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Does social computing really deliver significantly better business performance? Or is it merely a minor incremental improvement? While many cases have shown successful implementations of collaborative social media style applications in the workplace, the benefit of Enterprise 2.0 is still a hotly debated topic. While the core concept is the integration of Web 2.0 and social networking workflow models into business processes, there are still a wide range of interpretations and outcomes that make it difficult to hone in on measurable returns.

Here are ten issues that commonly arise when mixing business with social media…

1. Lack of social media literacy amongst workers.

2. A perception that social tools won’t work well in a particular industry.

3. Social software is still perceived as too risky to use for core business activities.

4. Can’t get enough senior executives engaged with social tools.

5. There is vapor lock between IT and the social computing initiative.

6. Need to prove ROI before there will be support for social software.

7. Security concerns are holding up pilot projects/adoption plans.

8. The needs around community management have come as a surprise.

9. Difficulties sustaining external engagement.

10. Struggling to survive due to unexpected success.

Source: Enterprise Web 2.0

The culture of organizations is the most common barrier to implementing collaborative Enterprise 2.0 technologies into businesses today. Employees are commonly set in their ways and introducing new applications and ideas can upset the daily workflow and create resistance. The good news is that there are proven ways to expedite cultural changes within companies.

To begin we must describe some general use cases in order to determine what type of results we can expect from Enterprise 2.0 initiatives. The first general use case is “experimental.” In this case we are relying on small test groups and company evangelists to move things forward. Our second is a “well-defined” use case, where someone in the company has signed off on the new social software.

Looking at “well-defined” use cases with senior management support we tend to have a range of options available to overcome company culture when introducing new applications.

Remove Alternatives – Simply remove the old software and require employees to use the new. This is the quickest way people will adapt. Sameer Patel’s case notes how a leading chip manufacturer gave workers 45 days to migrate their emails to new Wiki software before the email server was wiped clean.

Storytelling – New efficiencies and opportunities for growth are envisioned by senior management as they outline ideas for the workplace of tomorrow. “People need to have a sense of what the future looks like, so be very clear on that,” says BP’s Fiona MacLeod.

Incentives – Recognize and reward top contributors and celebrate breakthroughs and milestones. Social software participation can also be included in performance reviews as suggested by Andrew McAfee.

Executive Reminders – If upper management is making it very clear that this is the direction things are going, people tend to jump on the bus quickly. No one wants to risk losing their paycheck by ignoring company initiatives.

When in “experimental” stages many of the direct approaches to “well-defined” use cases are not available. Here are some tactics that are effective when experimenting with enterprise social networks…

Model Behavior – Project leaders and evangelists can influence usage by removing alternatives from their own routines. If the only way for fellow employees to communicate with these leaders is through the social software then more will have to adapt.

New Use Cases – By introducing various new cases where social business applications can be used, more employees will make connections and see benefits.

Senior Sponsor – After an initial test launch try to attract the attention of a senior manager to build support.

Measuring performance for “well-defined” use cases can be done by deciding whether the job set out to perform was accomplished. Also it can be benchmarked against the replaced processes. Measuring “experimental” usage is done by collecting wins. The cases where the software was helpful to an employee, turnaround time was increased, new information was found and new connections were made are all examples of wins.

Source: Social Computing Journal

Intrigued by the concept of Enterprise 2.0? If your company is considering implementing Web 2.0 technologies as an innovative business solution, advancements are being made every day within enterprise collaboration and social networking applications. If you’re like most executives however, you are still on the fence or unsure how to approach these new technologies.

Business software and technology consultant Dion Hinchcliffe led a workshop at last week’s Enterprise 2.0 Conference in Boston. As part of his presentation, Hinchcliffe discussed the allocation of resources and expenses related to introducing 2.0 technologies within organizations. From his experiences, here is the breakdown…

Tools 15% – First understanding that Enterprise 2.0 is more about people than it is about software and hardware, the cost of acquiring business collaboration and/or social networking systems is potentially the smallest expenditure. Even though the cost of solutions can vary greatly, there are several other considerations in this plan.

Customization and Integration 25% – One size fits all would be ideal, but most companies have unique business processes and applications. Customizing the user experience to ensure smooth integration and transition will take some time and resources.

Community Management 25% – As we look towards the long term, serving the community of users will be instrumental. Through engagement, moderation and mentoring we will see greater adoption and participation throughout the organization.

IT Support 15% – Keeping all-systems-go requires a skilled IT team, as with most business technologies.

Project and Change Management 20% – Enhanced collaboration, communication and transparency creates several new dynamics that can be foreign to many traditional business organizations. The culture of many companies can easily create resistance to any Enterprise 2.0 initiative. Creating clear objectives, measuring results and making appropriate changes along the way will be key to progress and success.

Looking at the structure of many modern day companies we see that capable parts do not always create a unified whole. This dilemma has a close relation to the Frankenstein monster: while constructed of strong individual pieces, he is inherently cumbersome and lethargic. Enterprise collaboration initiatives are focused on optimizing the way individuals, teams, and departments work together to increase productivity and communication to develop a more agile organization.
 
Ok, we could probably sit here all day spinning collaboration theory, but what is going to make others listen? How are we going to get managers and co-workers on board? While sluggish, the Frankenstein monster steadfastly stands his ground.
 
As the context of business changes, many companies still remain complacent with their established workflow methods. Having stable core processes is what holds most companies together but changes to the formula are required to remain cohesive as business and economic environments change.
 
Start by developing clear objectives for solving real problems your company is facing. Collaborating for collaboration’s sake is not enough.
 
Take an adaptive planning approach to meet your objectives. Analyze results as you work towards each of your objectives and make appropriate changes along the way. Capitalize on what you learn from mistakes and failures.
 
Praise collaborative efforts. While one person can do great things, the advantages of a team challenging and complimenting each other can produce greater results. By promoting the achievements of team efforts you will encourage others to join in.

Technologies that are emerging to assist in enterprise collaboration efforts offer dynamic tool sets for developing solutions in a real-time business environment. Strongly influenced by Web 2.0 social networking and social media, Enterprise 2.0 focuses on a horizontal playing field where communication and collaboration drive innovation.