Threats/Risks

There is a requirement to recognise factors that potentially impose a threat or risk during the trial and implementation of a blog/wiki. The most apparent risk surrounds key business issues.

The following areas highlight issues surrounding the business, changes in technology, internal capability, skill sets and changes in organisational structures:

Recognition of key business issues:
• Human resource requirements
• Training requirement encouraging knowledge exchange and collaboration across organisation silos
• Development and implementation of an innovative Information & Communications Technology (ICT) change management program that supports ongoing, sustainable adoption and integration of new technologies and processes
• Requirement for the development of an organisation-wide Mandate for Collaboration

Changes in technology:
• Not significant. There is minimal technology change involved for a wiki and blog, with exception to additional capabilities, error fixes etc.
• Relative differences in speed of access to the information which is directly related to the technological challenges and contingencies already in place for the business.

Internal capabilities:
• Information cohesion. This includes how information is used, it is exchanged, its interpretation, feedback (lags), and degree of integration required into other platforms
• Unevenly distributed information. Failure to collaborate with all members within groups. Surrounding this includes possible misunderstandings, offensive behaviour and harassment, formation of online impressions with no supportive direct communicative feedback generally used in conventional face to face or verbal contact communication
• Differences in salience of information. Missing body language clues and with an assumption of knowledge and expertise

Skillsets:
Training of future collaborators on tool implemented
• Ongoing training and coaching on benefits associated to use of blog/wiki
• Provision of continuous guidance for all collaborators in new method of work approach

Workplace documents that need to be created:

• Change management plan
• Training Plan
• Rules of Use of Computing & Communications Facilities
• Copyright Policy
• Collaboration Policy

To overcome the barrier of communication i would really suggest implementing some kind of instant messenger,similair to windows - so people know when others are there, rather than waiting for a response and over analysing in the collaborative workplace!!

Have you implemented a strategy in your workplace? How did you measure it? I have come up with measuring its success through participation levels, how much content is used and uploaded, feedback from its users and decisions that are based off collaborative workspaces...

Sources of information

http://lgwebnetwork.org/

www.une.edu.au/policies

http://www.futuremelbourne.com.au/wiki/view/FMPlan

http://switchedonmedia.com.au/2009/social-media/australian-social-media-statistics-2-million-more/