What a fascinating process! It was interesting to try to map the sorts of activities I use online. As I developed the map, I discovered that, although I have a significant online presence, it isn’t a residential presence.
[Click the image to view the full-scale map]
V-R MAP, dbaker © 2017
Google and Google Docs are pervasive to me, shown as a large, amorphous shape. The large spiral that overlaps the Google shape denotes email, which is the conduit through which I handle most of my other activity.
The only areas where I feel qualify as Resident to me are the MALAT program, and the RRU libraries, as they are far more interactive than anything else I participate in.
Color-coded Categories
For reference —and because I am a visual designer—I’ve color-coded groups of online activities and used multiple instances of some online spaces.
The layout breaks down as follows:
- Green: On the institutional side, I have spaces where I interact professionally. The horizontal locations correspond to the amount of interaction I have with others through that entity. For example, the Dropbox:publishing site is where I exchange files with the publishers for which I am a technical editor. There is little personal interaction through that entity. On the other hand, I participate extensively in the Adobe Forums, which is why that entity appears much closer to the Resident end of the X-axis continuum.
- Salmon: I have had a site, bakermedia.co for many years, where I write about software and design, and my forthcoming courses. It is still a personal site, as I feel it hasn’t grown to the extent where it serves as a unique entity dissociated from me personally. My posts from this site are shared with the other entities coded the same color.
- Purple: I have another site, handywoman.me, which I intend to develop as a revenue-generating entity. It’s got a bit of content so far, but not enough to monetize and let me quit my day job! My posts from this site are shared with the other entities coded the same color.
- Yellow: At the upper left in the Visitor-Personal quadrant I included several entities that represent my personal and regular activity such as banking and Netflix. Some overlap the Google shape as I rely on searching to interact with the online entity. I have added my personal Facebook here, which to me isn’t a resident activity as I don’t do a lot of posting or interactions.
- Magenta: Also in the upper left are my triumvirate of shopping entities as I buy nearly everything online, and use the eBates site to manage purchases.
- Blue: As I mentioned earlier, I have placed the MALAT and library entities closest to the residential end of the continuum. Evernote is included in that color group, although I interact with Evernote solely for the purpose of trying (!) to get my new school life in order.
- Orange: I teach several courses through the ed2go system, and maintain a Facebook page for my students and alumni. The entities are located towards the resident end of the continuum as I have extensive professional interactions with the students via those systems, although I have no personal interactions.
References
White, D. S., & Le Cornu, A. (2011). Visitors and Residents: A new typology for online engagement. First Monday, 16(9). https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v16i9.3171
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