Virtual Communities at Work Challenges & Strategies for enterprise adoption of Web 2.0 (Enterprise 2.0) Jose Luis Lopez August 2007 “ Web 2.0 is the latest moniker in an endless effort to reignite the dot-com mania of the late 1990s.” John C. Dvorak

The Long Tail of Work The Office of 2007… Multi-tasking Enriched jobs, several roles Broad span of control, flat organizations Tons of emails daily Calendar overloaded of meetings and teleconferences 2-digits number of direct internal contacts People located around the world Multi-language, multi-cultures Phone, email, instant messaging, virtual meetings, etc. (twitter?) Did I mention face-2-face (occasionally)? Only 24 hours at day…..

The Office of 2007…

Multi-tasking

Enriched jobs, several roles

Broad span of control, flat organizations

Tons of emails daily

Calendar overloaded of meetings and teleconferences

2-digits number of direct internal contacts

People located around the world

Multi-language, multi-cultures

Phone, email, instant messaging, virtual meetings, etc. (twitter?)

Did I mention face-2-face (occasionally)?

Only 24 hours at day…..

Fundamental Shifts on Organizations Increased cost on organizations: Cost of complexity. Work is more complex Richer roles and responsibilities Multi tasking Cost of connectivity Multiple way of communication Synchronous / a-synchronous Teleconference: more information, less communication Cost of storage of huge knowledge. Information has exploded Cost of Globalization. Multi cultural, multi-language

Increased cost on organizations:

Cost of complexity.

Work is more complex

Richer roles and responsibilities

Multi tasking

Cost of connectivity

Multiple way of communication

Synchronous / a-synchronous

Teleconference: more information, less communication

Cost of storage of huge knowledge.

Information has exploded

Cost of Globalization.

Multi cultural, multi-language

Fundamental Shifts on Organizations More virtual, few human interaction Communities requires face-to-face meetings Micro formats of knowledge PowerPoint slides, no longer reports Tragedy of knowledge common sense

More virtual, few human interaction

Communities requires face-to-face meetings

Micro formats of knowledge

PowerPoint slides, no longer reports

Tragedy of knowledge common sense

Formal Structure (Org Chart) Informal Structure (revealed in ONA) Formal vs. Informal Structures Mitchell Hussan Milavec Hopper Waring Mares Avery McWatters Ramirez Myers Cordoza Klimchuck Smith Dhillon Zaheer Angelo Schultz Keller Crossley Sutherland What Do You Notice When You Compare the Formal and Informal Structures? Exploration & Production Zaheer Schultz Mitchell Klimchuck Angelo Keller Smith Geology Dhillon Myers Petrophysical Crossley Exploration Avery Cordoza Sutherland Ramirez Drilling McWatters Waring Production Hassan Reservoir Hopper Production Milavec Senior Vice President Mares

ENTERPRISE 2.0

Enterprise 2.0 Informal, less structure, knowledge-based work of a company Cross organizations, cross functions IT enabled application of Web 2.0 to corporate environment Key decisions needed for success: A Receptive Culture A Common Platform An Informal Rollout Managerial Support http://sloanreview.mit.edu/smr/issue/2006/spring/06 /

Informal, less structure, knowledge-based work of a company

Cross organizations, cross functions

IT enabled application of Web 2.0 to corporate environment

Key decisions needed for success:

A Receptive Culture

A Common Platform

An Informal Rollout

Managerial Support

Enterprise 2.0 Six components (SLATES): S earch for any information platform to be valuable users must be able to find what they are looking for L inks are an excellent guide to what’s important and provide structure to online content A uthoring . People is willing to contribute Internet blogs and Wikipedia have shown that many people have a desire to author T ags . Categorization of content The categorization system that emerges from tagging is called a Folksonomy (a categorization system developed overt time by folks) E xtensions . Smart categorization and pattern matching Algorithms to say to users, “if you liked that, then by extension you’ll like this.” Includes recommendations, popular items, similar topics S ignals . Notification to users when new content of interest appears (email alerts, syndication). Aggregators periodically queries sites of interest for new notices, downloads them, put them in order and display their headlines. http://sloanreview.mit.edu/smr/issue/2006/spring/06 /

Six components (SLATES):

S earch for any information platform to be valuable

users must be able to find what they are looking for

L inks are an excellent guide to what’s important and provide structure to online content

A uthoring . People is willing to contribute

Internet blogs and Wikipedia have shown that many people have a desire to author

T ags . Categorization of content

The categorization system that emerges from tagging is called a Folksonomy (a categorization system developed overt time by folks)

E xtensions . Smart categorization and pattern matching

Algorithms to say to users, “if you liked that, then by extension you’ll like this.”

Includes recommendations, popular items, similar topics

S ignals . Notification to users when new content of interest appears (email alerts, syndication).

Aggregators periodically queries sites of interest for new notices, downloads them, put them in order and display their headlines.

Enterprise 2.0 Technology Enterprise 2.0 is the use of emergent social software platforms within companies, or between companies and their partners or customers Social software enables people to rendezvous, connect or collaborate through computer-mediated communication and to form online communities. (Wikipedia's definition). Platforms are digital environments in which contributions and interactions are globally visible and persistent over time. Emergent means that the software is freeform, and that it contains mechanisms to let the patterns and structure inherent in people's interactions become visible over time. Freeform means that the software is most or all of the following: Optional Free of up-front workflow Egalitarian, or indifferent to formal organizational identities Accepting of many types of data

Enterprise 2.0 is the use of emergent social software platforms within companies, or between companies and their partners or customers

Social software enables people to rendezvous, connect or collaborate through computer-mediated communication and to form online communities. (Wikipedia's definition).

Platforms are digital environments in which contributions and interactions are globally visible and persistent over time.

Emergent means that the software is freeform, and that it contains mechanisms to let the patterns and structure inherent in people's interactions become visible over time.

Freeform means that the software is most or all of the following:

Optional

Free of up-front workflow

Egalitarian, or indifferent to formal organizational identities

Accepting of many types of data

Enterprise 2.0 IS End-user generated content Social Software applied in a corporate environment Truly collaborative tools: openly visible and persistent over time IS-NOT Social networks: Wikipedia, YouTube, Flickr, MySpace, etc Most corporate Intranets today Groupware and information portals Email and 'classic' instant messaging transmissions aren't globally visible or persistent

IS

End-user generated content

Social Software applied in a corporate environment

Truly collaborative tools: openly visible and persistent over time

IS-NOT

Social networks: Wikipedia, YouTube, Flickr, MySpace, etc

Most corporate Intranets today

Groupware and information portals

Email and 'classic' instant messaging

transmissions aren't globally visible or persistent

Communications Channels : keep communications private Most current collaboration technologies email, phone, instant messaging, and cell phone texting Only sender and receiver(s) are able view the contents of information No widely visible, consultable, or searchable. no trace of collaboration patterns. Platforms : contributions are globally visible (everyone can access) and persistent (can be consulted and searched for) New generation of collaboration technologies (Web 2.0) widely and perennially available to its members

Channels : keep communications private

Most current collaboration technologies

email, phone, instant messaging, and cell phone texting

Only sender and receiver(s) are able view the contents of information

No widely visible, consultable, or searchable.

no trace of collaboration patterns.

Platforms : contributions are globally visible (everyone can access) and persistent (can be consulted and searched for)

New generation of collaboration technologies (Web 2.0)

widely and perennially available to its members

Enterprise Communities To Consider Interconnect Security Transparency Ownership Shared purpose or passion Invent means to share Create a very simple structure for sharing Tips Start simple Simple way to enroll / start Access for everything RSS for everything Promote reuse of information

To Consider

Interconnect

Security

Transparency

Ownership

Shared purpose or passion

Invent means to share

Create a very simple structure for sharing

Tips

Start simple

Simple way to enroll / start

Access for everything

RSS for everything

Promote reuse of information

COMMUNITIES AT WORK

Community at the Enterprise Community ( Own Definition ) Group of people with different agendas, collaborating in a dynamic environment to achieve specific results under defined rules

Community ( Own Definition )

Group of people with different agendas, collaborating in a dynamic environment to achieve specific results under defined rules

Community at the Enterprise Corollary Individuals with a different level of involvement each member may have different objectives and grades of interest at the Community there is a core group at the Community that shares common objectives ( Community Office: Leader + Champions ) The Community is an evolving entity, continuously changing Ultimate goals and intended results are guided by the community leaders Collaboration is beyond a virtual workspace or electronic tools; it is the combination of people, leadership and tools. Basic rules to collaborate are defined and accepted by members Formal and informal communication means and methods coexist

Corollary

Individuals with a different level of involvement

each member may have different objectives and grades of interest at the Community

there is a core group at the Community that shares common objectives ( Community Office: Leader + Champions )

The Community is an evolving entity, continuously changing

Ultimate goals and intended results are guided by the community leaders

Collaboration is beyond a virtual workspace or electronic tools; it is the combination of people, leadership and tools.

Basic rules to collaborate are defined and accepted by members

Formal and informal communication means and methods coexist

Ultimate Goal Liberation of the Work Force Give power to the People Voice, Vote, Vocation to the People Democratization of Access Produce Express Productive Leisure More efficient, less work overload Collective conscience An awareness and responsibility The power of a million soft voices Community is a common identity

Liberation of the Work Force

Give power to the People

Voice, Vote, Vocation to the People

Democratization of

Access

Produce

Express

Productive Leisure

More efficient, less work overload

Collective conscience

An awareness and responsibility

The power of a million soft voices

Community is a common identity

Communities Important Concepts: Human Being Engage People. Get Passion Loyalty and Trust People want the truth Place for people to meet and give and get help Personal approach Opportunities Connecting people. Synergy Value of sharing common interest Joint construction, engaging together Manage complexity Communities are: Messy Human Individual Organic Core challenge Effectively integrates: Content Promoting social interaction Economic business model Rewarding and sustainable economies Most of Communities start deeply lacking at least in one of them; not balanced

Important Concepts:

Human Being

Engage People. Get Passion

Loyalty and Trust

People want the truth

Place for people to meet and give and get help

Personal approach

Opportunities

Connecting people.

Synergy

Value of sharing common interest

Joint construction, engaging together

Manage complexity

Communities are:

Messy

Human

Individual

Organic

Core challenge

Effectively integrates:

Content

Promoting social interaction

Economic business model

Rewarding and sustainable economies

Most of Communities start deeply lacking at least in one of them; not balanced

A Community Model at the Enterprise Business Results Knowledge Base Workforce satisfaction Guidance Empowerment Governance Leverage Best Practices sharing Standardization Management process

Virtual Communities in a Corporate Environment

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