Abstract

How does an organisation become better at telling its story? What role can technology play?

Jisc Netskills is a training organisation based at Newcastle University and it’s who I work for. For a while it has been investigating the use of digital storytelling as a tool to help it communicate.

Digital storytelling is a very broad term but in this case it refers to a combination of approaches and technologies, developed by Joe Lambert and many others, with the aim of helping individuals, especially those on the margins of society, tell their own authentic and personal story.

It’s less common for it to be used in an organisational setting.

This dissertation is a case study looking at how Netskills is adapting the digital storytelling model to help with its communication and working practices.

It is a snapshot of a moment in time. The research covers a brief period at the start of 2013 as Netskills was about to take some important steps into creating its own digital stories.

By analysing interviews conducted with 6 members of Netskills, and 1 other from Jisc infoNet, a partner organisation, I outline what the main benefits of using digital storytelling can be to an organisation for communication and reflective practice. I also identify some secondary benefits to do with organisational effectiveness and relationships between colleagues.

I also address some important technical and ethical considerations about using digital storytelling in organisations.

I finish by asking some questions that other organisations will need to think about if they want to try a similar approach based on the lessons that Netskills has learnt.