At number 6 on the list of top 10 #smem technologies Skype (and Hangouts too !...)

Nothing quite beats Skype (and to a certain measure Google+ hangouts) for the ability to coordinate virtual teams in emergencies.

For that reason, Skype stands at number 6 on my list of top 10 #smem technologies (alongside Hangout and Vimeo among others). 

Well beyond the ability to establish a direct video link from anywhere on the planet, Skype’s chat feature provides a vital lifeline for the coordination of crisis mapping and other VOST (Virtual Operations Support Team) efforts.

As a case in point, Skype chat was the conduit for coordination and assignments for the CanVOST proof-of-concept deployment earlier this year in support of the Canadian Red Cross response to the Alberta floods. And the service is useful (as is Google Hangout) as a tool for distance/virtual training of team members. It’s a key reason the use of Skype’s chat functionality is embedded in VOST manuals.

Another key use is the ability to use video platforms (Skype and Google Hangouts) for virtual training. 

The series so far: 

#6: Skype and Google Hangout (Dec. 17)
#7: Facebook (Dec. 12)
#8: SMS (Dec. 8)
#9: the mobile app (Dec. 5)
#10: Youtube (Dec. 3)

Series introduction (Nov. 29)

Jim Garrow's blog 
Kim Stephen's blog