On Tuesday 8th December we will be helping to amplify the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Connected Nation event. This will bring together policymakers, businesses, and third sector leaders to explore how we approach the challenges and opportunities presented by digital innovation in ways that will enable the UK economy and society not just to survive, but to thrive in a digital world as a truly connected nation.

There will be 100 delegates present at the event, which will be held at the British Library Conference Centre in London. However, the EPSRC are keen to extend the conversation to include researchers, businesses and policymakers from across the UK, so they have invited us to help make their event fully accessible to a remote audience via Twitter.

A team of tweeters will deliver a live Twitter commentary throughout the day via the @RCUK_DE account using the #ConnectedNationUK hashtag, but in the afternoon things will get interesting….

Local delegates at the event will be in one of three parallel sessions discussing three topics:

• Transforming development and use of the Internet of Things
• Action and insights from data: Delivering the next generation of big data capabilities
• Ensuring a safe and trusted cyber society

This will be followed by a plenary debate, which will draw together these three themes to answer the question: How can the UK survive and thrive in a digital world?

During this time, we will be hosting a live Twitter chat from the event. Questions and comments from remote attendees will be brought into the local discussions by a team of ‘Twitter curators’ located in each panel session, who will be monitoring the #ConnectedNationUK hashtag. These curators will relay the answers given by the expert panellists live at the event and share quotes from other contributors in the room. I will be helping to facilitate the chat on the day, and will produce a Storify summary to capture some of the key themes from the discussion.

The Digital Economy Twitter account (@RCUK_DE) has been advertising the Twitter chat over the last few weeks as a fully integrated, interactive part of the conference. Whilst many events have active Twitter hashtag discussions, I am keen to see whether holding a specifically promoted Twitter chat as an integrated part of the event programme will enhance engagement and give a clear structure within which remote attendees feel they can constructively contribute to the discussion. I’ll be reflecting on the success of the chat and sharing the summary in the next few days.

Take Part in #ConnectedNationUK

 
If you are interested in the challenges and opportunities presented by the UK’s growing digital economy, join us on Twitter on Tuesday 8th December 2015 from 1-3pm to take part in the live Twitter chat using the #ConnectedNationUK hashtag.

Image Credit: Dragan