Twitter

Do you Twitter?   I have a Twitter account but cannot say I Twitter.  I want to Twitter I just haven’t “gotten” it yet.  I read this blog today from Katie Hulmeth this morning at http://thatitgirl.blogspot.com/2008/05/tweetworking-twitter-networking-and-can.html.  GREAT blog on twitter and her experience with it.  It made we want to try it again, so I logged on and still not sure what to do with it or how to find people that are on it that I know or have something in common with.  I love social networking but this is alluding me.  I will keep trying and maybe this will be a new collaboration tool that will get me, but for now I am twittering alone– anyone out there??? or have advise on how to become part of this twitter world????  Just wondering about your expeiences with this.  Have a happy day collaborating in Twitter or whatever you use!

Implementing (with excitement?) collaboration tools

One of the most frequently asked questions that I get and I hear asked at panel discussions is “how do you get employees/companies to use this stuff?”  Lots of answers come up–ease of use, make sure that the tool is solving a problem, and my favorite (?) “make ‘em.”  I think there is truth in each of these strategies.  One, as an analyst, my approach is always to find out what the objective is first–if you do not know where you are trying to get to how can you possibly pick the right road (tool)?  Ease of use is so important– as technologists, we may like to hack around in a tool to learn it–it is like a new toy for us, BUT for an information worker, efficiency is the goal.  IWs already have expertise in their area of business; they do not need to be a technology expert too.  That is not what they are paid for!  The “make ‘em” theory has some merit actually.  If you have upper management pushing the tool and they take the stance of no more email attachments, get it from “xyz tool”, that can change they way people are doing things and they will start to use the tool.  BUT in my opinion from working with groups is that is has to REPLACE something they are already doing.  I mean my grandmother used to use a wash board to wash clothes right?  BUT when she got a washing machine she did not wash clothes on the wash board, hang them to dry and then bring them back in and wash them in the washer!  If that would have been the process, we would all still be using wash boards. 

So if you implement a collaboration tool that is to be used to share documents and to collaborative work on them, you need to tell folks that instead of emailing an attachment, saving it to your “home drive” and then also saving it to the “group share”, JUST put the document here.  One step, forget the others.  Who wants to start using a tool when it is in ADDITION to what they are already doing– email it, save it here, save it there and oh yeah put it in our new tool that will make life better for you too.  No one will buy into that one! So, if you are thinking of implementing a collaboration tool, define what the objective is, make sure the tool is easy for the IW, get management buy in to use it AND have it REPLACE a process not be in addition to a process.  Happy Collaborating today!

“New” Collaboration Tools

I went to a meeting with TAG Consulting this morning– a panel discussion on Collaboration.  Really interesting.  One panelist works with Sharepoint solutions, which I do myself.  Two other new tools demo’d today that I am going to take for a test ride are www.pbwiki.com and QTask.  The interface seemed easy and they seemed to really encourage collaboration.  Although these two tools were new to me, the reality is that most collaboration tools are new to most everyone.  Most of my experience has been with SharePoint although I have used some others on occasion.  BUT most users out there are still not in the collaboration tool arena.  YET the market and potential are huge!  Who doesn’t want to be more productive and cost effective?  BUT convincing some that using these tools is the answer usually is met with a bit of skepticism and resistance.  Check out these two tools along with me.  I will give you some more thoughts on these and collaboration in general in the upcoming days.  Happy collaborating!

Roofing lessons

Remodeling–we all have either done it, are gonna do it or have seen it done.  We are living through a major remodel currently.  Siding, roofing, windows, wallpaper, deck–you name it, it was falling apart and it is being replaced.  This morning, very early a big truck pulled up (as school buses were passing of course) and began unloading our roofing supplies.  A moment later 3 other trucks filled with the “crew”.  I am totally amazed at the collaborative effort and skill that is demonstrated by each of them.  Each person has their role, they kick in, they assist each other when necessary and the smile alot and greet you pleasantly.  What a lesson– you work together, you feel good about the outcome and you are pleasant doing it.  That is a collaboration lesson, that is a life lesson.  Happy Friday to each of you and may all your collaborative efforts today make you smile!

Networking “Do’s”

I spend so much of my time at networking events, I enjoyed reading Dawn Baird’s blog on “Taking the work out of networking.”  Great, common sense advise.  I never leave home without checking for business cards, a pen, paper, etc.  Even if it is not an official networking event, a trip to the coffee shop can turn into a networking event. I have generated business partnerships with others that have laptops and papers strung out all over, so making sure I am presentable and have marketing stuff with me is ALWAYS on the brain!  Thanks for the tips Dawn!  Happy Collaborating!!!!

Collaborating and Networking last night

I went to an all ladies networking event last night hosted by Best Buy and Ladies Who Launch.  There is just something about getting a group of intelligent, entrepreneurial women in a room.  STUFF HAPPENS!  There is no competetion just a feeling that we all want each other to succeed.  Webster’s says that collaboration is  “To work together in a joint intellectual effort.”  No where is this more evident that at a women’s networking event.  I will be collaborating with LWL in August as I will be co-facilitatating a panel discussion about the nuts and bolts of owning a business.  Exciting for me as a facilitator and as a member of LWL!  Happy collaborting today!

Hello world!

So this is my first blog post.  Although I work in the world of Web 2.0 and advise my clients to do this, I have not broken into this yet.  Today I went to a great session on blogging done by Cordelia Blake and decided that it was about time.  The web today is all about being known.  I remember when the internet first came into our lives, it was all about anonymity.  We all spent lots of time coming up with clever screen names so no one would guess who we were.  NOW it is all about web presence.  I google my name on occasion to see how much I am “out there.”  Today I did it again and my list is growing, but has a way to go.  This blog is intended for you to get to know me and perhaps we will find some areas to collaborate in.