The Read/Write Organisation

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As mentioned in a previous post, I’m just putting the finishing touches to a handbook on the topic of using social technology behind the firewall to make an organisation more interactive, collaborative, better at learning, and that sort of thing.

I’m quite proud of the first line in it:

Has there ever been an intranet that didn’t suck?

We haven’t decided yet just how it is going to be published, other than giving it to customers as part of projects we are working on, but I’m sure it will be available in some form to everyone in the near future.

As a taster for what’s included, here’s a brief outline of the contents. If you’re interested in finding out more, or would like to get hold of it once it is finished, do let me know in the comments or by email.

  1. Introduction
  2. Why this matters
    • Talking about change
    • Learning and knowledge
    • Managing talent
    • Working smarter
    • Innovating
  3. The toolkit
    • Networking
    • Status updates
    • Discussion
    • Collaborative authoring
    • Blogging
    • Resource sharing
    • Idea sharing
    • Note taking
    • Mashing up data
    • Project collaboration
  4. Approaches to implementation
    • Cobbling free stuff
    • Off the shelf
    • Roll your own
    • Use what you have
  5. Culture and the invisible architecture
    • People, process and technology
    • The importance of workflow
    • Wide and shallow, or narrow and deep?
  6. Governance and risk
    • Strategy and policy
    • Training
    • What are the risks?
    • Mitigation
  7. Summary and next steps
  8. Further reading and resources

4 thoughts on “The Read/Write Organisation”

  1. I’d be very interested in seeing this. I’ve seen other similar things, like the hacking business model and, of course, general cooperative practices. I’m particularly interested to read any experiences about whether it’s necessary for workers to play a part in formal decision-making if you want long-term participation in writing the organisation? If a dictator can overrule any writing, what’s the incentive to write and is it sufficient?

  2. Very interested.

    Intranets exist because you have to have an intranet…don’t you?

    Or perhaps what you really need is:

    – a document management system to store all that bureaucractic crud
    – an internal form store
    – an online HR handbook
    – an online internal business directory
    – a space where you can collaborate
    – a space to share ideas
    – an internal social space

    Nah. Never happen.

  3. As part of my ongoing battle with the communications department, i’d be very interested in seeing the final document so i can learn more and strengthen my arguement of why we as an organisation should be doing something. Thanks Dave for the inspiration to keep going.

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