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But according to Lucas Steinhauser, the deputy chief of U.S. Strategic Command’s Knowledge Transfer Office, the mission was also a triumph of social networking. According to a recently anthologized article in The Collaborator, an internal STRATCOM newsletter that is posted on Intellipedia and distributed on SKIWeb, social networking tools enabled planners to find the right people with the right expertise as the satellite hurtled toward re-entry. In very short order, the team was able to reach out to a NASA engineer who was able to conduct specialized modeling necessary to understand satellite’s trajectory — and gauge the likelihood of a successful shootdown.

“Leveraging our nation’s expertise through individual social networks was a huge determining factor in the success of Operation BURNT FROST,” wrote Steinhauser.
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The military made it work for them. Why not us?

Anyway, I work for a development company and have always wanted to see the innovative side of NASA be reflected in its web presence. With all the research and projects that are being done at NASA, there are so many cool technologies that can be utilized on your website to help you present lots of information in a simplified (yet slick) UI.

I would like to integrate social media tools (Twitter, Facebook/Google Friends Connect, Facebook applications, iPhone apps, etc.) and incorporate more outreach. Don’t just create a destination site, create an outreach opportunity that will allow your fans, friends, followers, and colleagues to be informed about the latest innovations where ever it is they spend most of their time. Many large organizations view users as web visitors only. If you start to branch out and ‘appear’ in the places they frequent, not only will visitorship increase, but your brand awareness will also.

Have you all created (an) iPhone application(s)? It would be cool to have some witty NASA-inspired games and widgets that people could interact with on their iPhones. Mobilizing NASA would be moving ahead of the curve. I would recommend looking at that as possible opportunities for showing and remaining true to NASA’s innovation.

Lots of companies, both large and small, would be very interested in learning about this RFP and submitting a proposal.

For the former, I am very disappointed we don’t have a place where scientists, engineers, et al can _ad hoc_ post whatever information they would like: biographies, papers, abstracts; to find others doing similar work; to post requests for help; to brainstorm; blog; wiki; mash-up-able; RESTful access. “Kids these days” plan their lives this way, we’re living in the past.

For external, I agree with the above: it needs to have content compelling and useful enough that the public will go to it in preference to other sites. More carrot, less stick.

1) NASA.gov should become a tool that people want to go to because they need/want to.
a) For college students you should be able to go to NASA.gov to help get your engineering/science homework done. Something that can solve some basic problems on the web.
b) For young children, have lots of games that they can play while surfing. My nephews go to these different website (don’t know which ones) and they play for hours. NASA or NASA related stuff does not have to be embedded in the game. The game has to be fun, or children won’t play. The NASA emblem can be on the border of the screen and that will be enough to develop a presence.
c) For professionals you should be able to use the website to complete common engineering/science problems, get trained, etc.

Most people think that Google is great because it is so useful. Make NASA.gov useful (for work or play) and people will visit the website. Making it useful is the hook. Once the users are hooked they will participate.

2) Significant input should be obtained by advertising/marketing/psychology professionals in the design of the website.

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Ok. As far as ideas to implement on the website I am certain that I am just repeating old ideas. One thing that I do have some valuable input is the way the contract is made (at least I like to think so).
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The contract should be made with the proper financial incentives in place. Some things that NASA.gov should push to do well (in my mind)
1) Number of visitors.
2) Number of members.
3) Number of active members — i.e. login once per month
4) Visitor Ratings — have a rating system that is easy to use and easily seen.

Basically the public is the best indicator of mission success, therefore the public should be used to correlate the award score.