Web 2.0 and Development
Web 2.0 tools are some of the most powerful tools that a development professional can process. They are particularly strong where communication and empowerment are involved in an intervention. A big advantage of many web2.0 tools is that they do not cost.
Of course, there is a learning curve and bandwidth limitations are a major barrier and legitimate issue in many countries. Here we hope to show some of the better web 2.o tools take can be used for developmental issues.
- Ning is a good example - it is a great community building web 2.0 tool - it allows non-techies to build their own facebook style site for any issue in a very short space of time. (Free - ad supported service)
- Google Docs / Think free are examples of online document and spreadsheet applications that have no cost and can also be used for collabrative working.
- Blogger with Picassa are good examples of sites that allow people to freely create web pages or upload/share pictures.
- Blog Talk Radio is an example of a site that empowers people to host their own radio show online. This is a great service where community radio is not available or restricted.
- Google Calendar is a great way of sharing calendar based information and events.
- Basecamp and it’s clones give a great take on managing projects which keeps it simple and collabrative. (Basecamp is free at the most basic level but to use it seriously you have to pay a small amount)
- Google Maps has great power but it is somewhat limited in many countries where map data is not present. There is the GoogleMapmaker project that could help.