Clusta creates internal social networking site for Barclays
Clusta has designed an internal social networking site for Barclays £30m CSR programme ‘Spaces for Sports’, an initiative launched to create sustainable sports facilities in disadvantaged communities across the UK.
The site is a platform for interactive knowledge and information sharing among the project managers of each venture.
The social media platform will ensure the 200 sports sites operating under the scheme can become even more community driven, with user-generated content and interaction among those running the ventures key to the sports sites becoming self-sustaining.
The concept and strategy for the site was developed by Sidekick Studios, a social marketing agency that uses the web to create socially useful products and services, and created by Clusta.
Clusta created the layout and functionality of the site, including a ‘health-check’ questionnaire, which aggregates survey data and displays results in real-time. This is aimed at helping project managers identify where assistance is needed, establishing how their sports site is performing compared to others and to learn from the experiences of other sports sites involved in the programme.
The site works similarly to end-user social networks, such as Facebook, giving each person their own log-in and each project its own ‘page’, creating user-generated news feeds and a constant stream of updates, encouraging communication between sites all over the UK. Other user-generated content driven aspects of the network include a video and picture upload capability, helping managers to see each other’s projects and providing a great opportunity to visually show the effect such projects have on their communities.
In addition to the health check questionnaire, there is also a monthly poll where all users have a chance to give their opinion on a topical issue. Message boards and forums are also a key element of the platform and each user can create their own blog, giving all involved a chance to share their experiences and expertise.
The site will launch on week commencing 29 June 2009.