbria), Head of Digital Content for the CN Group, and François Nel, Director of the Journalism Leaders Programme and the MADE (Media And Digital Enterprise) Project at UCLan.

You can register for one of the 50 spaces at #responsiveDEN  here. 

Since 2007, the Digital Editors Network has worked to link media innovators, whether they work inside, outside or alongside mainstream media organisations. You can connect with DEN by liking our Facebook page, joining our Linkedin group , or following us on Twitter @DENupdates or this blog .

If you'd like to contribute ideas, speak, host, sponsor or collaborate on a future DEN meetup or workshop, contact the convenors François Nel FPNel@uclan.ac.uk or
Nick Turner nick.turner@cumbrian-newspapers.co.uk.

#responsiveDEN Responsive design on the agenda for next DEN meetup on 21 Feb 2013

There’s a lot of talk about Responsive Web Design lately.

And, at first glance, it’s not difficult to see why. With the mantra of gather-once-publish-many ringing in their ears, time-poor digital editors are increasingly considering an approach to web design that intends to provide an optimal viewing experience — easy reading and navigation with a minimum of resizing, panning, and scrolling — across a wide range of devices from desktop computer monitors to mobile phones.

But what is conceptually straightforward is seldom just that in practice. What are the newsroom implications of following a RWD approach? How are news users responding? And commercial partners?

For an in-depth discussion on the issues, join MNA Digital development manager Mark Cadman and electronic editor Abigail Edge  who led team that charted the Express and Star and Shropshire Star’s route to responsive design at the next Digital Editors Network meetup on 21 February 2013  at the Media Factory in Preston.  Why don't you book your place here  now?

Further speakers to be confirmed. And, as always, suggestions are welcome.[Programme updated 07/01/2013]

The discussions will be chaired by DEN co-founders Nick Turner (@nickincumbria), Head of Digital Content  for the CN Group, and François Nel, Director of the Journalism Leaders Programme and the MADE (Media And Digital Enterprise) Project at UCLan.

Since 2007, the Digital Editors Network has worked to link media innovators, whether they work inside, outside or alongside mainstream media organisations. You can connect with DEN by liking our Facebook page,  joining our  Linkedin group , or following us on Twitter @DENupdates or our blog .

If you'd like to contribute ideas, speak, host , sponsor or collaborate on a future DEN meetup or workshop, contact the convenors Nick Turner nick.turner@cumbrian-newspapers.co.uk or François Nel FPNel@uclan.ac.uk 

Two linked data journalism workshops for hacks and hackers

Following on from the sold-out Data Journalism Camp in 2011, DEN has combined forces with the MADE project to offer two linked workshops this autumn.

Download the flyer here

• DJCAMP2012 with Paul Bradshaw and Megan Knight is aimed journalists who want to turn data into compelling stories and runs from 9:30am on Friday, September 21 to 5pm on Saturday, September 22 in the Media Factory  on the University of Central Lancashire's Preston Campus.

• If you want to learn how to build your own data scraper and have at least a basic understanding of software development languages Ruby and / or Python, then there's a four-hour Scraping Masterclass with ScraperWiki founder Julian Todd from 9:30am to 1:30pm on Saturday, September 22, also in the Media Factory. 

Both DJCAMP2012 and the Scraping Masterclass are being co-sponsored by the MADE Project and the School of Journalism, Media and Communication at UCLan,

More information and registration details are available HERE. 

Diary notes: Next DEN meetup in Autumn 2012 - and lots more besides

With our spring calendar already bulging (and your co-conveners slightly overwhelmed), we’re decided to push the next Digital Editors' Network meetup to the autumn – and to flag some of the other events you might also want to consider in the meantime:

Spring/Summer

• 3 May. Responsive Journalism Architecture Masterclass with Martin Bellam, formerly information architect at The Guardian  (Tweet @currybet for discount code)
• 10 May. Society of Editors Regional Conference in Manchester. A great line up and a few more spaces available. Contact Richard Catlow for more details.
• 10 May. WAN-IFRA’s 11th International Newsroom Summit in Hamburg. 
• 16-19 May. Future Everything 2012 in Manchester.
• 24 May. BBC's Connecting Communities Conference 2012 in Salford.
• 15-17 June- #uclanMADE: UK Startup Weekend in the Sandbox at the Media Factory, Preston.[Deadline for applications: 18 May 2012].
• 21-22 June. Association of Journalism Educators' Seminar hosted by UCLan, Preston.
• 13 July. News: Rewired in London.

Coming this autumn

• 21-22 September. Data Journalism Camp 2012  in the Media Factory, Preston.[Following on from the very successful #DJCamp2011) with Paul Bradshaw and Megan Knight .
• October / November. DEN Autumn meeting (Agenda & speaker suggestions welcome)

Also: DEN is a network of media innovators powered by its participants since 2007; we don't have ‘memberships’. If you want to contribute, please contact the co-conveners, Nick Turner or Francois Nel.

#SoLoMoDEN Recap

CEOs from the World Newsmedia Network and Aetopia join the Winter meeting line-up

The great line-up for the Digital Editors Network Winter meeting and Media and Digital Enterpriser (MADE) project launch on Thursday, February 23, just got even better.

World Newsmedia Network CEO Martha Stone  will be also be joining us to present key findings from the just-released World Newsmedia Innovation Study 2012  and Aetopia CEO Aidan McGrath will be speaking on “Making money from your digital assets”. The updated programme is below.

We are also pleased to confirm that we’ve been able to secure a slightly larger venue at the Digital World Centre at The Lowry (MediaCityUK tram stop, parking at Lowry Outlet Mall), so 20 additional spaces for #SoLoMoDEN can now be booked at here  (If you want to know who else has already signed up, scroll down).

The programme of discussions on  Social, Local and Mobile Innovations is:

12:45 Registration and lunch

13:45 Welcome: Nick Turner, Head of Digital Content for the CN Group and a co-founder of DEN.

13:55 MarthaStone  on the key findings of the third annual World Newsmedia Innovation Study (formerly the World News Future & Change Study), conducted in partnership with researchers at the School of Journalism, Media and Communications at UCLan, UK, and the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) at Columbia University, US.  
14:25 François Nel on the how local newspapers are doing on the 4Cs of mobile news - content, channels, content and commerce – and why they’re in danger of making some grave errors.
14:55 Sarah Hartley on how news innovators can use the Guardian Media Group’s nOtice.com platform for local content, communities and commerce.
15:25 Aidan McGrath on making money from your digital assets.
15:30 Coffee / Tea break
15:50 Paul Bradshaw ) on opportunities for news enterprises to co-create content through new HelpMeInvestigate initiatives.
16:20 Greg Hadfield on how the rise of open-data cities is giving local media a chance to re-invent themselves – and why it could be their last lifeline. 
Wrap up 17:00ish.
Networking reception 
17:30ish Launch of the Media And Digital Enterprise (MADE) project, winner of the International Press Institute's News Innovation Contest sponsored by Google.
Reception continues until 19:00.

This event is co-sponsored by Aetopia, which  specialises in building scalable software solutions for Digital Asset Management, and the University of Central Lancashire, home to the UK's oldest journalism programme.


 Since 2007, the Digital Editors Network has worked to link media innovators, whether they work inside, outside or alongside mainstream media organisations. You can connect with DEN by liking our Facebook page,  joining our Linkedin group , or following us on Twitter @DENupdates or our blog.

If you'd like to contribute ideas, speak, host, sponsor or collaborate on a future DEN meetup or workshop, contact the convenors Nick Turner nick.turner@cumbrian-newspapers.co.uk or François Nel FPNel@uclan.ac.uk  . #solomoden