Sponsored By:

A transcript of this show is on SlideShare! Click here to view it >>

Weaving Narrative Threads in Virtual Worlds

How do non-linear narratives work? Do these story quests make for greater immersion and understanding? How can they be used to help further understanding and a deeper connection with people living with HIV/AIDS?

Host Robert Bloomfield interviewed three people who came together to create story quests – non-linear narratives in a virtual environment – that celebrated the lives of those living with HIV/AIDS for World AIDS Day. On December 9, 2009 at 12pm PST, Bloomfield asked Jena Ball, Brent Ward and Christina Galanis about the need for narrative threads in enterprise; about the importance of utilizing real stories (such as the Ryan White story shared on World AIDS Day) to move, engage, educate, and help everyone find common ground.

Last week’s Metanomics’ show, titled “Total Engagement – Gaming the Workplace,” discussed how narratives can be used to create context for information and as a tool for driving innovation within the workplace. Narratives are ideal frameworks for information They form the connective tissue between people and organizations, giving them not only a way to weave the threads of their individual messages into common themes and goals, but a way to create understanding and empathy as well.

Guest Biographies

Brent Ward

Brent Ward is currently the Director of Commercialization for RTI International, a $700 million, 3,000 employee, independent, nonprofit 501©(3) organization conducting research in the health, life science, environment, education, engineering, energy, and international development. Prior to joining RTI, Brent was responsible for business development, marketing and sales activities in multiple spin-offs and start-up’s out of RTI, RTP, and Silicon Valley.

At RTI, Brent has served the role of identifying, assessing, and assisting new technologies and technologists validate their ideas in the marketplace. Brent holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and psychology and a master’s degree in electrical engineering from Duke University.

Jena Ball

Jena Ball (Jenaia Morane in Second Life) is a freelance writer, educator, and syndicated columnist in her first life where she specializes in penning personal essays designed to tell thought provoking and engaging stories. Her publishing credits include features for national publications such as Mother Earth News, Backpacker, and House Beautiful. She has also written and teaches online classes on Nature, Food, Adventure, and Memoir writing.

In Second Life Morane has focused her energies on creating immersive and engaging Story Quests designed to bring participants into and help co-create personal stories. Her work as the Coordinator of the HIV/AIDS sim, Karuna, was the basis of TVWSP’s groundbreaking new film and Story Quest, “The Life and Times of Uncle D,“ which takes audiences into the life of an HIV-positive person known simply as Uncle D.

Christina Galanis

Christina Galanis, Executive director, Southern Tier HealthLink NY since 2006. Ms Galanis oversees the activities of the STHL regional health information exchange (RHIO), managing financial, regulatory and legal aspects of the operation and developing strategic initiatives for its expansion and presence in the HIE landscape. Ms Galanis has a particular expertise on consumer/patient participation in electronic health records and privacy and governance issues related to electronic exchange of community-wide health information.

She is actively involved in the Policy and Operations Council of the New York eHealth Collaborative (NYeC) and a frequent contributor on issues relating to health information technology and transformation.

Previously, Ms Galanis served over ten years in web based marketing and communications systems, most recently in the healthcare industry. She continues to champion a patient-centered healthcare delivery system in her current work as the Executive Director of Southern Tier HealthLink, the Regional Healthcare Information Organization for central New York.