Collaboration 2.0

COLLABORATION 2.0Real world examples, and what we’ve learnt

Hello.

Mike Ellis, Solutions Architect@m1ke_ellis

Lisa Price, Web Communications Manager@lisapr1ce

By the way...

> these slides are CC licensed> they will be available online at slideshare.net/eduserv

It is easy saying “web2.0 is good”...

...but making it happen is harder

This is about our real experiences

1. doing things quickly2. building community and content3. finding out what “2.0” does for organisations

Some background

Eduserv specialises in high-end solutions

> this means we specify...> plan> plan some more> follow known methodologies> have backups

... web 2.0 sometimes leapfrogs all of that

...make it up as we go along

We’re too big to rely on the water cooler…

…but we need some structure

> …the dissenting voice> …perceived risk (aka “fear”)> …the “just a fad” thing> …the “but why?” thing

Reasons to be fearful…

Our basic requirement was:

“everyone at Eduserv should be better informed about our business, and more in touch with our day-to-day activities”

Our secondary requirements:

> democracy! allow anyone to contribute> be easy to administer> give moderators powerful tools> fast, visible results and benefits

Problem #1: nowhere to share

Solution: “Inform” our internal blog

“simplepress” forum

internal newsletter

...tangible results

> 256 posts, 42 authors> 14,000 visits> 53,000 page views> 3.75 pages/visit> 04:30 avg. time on site

What we learnt:

> get agreement to play> use a known, easy platform (WP)> perfection isn’t a necessity> iterative improvement> launch, then continue to cultivate> innovation is infectious!

total spend: £0 + 20 days effort(of which maybe 2 days tech)

Problem #2: who is everyone?

Solution: staff directory “2.0”

…and useful personally editable fields

..shortly we should also have “add as friend” and other SN style tools...

...built with a simple API

..which allows us to multi-surface

What we learnt:

> org charts> printable directories> personal preference management> photos> bios> ...you never know where you might need a staff directory!

total spend: £0 + 5 days effort

Problem #3: email isn’t always the right channel

Solution: Microblogging (?)

What we learnt (are learning..)

> some messages are better suited to a micro-blogging format> some staff find it spammy / noisy> others are a bit non-plussed> in general it seems popular (so far!)

total spend: £0 (but admin tools would be nice..!)

Problem #4: things are too complicated*

* when the task is often straight-forward

Solution: radical simplification!

> search..> ..links> (that’s it)

What we learnt:

> Sharepoint wasn’t delivering everything we needed ...but people assumed that we *should* use it> 95% people’s day-to-day tasks are simple: staff search, expenses form, templates

total cost: £0 + 5 days build

Caveat

> we’re a hosting and development company so we have skills and resources in-house> BUT! Wide range of easy-to-use, low-cost apps out there that can help you transform how you work. Don’t need to be an uber geek to get started.

Conclusions

> social software in the enterprise requires a different approach: speed is essential..> rapid build, adapt on the fly> fail quickly!> internal marketing is essential> push for open editorial policy> put users at the centre

Thanks!

Mike Ellis @m1ke_ellismike.ellis@eduserv.org.uk

Lisa Price @lisapr1celisa.price@eduserv.org.uk

Credits

http://www.flickr.com/photos/32209013@N06/3217927975/http://www.flickr.com/photos/ftmott/3553154938/http://www.flickr.com/photos/tinglebum/521660272/http://www.flickr.com/photos/wishymom/566394520/http://www.flickr.com/photos/dumbledad/galleries/72157622395957178/