Experiences with using project wikis for capturing informal knowledge in the project
For some time now we have been using project wikis on project collaboration sites for capturing informal knowledge surrounding the project execution.
We use the wikis for capturing information about documents central to the project execution (so instead of just sharing the documents authors are encouraged to add some surrounding description about the documents etc.). Also the wikis are used to capture some of the small and large decisions made as part of the project etc.
We are a consultancy so most of our projects are centered around implementing and building software solutions. We run our projects according to an agile approach.
We are having quite some success with this approach, and I would like to hear from others who have similar experiences with using wikis in projects or perhaps other tools and mechanisms for capturing some of the informal knowledge and decisions that are part of a complex project.
Good Answers (2)
Hello, Flemming. I almost want to be asking you the question as you seem to have had great success. Capturing knowledge is a huge challenge, using that captured knowledge is an even larger one and it sounds like you are doing both.
There are hundreds of tools out there, all with their pros and cons. At the end of the day, the tool isn't what matters. It's if the tool gets used.
There is no, one right tool for any organization. I'm also of the opinion that you don't try and make the team fit the tool. The team is the most important asset, so make the tool work for the team. If the tool works for them, then they will use it and that's the end goal.
At my company, we have a massive tool that does everything. And no one uses it because the interface is unfriendly, slow and overly secure. So if your tool is working, then bravo!
Paul O.
Software Consultant, People and Process Engineer, Lean, Agile and RUP at Capgemini
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IMHO Wiki moderation is the key. Just dumping knowledge in the wiki is of limited use - you end up with so much there that you can't find the useful bits. Distilling the essentials, organizing the ideas into sensible topics, linking things together; these are the activities that make that knowledge valuable. Yet as we are taking to Wiki, we find another type of tool is considerably more effective - we're using an internal social networking tool which allows us to reach much of that body of knowledge that is only stored in people's minds.
More Answers (3)
Ashwin H.
spinso.com | a software product company
Best Answers in: Offshoring and Outsourcing (1), Contracts (1), Planning (1), Enterprise Software (1)
Hi Flemming,
Have you got a chance to look at Time tracker 2011: Employee time sheet software
Time tracker is simple and easy to use software which enables you to track time spent on day to day activities beyond time in and time out.
Time tracker not only captures the log-in and log-out time of the employee but also tracks the task done in between that time. Thus enabling you prioritize your work and utilize your time in better way leading towards increase in overall productivity.
Employees can maintain their timesheet, leave, expense (voucher) along with time sheet. The process driven approach ensures the hierarchical authorizations of timesheet, leave request and expenses. It provides an indispensable view to the data depending upon the profile or the role of the user.
You can download the free trial version from our website and start using it with out the need of registering
Download, Install and Start using it
Ashwin
Spinso.com
Links:
Pauric M.
Online Community Manager
Best Answers in: Business Development (1), Project Management (1), Using LinkedIn (1)
Hi Flemming,
BrightWork software helps you do all this. You can have a centralized place where your team can work on all documents within a project and collaborate effectively.
I hope this helps,
Pauric
Links:
Dr Giles B.
Partner at The Infinite Group
Best Answers in: Business Development (1), Planning (1), Project Management (1), Small Business (1)
Hi Flemming, I seen and helped people work with a range of such tools.
It's perhaps looking at the goldilocks way of doing it, not too much and not too, little. It all starts with what you are trying to do, why you are doing it, what you are looking to get out of it, what you will use it for, what do people need from it. I've worked on similar set ups where we had internal and external tools/sites for collaboration. You can use it to collaborate on a project and then take the relevent information/knowledge from that to share internally/externally. Again a balance between losing useful info/knowledge and keeping what may way be of value at the time but little value afterwards. Do let me know how you get on and what you come up with. Giles.
