Prior to this summer, I had limited knowledge of wikis. Like most people who are new to recognizing the existence of the Web 2.0 era, I thought "Wiki" was a nickname for Wikipedia!
In case you’ve had the same experience, I’d like to share with you an article I recently read, entitled “Beyond Wikipedia: Using Wikis For Collaboration & Project Management”, written by Ramon Ray, Editor & Technology Evangelist, of Smallbiztechnology.com. The article discusses how wikis can be used in business to share information, and features an interview with Daria Petrova, Marketing Communications Manager, at Wrike, Inc.
In the interview, Ms. Petrova states that wikis are a useful tool for collaboration, and simple to use. When information is updated in a wiki, everyone involved is notified of the changes, and have access to contribute to and provide additional updates to the wiki in real time. This model has been adapted in the business world, and wikis are often used as an alternative to classic software platforms previously used to share information and knowledge. The root behind the wiki model is the ability to start with one idea on a page, and through the process of “emergent structures”, as Ms. Petrova defines it, the wiki grows into a comprehensive knowledge base.
In order to illustrate how companies can benefit from using wikis, Ms. Petrova highlights Dresdner Kleinwort, the investment banking division of Dresdner Bank AG. By using wikis, the company reduced their email traffic by 75%, and reduced their meeting time by 50%.
Ms. Petrova also addresses the obstacles companies may face when using more traditional routes for project collaboration. There are some email systems and project planning software tools commonly used, that are often not compatible with each other to merge and consolidate information. Trying to account for the gap can decrease productivity. One solution to this problem is a web-based project management software tool called Wrike, with built-in wiki capabilities. Several special features in the software allow merging emails with project plans, allowing tasks to be grouped based on the team member’s needs, and providing an interactive picture of the project activities.
In summary, Wikis aren’t just for finding encyclopedia-style answers to our Google searches anymore! They are simple, yet powerful tools that promote a culture of participation in business and in social networks, and provide a platform upon which to share and exchange information and ideas.
