The evolution of the web (2.0 style)

Thanks to my colleagues(Mark and Dave) for sharing this video with me. In a previous post I provided my point of view as to why web 2.0 is different. Watch this video and you’ll see (and feel) what I mean. For those of you not into Web 2.0 get with it…this is powerful and has awesome promise. This is a great time of sharing, collaborating, helping and a time where your voice is/will be heard. What are you waiting for? =)

An informal podcasting poll

Recently at my company sales conference I took an informal poll on podcasting. The question I asked the room of 45 people was how many of you listen to podcasts? Three hands went up. I work for a technology company which is riddled with talent and early adopters. So what’s the scoop? I don’t know…yet…but I my gut feel is that many folks just haven’t been exposed to it yet. Here are some key things for us to do to increase awareness and adoption of podcasting and web 2.0 stuff as a whole.

1) Show and Tell – show people how they can benefit from listening to podcasts and provide some examples of how they can integrate podcast listening into their daily lives. They can listen while exercising (reduces boredom, makes better use of time and hey you’ll get fitter!), during the daily commute, during boring tradeshow presentations. The sky is the limit. Tell them how others are using podcasting both personally and professionally. There is tremendous variety and types of shows with more coming online regularly. Podcasting is about discovering shows that entertain, educate and engage.

Also, tell people that they are free! I believe that when people hear that they are on iTunes they naturally think there is a charge. NOPE…and it had better stay that way.

2) Create one – produce family podcasts and send them to relatives. Create a podcast for your department, your company, your organization, your hobby. It’s extremely simple and fun.

Add to the list!

Enterprise 2.0

The graphic below from Dion Hinchliffe’s post on his Enterprise 2.0 site graphically illustrates how he sees corporations architecting a web2.0 model. Web2.0 tools are proving to be a new means to communicate, collaborate and create institutional intelligence for organizations.

So, where does a company start? Experimentation within departments is a good way to start. I’ve been experimenting with wikis, blogs and podcasts recently. I’ve had mixed success but the key is not to stop. Experimentation is critical for each business has unique challenges and needs.

This is another fundamental difference between web1.0 and 2.0 in my mind. During 1.0 we all got on the eCommerce bandwagon and sought ways to generate income through advertising and online ordering. With web2.0 the platforms are all about content and collaboration. The creation of content and the opportunity to provide opinion creates conversations. The aggregation of content in one location such as a wiki, blog, social bookmarking and mash up apps pools content and sets context.

Companies need to identify what key issues they are experiencing internally and externally when it comes to information management, communications and collaboration. They need to determine how they wish to engage with people and then think about what 2.0 tools/services can help them accomplish this.

No tools can figure out a web2.0 model that will benefit a business. People can though and they now have a whack load of tools and services that can enable them cost effectively deploy a web2.0 strategy.

Web 2.0 and the SMB "Long Tail"

The chart below, from Frank Gen’s blog (he’s from IDC), superimposes key datapoints to illustrate the importance of Small to Medium size companies when it comes to employment, GDP contribution and how much $ they spend on IT. IT, when deployed properly must make a company more competitive, more responsive, more customer centric and more profitable.

The Long Tail aspect shows that the number of businesses in the SMB market is vast, distinct and traditionally doesn’t spend as much as larger companies on IT. Most IT service and solution companies see this as unattractive. They are wrong!

The key is to provide SMB’s with access to affordable services that allow customization. New IT service and solution companies need to review there business models, offerings and cost of doing business and adapt…..or die.  Using web2.0 tools and approaches to streamline selling costs while building an online community would compliment SaaS (Software as a Service) and provide remote collaboration in the areas of solution design and service deployments. Telephony, Network managment, CRM and other software and Portals are just a few areas where I see opportunity.

Real World Wiki Experiment

I am conducting a WiKi experiment at my place of work. The WiKi is being used to launch a marketing program for sales and marketing teams from key partners and my company. Why am I doing this?

A key challenge we face in the tech industry is the amount of information or content we deal with on a day by day basis. This information can be in the form of emails, RFPs, proposals, meetings, webcasts, whitepapers, conversations… you get the picture right?

A Wiki can be used as a tool to create an interative knowledge base for a subject, project, program etc. It can be an effective way to accumulate micro content which when aggregated and linked together can help a knowledge worker in various ways.

On-demand Information - If architected properly (information design is important) the content can be gathered, classified, linked and placed into logical sections (organization is important too).

For example: the program wiki I’ve created has the following sections:

• Homepage (with updates so the reader can scan the page and see if anything has changed on the wiki, if not they can move on to other things)
• Partner Development
• Campaigns
• Learning and Education
• Events

Readers/Learners know that if they want a definitive source for this program a quick visit to the wiki is the best option.

Helps Establish a Broader and Clearer Picture – because the information is collected in a central location readers can see all that is happening. The Wiki author(s) can update, edit and create links to relevant content.

Readers get to see where things link together and why. This is instead of receiving emails periodically which creates fragmentation of information and mental clutter (each person manages or mis-manages their inbox! A WiKi manages the information for them…this is powerful!)

Reduces email volume – Emails are reduced to an update that the Wiki has changed if any emails are sent at all!

As this real life experiment continues I will update you.

Key Leaders from HP Eating the Dogfood!

I am really impressed with leaders who try new things, freely communicate and who participate in web2.0 stuff. They take risks and put themselves in the mix and muck. Two examples are Phil McKinney and Erik Kintz from HP.

Erik is a Global VP of Marketing who’s Marketing Excellence corporate blog gives you updates on what HP is doing when it comes to web2.0 stuff. Recent campaigns have been geared to consumers around the theme of the personal computer becoming personal again. Erik provides us with the opportunity to learn what HP is doing. He is also immersing himself in web2.0 stuff personally and professionally. A new “convergence” perhaps?

Phil is a VP/CTO at HP and he has a Blog and Podcast Series called Killer Innovations. His podcasts are awesome! They educate me on real world things he does with respect to innovation. His podcasts provide insights, ideas, mechanisms and tools used to help cultivate ideas and innovation.

These two gentlemen are living examples of leaders that “get it” and “do it”. HP’s “tagline” is “Invent”. These guys are demonstrating that the HP brand is all about invention through their actions and contributions.

For all you execs who don’t listen to podcasts start with Phil’s. Many CEOs are saying their companies must innovate. My question to the CEO is what are you doing to innovate? How are you adopting social media for your own professional development? If you’re not living by example how useful are you to your customers, employees and shareholders?

We’d Better “Get It” Soon!

Attensa is an RSS solution provider so some would view their blog posts as biased. While this could be the case a recent post on their blog regarding “Enterprise 2.0″ provides business leaders with some insights as to why web 2.0 tools are important.

Calling all Business and Technology Leaders. Give the Attensa post a read and if the mood strikes read the cited articles and listen to the podcast too.

Google vs Microsoft-cont’d

Witness the continued Google vs. Microsoft debate on Robert Scoble’s blog. Robert recently left Microsoft for the Podtech network. Steve Ballmer was quoted in an article in the Toronto Star that all software will be web based within 10 years. Read the Gmail vs. Outlook debate on Scoble’s blog.

Another nail in the coffin?

The iPOD has opened my mind! It is THE primary device I use to listen and learn DAILY. iTUNES searches, updates and aggregates the stuff I listen to. As a result, I’m able to listen to great music (to be entertained) and great minds (to learn and get involved) about Web 2.0 stuff.

When I take in a Podcast, I hear about opportunities to meet people (DemoCamp, CaseCamp) in group settings and one to one with thought leaders like Mitch from Twist Image who’s Podcast Six Pixels of Separation you must listen to.

So what is the relevance to my Title “Another Nail in the Coffin?”. It’s very simple, today’s internet generation share ideas, pictures, music, source code and on and on. This is a culture and movement away from traditional uni-directional “selective” communication from the media and corporations. They are and will lose control if they don’t embrace this phenomena. Take music for example. I want to pay the artists directly for their talent and I’d like most of the money to go to them and not old age overhead such as retailers, distributors and “labels”. I want to reward people who provide the most value to me. I’m not interested in lining the pockets of rich shareholders and overpaid executives.

I guarantee you that someone will use this evolving social network as a viable distribution channel for products and services. The next music label may be a consortium of artists and fans working together to create great music and be paid for their efforts. Heck I can burn CD’s and promote them. Why do we need Sony? Why do we need ticketmaster?

Change your business by embracing the changing web. Open up the kumo and ask and receive honest feedback from customers, partners AND employees. Get with it or the “new” companies such as Google and the “new consumer” will eat your lunch.

Google vs. Microsoft?!

Google continues to dominate search and web advertising which has “bothered” Microsoft who have been trying to get out of the number 3 position in the search engine “market”. Google and Yahoo! seem to flip between 1 and 2 in the search engine space. I’m not sure about web advertising.

Now, Google is going after Microsoft’s core business which is software! Google is releasing word and excel apps and gmail, chat and calendar could be a threat to exchange which is a huge part of Microsoft’s business! The link below from Robert Scoble’s blog talks about how his new employer The Podtech network is using Gmail and Calendar! Wow. Click here to read the article post.