Workplace+Wikis

This page is dedicated to the discussion of workplace wikis. Specifically, wikis used in collaborative work activities, those most applicable to virtual teams, are discussed.


 * [|Wikis in the workplace: a practical introduction] **is a 2-page web article by Alan Porter featured on the //ars technica// site, an IT professionals' forum.

The author ultimately advocates workplace wikis, but immediately addresses the negative stigma surrounding their application.

**"... the wiki idea often gets rejected soon after it's floated, typically because wikis ****are perceived to be insecure, inaccurate, or difficult to use; either that, ****or someone in the discussion has gone the wiki route before,only to see ****their wiki languish from lack of interest and participation." **

Moreover, Porter credits team hesitation and lack of motivation to the origin of a typical individual's assessment of a wiki:

** "These perceptions and experiences that lead companies to reject wikis are rooted in a common problem: ****the vast majority of the public has formed 100 percent of their expectations about what a wiki ****can and should be based on the single example of Wikipedia. Few have ever seen wikis **** used creatively and successfully in a real-life business context, so even ****when IT professionals attempt to implement wikis in their own companies ****they lack real experience and good examples to imitate." **(http://arstechnica.com/business/news/2009/11/welcome-to-the-wiki-party.ars)

The author proceeds to discuss positive experiences with workplace wikis - presenting examples of businesses that are employing the technology both internally and externally. Porter aims to convince companies and individuals alike to reconsider workplace wikis as tools for effective collaboration and increased productivity. He cites wiki success in differing business capacities: information sharing, software development initiatives, customer service and troubleshooting, replacing traditional websites, and elevating typical help systems.The article also briefly touches on the inner workings of wikis such as administration capabilities and security concerns, before presenting ideas of how to entice people to take part in wiki working groups. It concludes with an extensive list of [|different wiki uses].

However, it should be noted that some company wikis cease to exist because of on-going maintenance costs and the lack of authoritativeness. Wikis seem to be most successful in companies willing tolerate a wiki's flexibility, which, while lacking authority, also "relieves project managers from having to get everything perfect in the beginning" ([|Treude]).


 * Will Mason- Wiki Discussion (Drexel University, Web Conference on October 19th, 2011)**

A Technical Writer for Microsoft, Will Mason had only positive comments on the use of Wikis in Technical Writing.

1) **Wikis Create Good Feeling Among Users** (Mason, 2011) 1) **Wikis Further Brand Loyalty Among Consumers** (Mason, 2011)

Will Mason mentioned that a good Wiki often results in "good feelings" among users, which then often result in brand loyalty among consumers toward the Wiki and the brand the Wiki is promoting. Mason cited the Mozilla Firefox Wiki as a good example of this.


 * Wiki While You Work**

In the Allbusiness.com article, [|“Wiki While You Work]”, author David Essex offers a look at the history of Wikis and their current use in business.


 * What is a Wiki?** (Essex, 2011)

A Wiki is a group of Web pages that can be communally edited. By clicking the 'edit' button, a user gains the ability to add to and edit the wiki's text ([|Brain]). Although commonly thought to be inaccurate because of their openness and flexibility, wikis actually tend to be quite accurate because of the Wikipedia effect (Mason).

Wikis are made up of plain text pages, with very little decoration in terms of images, headings, and icons. They make use of hyperlinks to internal and outside sources. Wikis can have a variation of features that can include file attachments, security, and RSS readers that can automatically notify users of updates to the site.


 * Who uses Wikis?** (Essex, 2011)

Originally, Wikis were predominantly used by IT software programmers in order to collaborate and communicate effectively during the development of projects. They are becoming more and more popular in project management across many fields. Most Wikis are free products, though there are some commercial Wikis meant for business use.


 * Three Commercial Wikis** (Essex, 2011)


 * 1. CONFLUENCE 2.1**

Confluence is a Java-based program that turns your email into searchable Wiki pages. It allows for high customization when it comes to features and allows for a hierarchical tree of access. However, CONFLUENCE is difficult to install on a server and each user’s computer.

Requires: Sun JDK 1.4, J2EE 1.3 compatible server (included).

Price: $1,200 (25 users), $2,200 (50 users), $4,000 (500 users), $8,000 (unlimited users); 50 percent academic discount, free to non-profits and open-source developers; free personal version (2 users, no support).


 * 2. SOCIALTEXT.NET** (Essex, 2011)

SOCIALTEXT.NET is a plain-looking communication console that combines e-mail, RSS, instant messaging, and Web services. Essex rated this product highest in project-management support.

Requires: Standard Web browser.

Price: $95 per month (19 users, including maintenance), $1,995 per month (250 to 400 users), $9,995 (500 to 50,000 users), free (five users or open-source projects).


 * 3. JOTSPOT** (Essex, 2011)

Jotspot is a Wiki-based, open-source development platform. It is a balanced program that is both easy to use and highly customizable. Jotspot has a variety of features, such as fast and easy-to-use hyperlink-creator and project schedule applications.

Jotspot was Essex’s favorite of the three products because of its ease of use and its variety of features.

Requires: Standard Web browser.

Price: $9.95 per month (10 users, 100 pages), $24.95 per month (25 users, 300 pages), $69.95 per month (unlimited users, 1,000 pages), $199.95 per month (unlimited users, unlimited pages), free (five users, 20 pages); larger volume discounts available. Appliance version starts at $6,995 annually.

Brian, Marshall. " [|How Wikis Work] ." // How Stuff Works. // 2011. Web. 10 Nov. 2011. Essex, David E. //[|Wiki While You Work]//. Allbusiness.com. web. 6 Nov. 2011. Porter, Alan J. //[|Wikis in the Workplace: A Practical Introduction]//. Ars Technica, n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2011. Treude, Christoph. "[|What We Know About Web 2.0 in Software Engineering - Part 1: Wikis, Blogs, and Microblogs]." //Christoph Treude//. 17 May 2011. Web. 10 Nov. 2011.
 * Sources:**

In this InformationWeek.com article, "[|Wikis at Work]", writer Ezra Goodnoe highlights several companies who have successfully implemented Wikis within their organizations.
 * Additional Reading:**