A helpful overview of a topic that is often over-simplified. Security, compliance, identity, and integration into existing infrastructure are valid concerns that Enterprise 2.0 enthusiasts naively downplay. This does not mean that IT groups should be dismissive of Enterprise 2.0 trends. It also does not mean that any Enterprise 2.0 initiative should be saddled with a overly-instrumented, top-down project mentality that drains the life out of all involved. But within large enterprise environments, due diligence and a pragmatic approach will help ensure success. Strategists need to balance governance needs with organic, bottom-up adoption that is often viral in nature. So my advice is to setup the minimal management scaffolding needed to get going, communicate often, emphasize local leadership, group adoption and community self-direction, but make sure people understand that they are acting within an overall program structure that needs to satisfy certain areas of accountability when it comes to security, compliance and so on.
I would also emphasize the need to more highly prioritize the organizational aspects (not deeply covered in the article). There are often significant barriers within organizations concerning the social aspects of how people communicate, cooperate, share information and collaborate that dwarf technology issues. Dealing with the human capital aspects of changing culture and behavior must be a fundamental component of any Enterprise 2.0 initiative.
Organizations also need to consider which business activities are better suited than others for these types of tools. If the goal is to improve collaboration for instance, then what business processes are more highly collaborative than others? Which activities are highly regimented (where collaboration might be more directed towards a particular outcome) versus those that are more informal (where collaboration might be more artful with an outcome that is more non-deterministic)?
The other piece of the Enterprise 2.0 puzzle revolves around design criteria. There is a choreography within and across the work practices of individuals, groups and social networks that needs to be understood. Comprehending the context of these interactions and relationships will help business and IT groups design solutions that people can more readily adopt and blend into their work and lifestyle rhythm.
I've also provided some tips on Enterprise 2.0 adoption in an earlier post.
For all the mind-numbing buzz about Web. 2.0, most business collaboration and information sharing remains mired in endless e-mail strings and scheduled conference calls. More than half of business technology pros surveyed by InformationWeek are either skeptical about tools such as blogs, wikis, and online social networks, or they're willing but wary of adopting them. What gives?
The usual impediments. Business technologists are concerned about security, return on investment, and their staffs' skill in implementing and integrating new Web tools. "This group has been burned by being on the leading edge of technology," says Michael Scott, director of corporate and health care applications at Sierra Health, a managed care provider in Las Vegas. Four years haven't erased Scott's memory of a failed interactive voice-response system. Still, he says, doctors complain daily about how difficult it is to collaborate, so it's time to think about how Web 2.0 and advanced IP communications fit into the business.
Despite the risks and problems, a solid minority of the 250 business technology pros surveyed by InformationWeek are behind this IT strategy push that has come to be known as Enterprise 2.0 (even if the overplayed 2.0 terminology makes some people wince). Nearly a third, 32%, describe their Web 2.0 strategies as fully engaged, our survey finds.
Reticent companies ignore the movement at the peril of their competitiveness. Within a few years, rich, collaborative software platforms that include a slate of technologies like wikis, blogs, integrated search, and unified communications will be the norm. Employees will expect to work that way, and it'll be up to IT to solve the still significant problems and deliver.
Source: Most Business Tech Pros Wary About Web 2.0 Tools In Business - Technology News by InformationWeek
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