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]
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