wiki

I've been using wikipedia as a resource for the better part of a year now, and have been keeping tabs on the 43folders wiki. But I have to say, my recent experience with the spreadcc wiki is starting to truly sell me on the wiki as a means for collaborative discussion.

A wiki is a piece of software that allows users to add content to a web page - such as on a forum or a blog - but also allows anyone to edit the content. This provides a great framework for collaboration.

One would think that if anyone could edit a document, that it would lead to pure chaos, but I've noticed the opposite appears to be true. In the past few days the spreadcc wiki has moved from a loose collection of brainstorming into the beginnings of a decent grassroots marketing plan.

Understandably - the wiki freaks some people out. The idea that 'anyone' can edit the document doesn't sit right with those who like being in control of the message. But I see it as an incredible tool for harnessing the distributed knowledge that lies across an organization. Imagine placing your operations plan onto a company intranet for all employees to review and contribute to. How much inefficiency could be done away with and logistical issues solved by tapping into the expertise and experience of your staff.