Our thinking, things we've spotted elsewhere, and vistas into life at Helpful...
18 May 2018 in Writing elsewhere
Steph writes about what we learned by “prudently overreacting” to an incident which helped us put some of our own crisis templates and information security measures into practice Using “prudent overreaction” to manage an incident of our own
5 Feb 2018 in Writing elsewhere
We’ve been doing business in the USA for several years, helping clients in sectors from pharmaceuticals to financial services, energy to agritech to stress-test their crisis and emergency preparedness through crisis drills incorporating a realistic and dynamic social media element. This month we enter an incredibly exciting new phase, as we’ve opened our first North […]
12 Jan 2018 in Writing elsewhere
Steph writes about how we test leaders’ ability to avoid simply being glued to the soap opera of a crisis on social media, which saps their time and focus and prevents them stepping back to consider the bigger picture.
14 Dec 2017 in Writing elsewhere
We’re focussed on finding things that incident management teams did well, and where they need to improve.
12 Dec 2017 in Blog
My Grandparents were very proud of Dad’s travels with the Merchant Navy. On the wall of their home was a world map, with pins to show all the different places he’d visited. I used to spend hours looking at those pins and wondering. Since 2010 I’ve been using Foursquare and its later stablemate, Swarm. These two apps allow you to […]
18 Aug 2017 in Blog
Open government is a driver for the way we deliver a lot of our work at Helpful. The challenge with open government is that it’s often difficult to see the impact of changes to laws and processes, on the citizen. Prison reform is a case in point, which is why we chose to work with […]
13 Jun 2017 in Blog
Digital skills building doesn’t always lend itself to books. If you want to learn something you’ll Google it, speak to colleagues, or seek out training if you want more depth and support. Books have their place, but often for inspiration rather than practical learning. Sometimes I’m proved wrong and this is one of those occasions. […]
21 Apr 2017 in Blog
If you’re anything like me, I get used to doing things in a routine and often become blissfully unaware that there is an easier way. So when I discovered a few nifty things about one of my favourite apps, Instagram, I thought I should share it with you all to hopefully make your image sharing lives […]
21 Apr 2017 in Blog
Blogging, or its video equivalent, vlogging, have an important role to play in sharing ideas, encouraging feedback and explaining work that might be too detailed for 140 characters. Blogging tends to be overlooked, because it doesn’t offer the immediate gratification and ease of a social network. On something like Twitter you can publish within seconds and see responses […]
18 Apr 2017 in Writing elsewhere
Tim explores how ‘advanced’ is a relative term in digital skills
18 Apr 2017 in Blog
The UK faces another vote this Summer. Whatever the impact on how the country is governed, we can be certain that the election process will generate a fresh round of speculation about how social media, and principally Facebook, is influencing political views/wrecking lives/creepy/sinister (delete as appropriate). It won’t surprise you to read that we have a […]
29 Mar 2017 in Blog
Stories today are shapeless, slippery fellows who slip through the fingers of all those who try to grasp them. To demonstrate this let’s look at the made-up story of the Apple and the Worm. 1986 Charles bought an apple from the Acme Fruit & Veg stall. When he got it home he took a bite […]
9 Mar 2017 in Blog
One of the topics we discuss during crisis training is the way journalists use social media to find context for stories, including photos and videos they can use in their reports. We show participants examples of how, before journalists even arrive on the scene, rolling news reports on their websites feature updates from eyewitnesses and […]
9 Mar 2017 in Blog
In a world of perfectly curated Instagram profiles and success-filled Facebook profiles, it’s good to have a messy space online. Somewhere you can experiment, explore and not worry too much about what others might see. You’ve probably read about fake news, the filter bubble and good or bad campaigns. It’s understandable that you may not want […]
15 Feb 2017 in Blog
Bias effects everything. From what we wear to how we design websites. And I am as guilty as everyone else. I think I know what an audience will react to. I think I know what will look good. I think I know what channels certain audiences will use. But I don’t. I found this out the […]
2 Feb 2017 in Blog
Hyperlocal channels including blogs, twitter accounts, Facebook pages and groups, vary in size, scale and value. Finding the right ones to engage with could make a real difference to the success of your organisation’s communications strategy. For press teams used to dealing with more traditional media, the usefulness of hyperlocals can sometimes be overlooked. We’ve […]
27 Jan 2017 in Blog
With all that’s going on in the world, reading websites, blogs and social media can be a little disheartening or overwhelming right now. A lot of high profile comments, views and headlines are seen by millions of people, just because of the person behind them, or the issues they’re discussing. It’s easy to feel like […]
20 Jan 2017 in Writing elsewhere
Tim blogs about what former ministers’ reflections tell us about crisis
31 Dec 2016 in Blog
It’s that time of the year when everyone seems to be writing blog posts to reflect on the year that’s about to end. All very well if you have some time on your hands or lots to say. But what if you’re busy on New Years Eve or need to remind yourself what’s happened for […]
21 Dec 2016 in Blog
Good social media is engaging, timely, and visually appealing. The pace of change and expectations for good quality content are ever increasing. For example more and more channels offer live video streaming. However, scheduling still has its place and done well can make your life a lot easier. Do try different tools There are a wide […]