If you're looking for tools to help you communicate, connect and collaborate,
or
If you're looking for ways to break-down silo mentality in your organization
or
If you're looking for tools to help allow for greater participation, with more inclusion, in your organization,
or
If you're looking for tools to help increase greater accountability, from more transparency and openness, ...
then consider these 4 wiki tools. I list them according to my use and familiarity with them, starting with the most and ending with the least.
* Basecamp.
This may be the grandaddy, Cadillac, of wikis. It's been available with an ever-increasing level of features and benefits, support, and constant improvement since...2006, or before. I began using it in 2006, I think, long before the others on this list were available, at least to me.
It's rich features include: milestones, to-do's, messages and whiteboards, archiving projects (so their numbers don't count towards billing plan), multiple administrators, customizable with banner logos of you or your clients, great support, constant incremental improvements (they rarely, if ever, interrupt your use with a 'new release'), multiple members, rss feeds for comments and messages, personalized settings for alerts and reminders...and I'm sure I omit many others.
I've used Basecamp for 3+/- years. I've used it here, personally, with partners and clients. I've used it 'there' when I was CEO of a small company and we needed some very efficient means to manage projects, change, collaboration, connection, increase engagement, lower the number of headaches and confusion, find solutions faster, waste less time on unproductive ideas...etc.
Basecamp is the creation of 37signals.
Disclaimer: I'm an affiliate of Basecamp. There's an ad for this way down the right side of this blog. But the links in this text do not include that affiliate number. And I've been singing the praises of Basecamp for 2+ years.
* Google Docs.
I like Google Docs. It's simple, easy to use, focused on what it can and can't do. It's easy to upload original documents for your further work, share word documents with remote partners/clients/contractors across various OS platforms (PC, MAC, Linux) or collaborate to create your epic....mission statement or co-authored book.
If you want to test the waters of collaboration, or loosing control of a document in the hopes of greater results, or working with remote solutions partners, or of a dependable backup system for important documents, try it. It's free.
PBWiki has become PBWorks with a more, perhaps, sophisticated and cleaner website presentation, different pricing plans and video tutorials. I see that as a sign of its success from customer-loyalty, referrals, word-of-mouth.
I've tried PBWiki briefly. A prospective partner said they would set up an account for us to use. I found its features, layouts and logic familiar, easy to pick up quickly, and allowed me to quickly join the conversation.
It came across as Basecamp light, an in-between step possibly with Basecamp at one end with tons of useful features and GoogleDocs on the other end with a tight focus on simple collaboration with a single document, managed and tracked at one location.
But, that was then. And now it's PBWorks. And I'm willing to bet that change may have brought cleaner design and features.
Check it out. It's pricing is a bit less than Basecamp for starters.
I set up a Google Group a few weeks ago. It was fast, easy, fun. And with a few head-tilt/head-scratches, the interaction with the invitees was simple and easy. There's easy-to-access layouts for interaction, document uploading, change tracking, member invitations and access priviledges.
It may be the interim option between Google Docs and PBWorks. You start with a document you want to share and collaborate on with one person. Then you have more than one person working on one document or multiple projects with one group.
Beginner's Plan
You can see I'm a big fan of Basecamp. It's the wiki I'm most familiar with, having used it for 3-ish years now. And during that time, I've found more ways, different ways (for me), to use Basecamp.
If you're considering using one of these collaborative tools for any of the reasons I listed to start this post, or for any reasons of your own, and you've never used a collaborative tool, here's what I'd recommend:
1. Start with Google Docs.
Start with one document, one conversation, one message, shared and collaborated with one person.
This is a good baby-step for moving from a command-and-control approach, personal or corporate, to a more inclusive and collaborative approach.
Get comfortable with the transparency and openness in a digital format. The digital format is rarely the issue. But sometimes it can confront some discomfort with control issues, comfort with letting go, with either of you. Transparency and openness sound great for everyone, until the first time you're transparent and exposed.
2. Move to Google Groups.
You've become familiar with Google Docs. And now you wade deeper into this pool by adding a layer or two, a feature or two, another person or two, into the collaborative mix.
3. Move to PBWorks or Basecamp.
Look at the features of both. Consider your needs for collaborative and productive tools as well as the numbers of those initiating, leading and participating in, your projects.
Then decide.
Rule-of-thumb. I think I've read this somewhere, but it came to mind as I prepared this post: The power and challenge of transparent, open, collaborative tools and organizations grows at a rate equal to the square-root of its members. Not its features. Its members.
Hurry up. The water's fine. But...go slow and see for yourself.
Invitation to Collaborate.
Have you used any of these products?
Have you migrated from one platform to another?
What's your experience and recommendations
Share it, if you have. There's plenty of people you can help avoid our learning experiences.
Have you ever looked at Zoho? I'm considering starting it for the expansion of my business this fall.
Posted by: Matt Langdon | July 14, 2009 at 04:20 PM