Web 2.0 and social media technology is adding tremendous value in the workplace. Enterprise solutions for collaboration and social networking in the workplace are lagging far behind, work groups are venturing on their own to and using products like Basecamp, Facebook and Twitter. If you are interested in putting social media solutions to work internally here are some exciting Enterprise 2.0 solutions.
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Originally posted in the February ITWiki Newsletter, Network World
Web 2.0 technologies are changing the way online solutions are being developed. The popularity of social websites like Flickr, MySpace and Youtube and technology that promotes collaboration such as blogs, wikis, tags and widgets have made Web 2.0 functionality an important consideration for enterprise development. When planning these solutions there are many things to consider. Recent technology advancements have resulted in a flurry of solutions in many categories. The tree will eventually shake out; standards will evolve. Will your project stand the test of time or go the way of the Betamax? Here are 5 things to consider when planning a Web 2.0 solution.
1. Social Networking Standards
There are so many social networks and online communities, social shopping and recommendations, sites for sharing content, and each one with a process to register and manage your profile, interact with members and content. Each site with its own language or application programming interface (API). It’s difficult for developers to learn site specific API’s and then build and maintain applications for multiple sites. A common set of API’s that work across sites would provide a greater use and distribution of applications. Developers could then build and maintain a single application. Continue reading »
Web 2.0 and social media technology solutions began with wide appeal and are rapidly evolving to server specific business functions. One critical business problem is data overload. A recently released Workplace Productivity Survey, commissioned by LexisNexis notes “…seven out of 10 office workers in the United States feel overwhelmed by information in the workplace, and more than two in five say they are headed for a data ‘breaking point’.”
According to the book “We Are Smarter Than Me” on average telephone support cost $25 to $50 per call. Email support costs $4 to $14 per call. Why not use the collective power of online communities to make customer service more effective? Netflix did just that with its recommender program. Amazon reviews helps people make decision based on the feedback of other consumers. The key to get people active is to offer incentives. Special status, reward points and other incentives remind people that they are making the community a better place.
A really forward thinking example of next generation customer service is a new
site called Satisfaction. Modeled after established customer communities like Mini2.com and TivoCommmunity.com the service is “people powered” both by company representatives and customers.
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TechCrunch is my favorite blog! It’s like I have my own research department. My previous post featured a fantastic comparison chart about immersive worlds and today they published a comprehensive review of white label social networking solutions - comparison chart and the post “34 More Ways to Build Your Own Social Network“. Its amazing how many there are today, and there are maybe a dozen that weren’t included. The chart below covers both downloadable and custom (made-to-order) white label social networking solutions. For do-it-yourself, hosted solutions, please see this chart and the post “9 Ways to Build Your Own Social Network”.
I can’t estimate how many times I have registered with a new site (daily), enter credit card information, sign-up and/or log-in. There’s so many disparate sources that I need to communicate my identity to which brings up two important issues: Web single sign-on and data security.
Wouldn’t it be great if there was an authentication system that could hold all my personal information securely and allow me to transport that data around the internet? Not just name, address and social security numbers but even insert my frequent flyer number on a new travel site or port my Amazon wish list to Netflix?
An early pioneer in interactive media, Dean Whitney is a Web 2.0 and Social media technology evangelist. Start-up veteran, President of Garfield Group Interactive a Boston-based digital agency.
