ra2point0

Wiki Tips

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RA 2.0: Wiki Tips

Dos

Throw it up there.

"Wikis are lifeless unless someone takes action by creating and posting content...Don't worry whether it is bad or wrong or provocative. Other people on the wiki will let you know soon enough, and they will probably be pretty nice about it."

Let it happen.

"Now new kids are joining the party, and you have been setting an example for them. But wait, they aren't doing it just the way you did. They have new ideas...Yes, you must be bold and unafraid to disagree. However...you should not be too quick to quash the energy of the newly hatched community members."

Structure can wait.

"When people try to edit a page with a lot of structured wiki elements, they can get scared. Remember that adding structure to wikis can wait."*

Think about putting up some structure. (Yes, it seems to directly contradict the do above. Welcome to 2.0!)

Have a specific purpose in mind, and state it.

Track changes or set it up so that changes are emailed to you or can be viewed in an RSS reader.

Encourage collaborative use and editing.

Become familiar with a few different wiki programs; familiarity with the format alone will make you feel more receptive to the content.

Definitely join and add content to others' wikis, particularly if you don't want to create a new one.

Consider different ways wikis might be used: to reduce "reply to all" emailing, for sharing knowledge and training, user documentation, project management

*All quotes above from the book "Wikis for Dummies."

Institutional Wiki Tips

"Unlike email, which 'pushes' discrete copies of the same information to each person, and then requires that the separate revisions be somehow combined, wiki 'pulls' people together to work on the same text." (p. 3.)

Possibilities for institutional use: Peer directories, editable agendas and minutes, project management, knowledge base, event planning, create content for blogs and public web sites. Particularly important for librarians: they support folksonomies.

Eleven steps for a successful first wiki:

1. Establish a time frame

2. Make it representative

3. Keep it compact

4. Choose participants carefully

5. Seek or Be Sought?

6. Wiki with a purpose

7. Define house rules

8. Allow personal spaces

9. Never an empty page

10. Make it a magnet

11. Be firm and think long term.

Watch out for working styles that can hamper collaboration: the do-it-all, the OverOrganizer, the WikiTroll (negative commenter), Wkiphobes, beancounters, Manager Lockdown

(Note: All above institutional info from book "Wikipatterns".)

Don'ts

Be afraid to play with your wiki.

Forget to publicize your wiki.

Neglect to train those who have never worked with wikis.

Be afraid to take it down if its purpose is done.

Be afraid to let others edit your material.