Khulisa Management Services (Pty) Ltd Building Community and Building Community and Collaborating with Social Computing Collaborating with Social Computing Tools Tools Stacy Langner Khulisa Management Services 25 August 2009
Khulisa Management Services (Pty) Ltd
Building Community and Building Community and Collaborating with Social Computing Collaborating with Social Computing
ToolsTools
Stacy Langner
Khulisa Management Services
25 August 2009
IntroductionIntroduction
• What do we mean by social computing?
• How can we use these tools?
• Illustrative case study: Social software in action
• Challenges encountered
• Lessons learned
What What isis social computing? social computing?
• Technology that puts power in communities not institutions (Forrester1)
• Social software supports group interaction
• Broad, fluid concept
• Not new - but the toolbox is getting bigger
1. Charron, C., Favier, J. & Li, C. (2006). Social Computing: How networks erode institutional power, and what to do about it. Forrester Research.
How can we use social software?How can we use social software?
• “Typical” use = Self-promotion to external audiences
• Social software can be multi-purposemulti-purpose
• Used “behind the firewall” it provides opportunities to: Capitalise on natural social behaviours
Break down silos and improve the flow of information
Leverage and customise existing tools for your own purposes
Social software in actionSocial software in action
• Background about Khulisa Small South African organisation (<50
emp)
Private (for-profit) company
Social research
Focus on international development
• Growing frustration with lack of knowledge sharing resulting in: Decreased productivity
Impact on quality of work
Social software in actionSocial software in action
• Specific KM challenges at Khulisa: Divisional silos
Geographically dispersed teams
Short-term staff
Connectivity issues
Varying levels of technical skills
Very culturally diverse
Social software in actionSocial software in action
• Starting point = Intranet
• The tools: Open Source Content Management
Software
Social Bookmarking
Document Sharing
Digital Media Sharing
Social Networking
Tool #1: DrupalTool #1: Drupal
• Content management system www.drupal.org
• Open source platform that served as our foundation
Pros:
-Useful forums on drupal.org -Wide community of users-Extendable – lots of add-on modules available
Cons:
-Steep learning curve-Custom module development can be tricky
Tool #2: DeliciousTool #2: Delicious
• Social bookmarking – “tag” pages while you browse http://delicious.com
• Using a shared Delicious account, links are displayed on the intranet home page
Pros:
-Browser buttons are easy to use-Tags can be used to filter items for display on different intranet pages-More efficient than emailing links
Cons:
-Quality control with shared account-Maintaining common naming and tagging system-Measuring participation?
Tool #3: ScribdTool #3: Scribd
• Document Sharing www.scribd.com
• Use a shared Scribd account and Drupal’s iPaper module to create searchable document repository
• Upload reports, presentations, training tools, CVs/resomes, etc.
• KM Manager serves as “gatekeeper”
• Careful use of privacy settings
Tool #3: ScribdTool #3: Scribd
Pros:
-Full text searching- “Hidden” tool-Documents can be fully embedded into web page-Viewer can comment on documents-Viewers can tag documents
Cons:
-Requires oversight, less “community-driven”-Embedded documents can be prohibitively slow to load
Tool #4: FlickrTool #4: Flickr
• Photo sharing www.flickr.com
• Using a shared Flickr account, photos are displayed on various intranet pages
• Use tags to display on relevant pages, plus random image on home page
Pros:
-Ability to comment and tag-Visual images more interesting than text
Cons:
-Quality control with shared account-Maintaining tagging system-Uneven participation
Tool #5: LinkedInTool #5: LinkedIn
• Social networking www.linkedin.com
• All staff set up LinkedIn profile when they join the company
• Use private group to share announcements, facilitate discussions
Tool #5: LinkedInTool #5: LinkedIn
Pros:
-Repository of staff expertise-Keep track of / create mutual contacts-Keep up with former employees-Recommendations boost morale
Cons:
-Not (yet) integrated with intranet-Limited benefits without “champions”- More effort required by users
Key ChallengesKey Challenges
• Maintaining momentum
• Measuring impact and return on investment?
• Requires significant time to develop a custom system that integrates many tools
• Converting “Lurkers”
Key LessonsKey Lessons
• Terminology is more intimidating than technology
• Choose the right tool for the job Carefully consider needs and options
Don’t choose a tool just because it’s “trendy”
Test in small groups and make adjustments
• Constant training and reminders
• Don’t invade personal space
Khulisa Management Services (Pty) Ltd
Question or Comments?
Stacy Langner
Khulisa Management Services
Phone: 202-316-8954
Email: [email protected]