The Case for SharePoint My Sites

Many organizations launch SharePoint without the functionality of My Sites.

What are the typical reasons for resistance?

• Lack of Value• Lack of Control

Part 1: Lack of Value

a short history lesson…

Some organizations have decided they just don’t see any overwhelming benefits from My Sites.

Therefore, here is

This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us.

Western Union internal memo, 1876

Lord Kelvin, President of the Royal Society, 1897 Thomas Edison, 1922

Radio has no future!

The radio craze will die out in time.

Television won't last. It's a flash in the pan.

Mary Somerville, radio presenter, 1948

“I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.”

-Thomas WatsonChairman of IBM, 1943

# of Personal Computers Worldwide = 1 Billion

Estimate for 2015 = 2 Billion

“There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home.”

-Ken OlsonPresident, Chairman, Founder of Digital

Equipment Corporation, 1977

Moral:The value of a new technology

is not always apparent.

Moral:The value of a new technology

is not always apparent.Even to geniuses.

Capture tacit knowledgeThis is information not compiled in formal presentations, reports, and filings. If everyone in your organization walked out, how would their replacements find this information? How long could you wait for them to learn on their own? My Site features, such as personal blogs, are an important part of capturing this knowledge.

Break down organizational barriersHow do employees find expertise when they have a question? How do you build teams? How do employees meet others outside of their department?

The People Profiles that are part of My Sites are a great way to let people make connections based on skill sets, practice areas, and interests. Without My Sites, your employees have a single point of entry to expanding their network: direct contact. With My Sites, you’ve just given everyone the ability to make n connections.

1

2

So what is the value?

Increase employee engagementWhen employees are enabled to better control their own identities, network, and share information freely, engagement with the company increases. Increased engagement means happier employees and less turnover.

Attract talentSome Fortune 500 companies still use Office 2000. What do prospective employees think of these companies when they find out how technologically ancient they are?

For people under 30, social computing is part of the culture. If you don’t have internal social computing, what will they think of you?

3

4

So what is the value?

Part 2: Lack of Control

“You want to just let people post whatever they want? Are you crazy?”

“That kind of freedom is a huge potential liability.”

“Our legal department isn’t comfortable with giving users that level of control.”

“It just isn’t a productive use of time.”

Traditional organizations exert hierarchical, top-down control.

Employees are very restricted in what they can and cannot do.

My Sites and other social computing features distribute control across the organization.

This scares companies.

But in a way control has already been lost:

• 30+ million iPhones have been sold; this is expected to more than double in 2010

• 50+ million Blackberries have been sold• Millions of other smart phones are also in use

What does this mean?

Company firewalls can’t stop users from accessing whatever they want whenever they want.

You probably don’t need so much control anyway.

The traffic example:A traffic engineer in the Netherlands removed signs from a busy intersection with lots of accidents. What happened? Traffic flow improved and accidents decreased. A lot. Without all the controls, people had to use their judgment…and they were pretty good at it.1

Moral: Your employees are adults. Treat them like adults.

Giving up control doesn’t mean giving up all control. Employees should still be given basic guidelines.

End User Training, Support, and Advice on Launching SharePoint

www.sharepointsupported.comOn Twitter @SPSupported