Comments on: Employee Computing for Collaboration, Innovation, and Productivity http://www.wikinomics.com/blog/index.php/2009/09/25/employee-computer-for-collaboration-innovation-and-productivity/ Exploring How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything Sun, 28 Aug 2011 14:21:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Nick Vitalari http://www.wikinomics.com/blog/index.php/2009/09/25/employee-computer-for-collaboration-innovation-and-productivity/comment-page-1/#comment-314086 Nick Vitalari Thu, 08 Oct 2009 18:19:08 +0000 http://www.wikinomics.com/blog/?p=4812#comment-314086 Excellent -- a very perceptive comment. Segmenting professionals and employees into groups by work preferences, experience and mode of work, as you point out, is often overlooked in these types of discussions. One of the other findings of the study was the importance of segmentation, yet we found that few organization do it systematically. Often the reason is that it is assumed that segmentation increases costs, whereas, in fact it often reduces the TCO because the one size fits all model often leads to over-provisioning of technology for those that don't need it and as Rob points out increasing inefficiency in work practices or frustration which leads to lower morale. Excellent — a very perceptive comment. Segmenting professionals and employees into groups by work preferences, experience and mode of work, as you point out, is often overlooked in these types of discussions. One of the other findings of the study was the importance of segmentation, yet we found that few organization do it systematically. Often the reason is that it is assumed that segmentation increases costs, whereas, in fact it often reduces the TCO because the one size fits all model often leads to over-provisioning of technology for those that don’t need it and as Rob points out increasing inefficiency in work practices or frustration which leads to lower morale.

]]> By: Rob van der Heij http://www.wikinomics.com/blog/index.php/2009/09/25/employee-computer-for-collaboration-innovation-and-productivity/comment-page-1/#comment-313831 Rob van der Heij Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:19:33 +0000 http://www.wikinomics.com/blog/?p=4812#comment-313831 An inspiring post and certainly food for thought. I believe that some of the points you raise are affected by the inertia of the big crowd. Among IT staff we did things like collaboration 20 years ago. But when you want to involve others than IT professionals, interfaces must become easier and "fool proof" even. In most cases this also means more standardized and more restrictive, which typically makes it harder to use for professionals. That alienates the professionals where you really need the support of these early adopters in a new collaboration project. Few companies seem to understand that professionals need different tools than the casual user. It's silly to assume that support staff dealing with hundreds of problem tickets per day could be efficient with the same user interface as the end-user who opens a problem once a month. Equally strange to assume that a "standard desktop" with typical software collection should do for all. IT is a highly creative profession. Locking down the professionals kills creativity and innovation. An inspiring post and certainly food for thought. I believe that some of the points you raise are affected by the inertia of the big crowd. Among IT staff we did things like collaboration 20 years ago. But when you want to involve others than IT professionals, interfaces must become easier and “fool proof” even. In most cases this also means more standardized and more restrictive, which typically makes it harder to use for professionals. That alienates the professionals where you really need the support of these early adopters in a new collaboration project.

Few companies seem to understand that professionals need different tools than the casual user. It’s silly to assume that support staff dealing with hundreds of problem tickets per day could be efficient with the same user interface as the end-user who opens a problem once a month. Equally strange to assume that a “standard desktop” with typical software collection should do for all.

IT is a highly creative profession. Locking down the professionals kills creativity and innovation.

]]> By: links for 2009-10-04- Exploring New Learning Spaces http://www.wikinomics.com/blog/index.php/2009/09/25/employee-computer-for-collaboration-innovation-and-productivity/comment-page-1/#comment-313369 links for 2009-10-04- Exploring New Learning Spaces Sun, 04 Oct 2009 12:09:15 +0000 http://www.wikinomics.com/blog/?p=4812#comment-313369 [...] Wikinomics» Blog Archive » Employee Computing for Collaboration, Innovation, and Productivity [...] [...] Wikinomics» Blog Archive » Employee Computing for Collaboration, Innovation, and Productivity [...]

]]> By: Wikinomics» Blog Archive » 2.0 Policies – If You Don’t Have ‘Um You Need ‘Um http://www.wikinomics.com/blog/index.php/2009/09/25/employee-computer-for-collaboration-innovation-and-productivity/comment-page-1/#comment-312748 Wikinomics» Blog Archive » 2.0 Policies – If You Don’t Have ‘Um You Need ‘Um Thu, 01 Oct 2009 11:40:53 +0000 http://www.wikinomics.com/blog/?p=4812#comment-312748 [...] Employee Computing for Collaboration, Innovation, and Productivity [...] [...] Employee Computing for Collaboration, Innovation, and Productivity [...]

]]> By: Nick Vitalari http://www.wikinomics.com/blog/index.php/2009/09/25/employee-computer-for-collaboration-innovation-and-productivity/comment-page-1/#comment-312674 Nick Vitalari Thu, 01 Oct 2009 03:25:47 +0000 http://www.wikinomics.com/blog/?p=4812#comment-312674 Thanks for your post. Great point. We found that many of the issues are cultural. Companies that get it and want to change often encounter many non-technical impediments from legal departments, employee policies, traditional work arrangements (home versus office), and a 1.0 view of intellectual assets (no categorization of what can be openly shared, shared only with partners, or not shared at all). I also agree that a broad consensus across the executive team, including the CEO, is necessary to move the cultural bar. Thanks for your post. Great point. We found that many of the issues are cultural. Companies that get it and want to change often encounter many non-technical impediments from legal departments, employee policies, traditional work arrangements (home versus office), and a 1.0 view of intellectual assets (no categorization of what can be openly shared, shared only with partners, or not shared at all). I also agree that a broad consensus across the executive team, including the CEO, is necessary to move the cultural bar.

]]> By: TropicalGringo http://www.wikinomics.com/blog/index.php/2009/09/25/employee-computer-for-collaboration-innovation-and-productivity/comment-page-1/#comment-312667 TropicalGringo Thu, 01 Oct 2009 02:46:16 +0000 http://www.wikinomics.com/blog/?p=4812#comment-312667 Great post. It seems to me that there's another category of company: those that don't "get it" but that certainly want to "get it." I find this group of companies as the most interesting, because of the challenge in helping them fit into their new enterprise 2.0 clothes. The fact that the challenge is not so much technical as it is cultural seems to imply that enterprise 2.0 tools vendors really need to recruit a different type of partner. A partner with the gravitas and wherewithall to convince the a broader section of the executive suite than just the CIO. Great post.
It seems to me that there’s another category of company: those that don’t “get it” but that certainly want to “get it.” I find this group of companies as the most interesting, because of the challenge in helping them fit into their new enterprise 2.0 clothes.
The fact that the challenge is not so much technical as it is cultural seems to imply that enterprise 2.0 tools vendors really need to recruit a different type of partner. A partner with the gravitas and wherewithall to convince the a broader section of the executive suite than just the CIO.

]]> By: Nick Vitalari http://www.wikinomics.com/blog/index.php/2009/09/25/employee-computer-for-collaboration-innovation-and-productivity/comment-page-1/#comment-312401 Nick Vitalari Tue, 29 Sep 2009 19:14:32 +0000 http://www.wikinomics.com/blog/?p=4812#comment-312401 Angie, your point is a good one. In many ways the first "personal computer revolution" simply retained the "industrial" workplace model with very rigid task structures, limited ideas of what constituted work and insular work arrangements -- the only thing missing was the factory whistle announcing shift changes. Companies will begin to realize the value of innovation across traditional boundaries as employees bring larger social graphs to work. What is viewed today as "slacking off" might actually be a very productive time to create more productive relationships for the company -- not just kibitzing with one's buds on company time. You're right. Many workplaces need to change. Time must be given to generating new ideas, innovation, building powerful social graphs, and spending some time thinking about what could be. Angie, your point is a good one. In many ways the first “personal computer revolution” simply retained the “industrial” workplace model with very rigid task structures, limited ideas of what constituted work and insular work arrangements — the only thing missing was the factory whistle announcing shift changes.

Companies will begin to realize the value of innovation across traditional boundaries as employees bring larger social graphs to work. What is viewed today as “slacking off” might actually be a very productive time to create more productive relationships for the company — not just kibitzing with one’s buds on company time.

You’re right. Many workplaces need to change. Time must be given to generating new ideas, innovation, building powerful social graphs, and spending some time thinking about what could be.

]]> By: Angie Thomas http://www.wikinomics.com/blog/index.php/2009/09/25/employee-computer-for-collaboration-innovation-and-productivity/comment-page-1/#comment-311976 Angie Thomas Sat, 26 Sep 2009 06:12:29 +0000 http://www.wikinomics.com/blog/?p=4812#comment-311976 This is a well thought-out and complex piece of writing and I probably won't do it justice. But I'll say that the workplace in my experience needs to change. It needs to address people's creative time and give it some air. You can't work equally all day long. You need to express yourself to your colleagues and its not just slacking off when you do. Individuality needs should be more important, not just conforming, although there's a time for that as well. This is a well thought-out and complex piece of writing and I probably won’t do it justice. But I’ll say that the workplace in my experience needs to change. It needs to address people’s creative time and give it some air. You can’t work equally all day long. You need to express yourself to your colleagues and its not just slacking off when you do. Individuality needs should be more important, not just conforming, although there’s a time for that as well.

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