wiki the ultimate tool for online collaboration
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Wiki The Ultimate Tool for Online Collaboration. Meredith Farkas September 25, 2006 ALA Headquarters. What you will learn. What a wiki is What wikis are good for, what they’re not so good for How libraries, organizations and conference organizers are successfully using wikis - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
WikiThe Ultimate Tool for Online CollaborationMeredith FarkasSeptember 25, 2006ALA Headquarters
What you will learn
What a wiki is What wikis are good for, what
they’re not so good for How libraries, organizations and
conference organizers are successfully using wikis
Tips on developing a successful wiki
What is a wiki?
Content management system Allows people to collaboratively
develop a Web site without any tech-savvy
Wiki = quick (in Hawaiian) All community members can add to
or edit the work of others
Wiki background
Ward Cunningham and the Portland Pattern Repository
Wikipedia Conference wikis, fan wikis, wiki
knowledgebases Organizations jump on the wiki
bandwagon
Wiki Structure
All wikis start off as a single blank page
Pages are created and connected by hyperlinks
No ownership of pages; anyone can change the work of others
Wiki Components
Pages community members can add to or edit (example)
Discussion area for each page List of all of the changes made to a
particular page (version control) List of all changes made to all
pages.
Wiki Syntax
Ways to format text, change color, create links, create tables, etc.
Wikipedia editor’s guide Not difficult to learn, but different Differences for each wiki WYSIWYG is the future
Wikis vs. Blogs
No one owns content
No specific organization (hyperlinks)
Anyone can edit other people’s work
A person owns their post
Organized in reverse chron. order
Only author can edit their own work (others can comment)
Wikis vs. Blogs
Perpetual work in progress
Good for collaborative group work
Posts are permanent
Good for disseminating info/starting a dialogue
Why wiki?
Easy to use Web-based Anyone can make changes Findability (with database wikis) Many free and open-source wikis Flexible and extensible
Why not wiki?
Too open (trust issues) Concerns about ownership of
content Disorganized Vandalism and spam
Wikis in Practice
Knowledge management (KM)
All organizations want to make the best use of organizational knowledge
Most are really bad at it Wiki is a great KM tool
Wiki as Intranet for info sharing
Most are behind the firewall or are password protected
SUNY Stonybrook Health Science Library Wiki
University of Connecticut Library Norwich University Library Public Se
rvices Wiki
Wiki as professional knowledgebase
Library Success: A Best Practices Wiki
Library Instruction Wiki Qwiki: Quantum Physics Wiki The New PR Wiki
Wikis for conference planning behind the scenes
HigherEd BlogCon Five Weeks to a Social Library BarCamp PodCon
For ALA
Wiki intranet for ALA (knowledgebase)
Wiki for planning specific events, conferences, etc.
Wikis for specific groups (Web design team, Distance Learning section of ACRL, American Libraries staff, etc.)
Wiki = quick
No editing in Dreamweaver, no FTP-ing into the server.
No waiting for the Webmaster to update your page.
Different people can be responsible for different content areas
Wiki as Web site
Antioch University New England Library Staff Training and Support Wiki
University of South Carolina Aiken Library Web site
Bull Run Library St. Joseph County Public Library Sub
ject Guides
For ALA
Wiki Web site for certain divisions that don’t have enough Web design support
Wiki for pages that are updated frequently and get out-of-date quickly Example: PLA TechNotes
When you want to hear from your users…
Wikis are a great way to get patrons/clients to participate in building your Web space Resource guides Feedback spaces Book reviews Area guides
You can learn a lot from your members or clients, and they will feel like you care about what they think
Resource guides and book reviews
ProductWiki Ohio University Library’s Biz Wiki wikiXbox360 Princeton Public Library’s
Book Lovers Wiki Wyoming Authors Wiki
Area guides
RocWiki (Rochester, NY) Davis Wiki (Davis, CA) Arbor Wiki (Ann Arbor, MI) PGHWiki (Pittsburgh, PA)
For ALA
A Booklist book review wiki A RUSA Great Reference Resources
wiki A LITA wiki that collects reviews of
Integrated Library Systems, Link Resolvers, Federated Search software, etc.
Resource guides in any subject area Area guides for conferences
Wikis that build community
ICANN Wiki Tax Almanac Mandriva Club
Why not an ALA Wiki? With areas for each ALA event where people can share info. Also could include resource guides, info about ALA governance for members, etc.
Conference Wikis
Library Conference Wikis ALA 2005 Chicago Wiki ALA 2006 New Orleans Wiki CIL 2006 Wiki IL 2006 Wiki ASIS&T 2005 Wiki MLA 2005 Wiki
Conference Wiki Successes
ALA Chicago 2005 Wiki Wikimania 2006
What can we learn from them? Grassroots feel makes for a better-used
wiki Need dedicated wiki managers, but also
need dedicated wiki contributors
Conference wiki elements
Conference information Listing of all programs
Example: Wikimania Example: KM World and Intranets ‘05
Tips Calendar of events (official and
informal) Example: eBay DevCon
Information about local area
Conference wiki elements (cont’d)
Social elements Profiles
Example: Agile 2006, IL2006 Opportunity to ask questions of
speakers on wiki Attendee Blogs (off or on-site?) Conference tag (ALA07 or ALA2007) Forums Chat (on wiki or IRC)
Conference wiki elements (cont’d)
For during the conference Announcements area Speakers post their notes/slides Attendees and speakers can continue
discussions on the wiki Attendees post reports or link to
external blog posts Example: Yale A2K Conference Example: Agile 2006
Conference wiki elements (cont’d)
Post conference Get feedback from attendees about
conference Get feedback from attendees about
wiki Continued dialogue among attendees
Wiki Tips
How to develop and maintain a successful wiki
Wiki Tips: Software
Popular options for wiki hosted on your server MediaWiki PmWiki Twiki SocialText XWiki Confluence ($$$)
Wiki Tips: Software (cont’d)
Popular Options for wikis hosted by the software company PBWiki WetPaint SeedWiki
If you want control, no ads, etc., host the wiki on your server.
If you don’t have server space, need the wiki for a small time-limited project, or are scared of maintaining a new tech, go with a hosted wiki.
Check out the WikiMatrix when thinking about which software to use
Customizing MediaWiki
Extensions Calendar WYSIWYG Functionality (for those
running PHP5 or higher) – WYSIWYG will soon be in the MediaWiki release!!!
User blogs Permissioning Forums (from TaxAlmanac) and many more!
Customizing MediaWiki
Skins Security
Bad Behavior Plugin E-mail authentication before editing (if
you require people to register)
Wiki Tips: Seeding
No one wants to add to an empty wiki
Also, people often don’t know what to add
Add some content to the major categories before going live
Creating an organizational scheme will prevent orphan links and chaos
Wiki Tips: Documentation
Wikis need lots of info for novice users What is a wiki What can you do with this wiki How to edit the wiki FAQ Whom to contact for more help
Prepare for lots of questions! Wikipedia has lots of good documentation
for MediaWiki users
Wiki Tips: Content development
Do lots of marketing Blogs E-mail lists and forums Publications (write an article on wikis!)
Partner with groups related to your mission
Give the wiki a grassroots feel, make it welcoming.
Wiki Tips: Management
Security Should you require registration?
Dealing with spam Install spam-killing plugins or blacklists Monitor the wiki several times a day
Dealing with trolls/flamers Deleting things that are inappropriate
vs. deleting things that you don’t like Find lots of dedicated helpers!!!
Questions? Comments?
Meredith Farkasmgfarkas at gmail dot comhttp://meredith.wolfwater.com/wordpress/AIM: librarianmer