Information Technology 1 (Wiki + ResTechs) = (Fresh documentation + Organic Knowledge Management + Training Materials + Good, Cheap Technical Writers)

Information TechnologyInformation Technology

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(Wiki + ResTechs) = (Wiki + ResTechs) = (Fresh documentation + (Fresh documentation +

Organic Knowledge Management + Organic Knowledge Management + Training Materials + Training Materials +

Good, Cheap Technical Writers)Good, Cheap Technical Writers)

Niki SerakiotouNiki SerakiotouRice UniversityRice University


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Layout of the talk:Layout of the talk:

Why wiki? Why wiki? What’s with a wiki? What’s with a wiki? Whose wiki? Whose wiki? Wikimania!... Wikimania!...


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Why wiki? Why wiki? What’s with a wiki? Whose wiki? Wikimania!...What’s with a wiki? Whose wiki? Wikimania!...

“geek squad”

Ownersof info

“lit squad”

Presentersof info

Documentation

Too much effort => Stale documentationToo much effort => Stale documentation


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“geek squad”

Ownersof info

“lit squad”

Presentersof info

Documentation

Wiki => fresh, organic documentationWiki => fresh, organic documentation

Quick write-upsBeautify laterChange as you go



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Documentation

One central place for allOne central place for alldocumentationdocumentation

FAQsHow-tosDirectionsKnowledge

ConfigurationsSystems’ info

DocumentsMedia files

RecordsMinutesMemos

WHERE?

Central StoragePersonal FoldersMediaNowhere!



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• ““owners” able to contributeowners” able to contribute• keep info freshkeep info fresh• grow as you gogrow as you go• all in one placeall in one place

Other advantages:

• web editing for all• easy learning curve• disaster recovery easy• ability to do “news”, “announcements”



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Why wiki? Why wiki? What’s with a wiki? What’s with a wiki? Whose wiki? Wikimania!...Whose wiki? Wikimania!...

• it is a website

• it is a knowledge management tool (search, tags, keywords)

• it is a content management tool

• it is different in structure from a website

• it is a “cheap and easy” knowledge management tool

• it is a simple, not fancy, content management tool, with basic editing and simple web presence


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wiki vs. website:wiki vs. website: A website contains • Folders• Pages• LinksA page needs to be referenced to appear or to belong to a browse-able folder


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A wiki contains • Pages• Links

Pages are related in a treestructure (parent – child pages)

Every page contains by default links to each children

A page appears as soon as it is created as a child

Links are auto-updated

“space”

“space”

“Dashboard”

wiki vs. website:wiki vs. website:


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StructureStructureof a wiki pageof a wiki page

Title

Info

Chidren


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StructureStructureof a wiki treeof a wiki tree

“space”

“space”

“Dashboard”


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• compared with other toolscompared with other tools• description of the wiki’s structuredescription of the wiki’s structure• description of the editorsdescription of the editors• the Rice wikithe Rice wiki

Additional info on Rice’s wiki:• “Confluence” license ~$3,000• Database is• Size of installation is• It was moderately difficult to create Rice “skin”


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Why wiki? Why wiki? What’s with a wiki? What’s with a wiki? Whose wiki? Whose wiki? Wikimania!...Wikimania!...

Organizational unit

Function,Project

Other Society

Public Spaces

Internal Spaces (by authentication)


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Permissions and spacesPermissions and spaces


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Permissions and spacesPermissions and spaces


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How to encourage writersHow to encourage writers• Lunch & learns, Town Halls, “commercials”• Private tutoring• “Seed a tree”• Ask staff specifically and insist that they contribute• Send wiki links instead of verbatim info• Allow the student workers access to contribute• Get a “gardener” for each space• Get at least one “champion” at the beginning


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• space structurespace structure• space permissionsspace permissions• encourage adoptionencourage adoption• role of student workersrole of student workers


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Why wiki? Why wiki? What’s with a wiki? Whose wiki? What’s with a wiki? Whose wiki? Wikimania!...Wikimania!...

What to document?What to document?(internal documentation)(internal documentation)


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Why wiki? Why wiki? What’s with a wiki? Whose wiki? What’s with a wiki? Whose wiki? Wikimania!...Wikimania!...What to document?What to document?

(public documentation)(public documentation)


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Why wiki? Why wiki? What’s with a wiki? Whose wiki? What’s with a wiki? Whose wiki? Wikimania!...Wikimania!...

Navigation vs. SearchNavigation vs. SearchTo help “navigators”To help “navigators”• use “topic columns”• use lean structure• use task oriented structure

To help “searchers”To help “searchers”• use “lay language” titles• do not “cross-link”• do not refer to tangential topics


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Why wiki? Why wiki? What’s with a wiki? Whose wiki? What’s with a wiki? Whose wiki? Wikimania!...Wikimania!...Tree structure tricksTree structure tricks


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Why wiki? Why wiki? What’s with a wiki? Whose wiki? What’s with a wiki? Whose wiki? Wikimania!...Wikimania!...• possible topicspossible topics• writing trickswriting tricks• tree & page trickstree & page tricks

Still in pain:• not everyone has a green thumb• people like to make fancy websites – it is creative & rewarding• gardener’s job not recognized (nor “funded”)?• why not wikipedia like comments from customers?


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http://docs.rice.edu

Have a great wiking!!!Have a great wiking!!!The End.The End.