Web 2.0 Messaging Tools for Knowledge Management? Exploring the Potentials of Slack

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Web2.0MessagingToolsforKnowledgeManagement?ExploringthePotentialsofSlack

Presentation·September2016

DOI:10.13140/RG.2.2.32043.03362

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RobertGutounig

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MEDIA & DESIGN

Web 2.0 Messaging Tools for Knowledge Management? Exploring the Potentials of the Slack Software

Sebastian Dennerlein, Robert Gutounig, Eva Goldgruber, Stefan Schweiger

ECKM - 17th European Conference on Knowledge Management, Belfast (UK)1st September, 2016

MEDIA & DESIGN

Overview

IntroductionAnalytical FrameworkObject of studyResearch Question

Method & SampleResults

Use of Slack software in relation to KMDiscussion & Conclusion

1st September 2016 Dennerlein, Gutounig, Goldgruber, Schweiger 2

MEDIA & DESIGN

Introduction

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MEDIA & DESIGN

Introduction● Increase in communication and collaboration through web

based tools in organisations (social networks, collaborative writing tools, or messaging tools etc.)

● Tools based on Web 2.0 principles:

○harnessing collective intelligence

○ rich user experience

○ lightweight models and cost-efficient scalability

○pervasive computing / software above the level of a single device

○ ...1st September 2016 Dennerlein, Gutounig, Goldgruber, Schweiger 4

(Richter ea. 2014; O´Reilly 2007)

MEDIA & DESIGN

Analytical Framework

● Concept of AppropriationConcept of appropriation as means for identification of (un)typical usage

● Model of Knowledge Activities

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(Chin ea. 1997; Dennerlein ea. 2016)

1st September 2016 Dennerlein, Gutounig, Goldgruber, Schweiger

MEDIA & DESIGN

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Knowledge Activities

(Dennerlein ea. 2016)

Exp

ecte

d a

pp

rop

riat

ion

MEDIA & DESIGN

Slack software

● Growing popularity since 2013: 3 million daily active users● Listed as one of Breakthrough Technologies 2016

Developer description:

● Tool for team communication that '[...] brings all your

communication together in one place' and enables sharing of

files, '[...] real-time messaging, archiving and searching' across

platforms in an easy to use manner.

● Document archiving, organization and searching functionalities

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(Yeung 2016; Gomes 2016; Slack 2016)

1st September 2016 Dennerlein, Gutounig, Goldgruber, Schweiger

MEDIA & DESIGN

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Slack

MEDIA & DESIGN

How does

● proposed utility,

● context of application,

● intended use and

● actual use of Slack software

relate to each other and to the perspective of

knowledge management?

91st September 2016 Dennerlein, Gutounig, Goldgruber, Schweiger

MEDIA & DESIGN

Methods & Sample

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MEDIA & DESIGN

Method & Sample

● Exploratory case study approach: multiple case study

● Interviews (team leaders or advocates of the software implementation)

● 5 Slack application cases

● Qualitative Content Analysis

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(Yin 2011; Mayring 2000)

1st September 2016 Dennerlein, Gutounig, Goldgruber, Schweiger

MEDIA & DESIGN

Results

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MEDIA & DESIGN

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Cases & Context Intended Use

1. Project based university course (UC)

alternative to e-learning platform & support for project management

2. Distributed project team for software development (DP)

coordination of & communication within a distributed team

3. NGO working group (WG) communication & project platform

4. Team in software development company (SC)

support of agile project management

5. master degree program community (CC)

communication platform for study program

MEDIA & DESIGN

Results

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Knowledge Activity Actual Use

Transfer knowledge CC, DP, SC, UC, WG

Organize knowledge CC, DP, SC, UC, WG

Save knowledge CC, DP, SC, UC, WG

Acquire knowledge CC, WG

Generate knowledge SC, UC, DP

Expected

ap

pro

priatio

nU

nexp

ecte

d

app

rop

riation

1st September 2016 Dennerlein, Gutounig, Goldgruber, Schweiger

MEDIA & DESIGN

Discussion & Conclusion

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MEDIA & DESIGN

Influencing factors: intentions of key implementors

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Support for Acquire knowledgeSupport for Generate knowledge

2. Networking, community building (CC, WG)

1. Project management(SC, UC, DP)

Importance of the intentions of the key implementers

1. Influence on tool selection: Purpose of the tool is taken into account (faithful appropriation)

2. Affects actual usage of the tool beyond offered purpose (unfaithful appropriation)

1st September 2016 Dennerlein, Gutounig, Goldgruber, Schweiger

MEDIA & DESIGN

Conclusion

● Context is less influential than intention with respect to KM related benefits

● Context of application only provides the frame of possibilities whereas the intention of usage is the actual key to the KM related benefits of a tool implementation

171st September 2016 Dennerlein, Gutounig, Goldgruber, Schweiger

A messaging tool is, hence, not only a messaging tool, but it is ‘what you make of it!’

MEDIA & DESIGN

ReferencesChin, W. W., Gopal, A. and Salisbury, W. D. (1997) Advancing the Theory of Adaptive Structuration: The Development of a Scale to Measure Faithfulness of Appropriation. Information Systems Research, 8(4), pp 342–367.Dennerlein, S., Gutounig, R. and Schweiger, S. (2016) Knowledge activities revisited. Retrieved March 29, 2016, from http://wm-impulse.net/archives/2016/03/1058.Gomes, L. (2016) Slack: A service built for the era of mobile phones and short text messages is changing the workplace. Retrieved 29 March, 2016, from https://www.technologyreview.com/s/600771/10-breakthrough-technologies-2016-slack.Lin, B. (2016) Why Developers Are Slacking Off: Understanding How Software Teams Use Slack. In CSCW ’16 Companion. Proceedings of the 19th ACM Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing Companion, pp 333–336.Mayring, P. (2000) Qualitative Content Analysis. Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung / Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 1(2).O’Reilly, T. (2007) What Is Web 2.0: Design Patterns and Business Models for the Next Generation of Software.Communications & Strategies, 1, pp 17–37.Richter A., Schimek I., Kramer M., Leman F., Koch M. (2014) Status quo der Vernetzten Organisation. In A. Richter, ed. Vernetzte Organisation, De Gruyter, pp 35–48.Slack (2016) Slack: Be less busy. Retrieved 29 March, 2016, from https://slack.com.Wittenbrink, H. (2014) Medienkompetenzen in der vernetzten Organisation. In A. Richter, ed. Vernetzte Organisation, De Gruyter, pp 55–68.Yeung, K. (2016) Slack passes 3 million daily active users, 930K paid seats. In VentureBeatYin, R.K. (2011) Applications of case study research, Sage

181st September 2016 Dennerlein, Gutounig, Goldgruber, Schweiger

MEDIA & DESIGN

Web 2.0 Messaging Tools for Knowledge Management? Exploring the Potentials of the Slack Software

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Sebastian Dennerlein, Robert Gutounig, Eva Goldgruber, Stefan Schweiger

ECKM - 17th European Conference on Knowledge Management, Belfast (UK)1st September, 2016