How to Integrate Web 2.0 in Corporate America

Today’s business world is being confronted with newer technologies collectively known as “Web 2.0”. Although it’s easy to dismiss Web 2.0 as another dot-com bubble or Silicon Valley hype, there is some truth to its impact that shouldn’t be overlooked. Web 2.0 represents an important evolutionary step in Internet-based tools, collaboration, sharing information, and building internal communities. Generally, Web 2.0 services or products are cheaper, easier to deploy, interactive, and more flexible than their cash hoarding software equivalents.

Furthermore, Web 2.0 technologies allow companies to reduce server costs by moving data and computing power off the desktop and onto the Internet. There are plenty of applications that already exist which can benefit corporations and reduce costs from enterprise software applications. If you’re convinced or interested about Web 2.0 then you’re already making a step towards a brave new world. Before you can deploy a solution there are some things you’ll need:

• Hardware: Windows 95, 98 or Mac OS 9 will not cut it. Make sure your team is up-to-date with their operating systems. This will insure a smooth experience running Web 2.0 applications.
• Internet Connection: If you can still hear your modem dialing up, then you have more work cut out for you. Make sure your company has DSL, Cable, T-1 lines, or WiFi.
• Browsers: It doesn’t matter what browser you use, only that it is the most recent update. Firefox, Safari, and Internet Explore all work well with Web 2.0 applications. Make sure you have multimedia plug-ins installed such as Flash, Flex, SilverLight, etc…
• Team Sponsor: Having a member of your team who’s not part of IT to help translate Web 2.0 into functional savings is important. He/She should have good internal contacts and risk-tolerant. This is your evangelist, so treat them well.
• Buzzwords: Learn to downplay them, and conduct your research. Don’t get caught up in the hype and show that you work based off trends. Find what will work for your company not what’s working for others.

Now that we covered the basics of what you need, let’s take a look on how to make it happen within your company.

Phase 1: Keep it Simple Stupid

If we learned anything from the first dot-com bust, it was big software applications don’t work. They’re highly complex, difficult to install, and don’t communicate well with each other. Web 2.0 solves this by focusing on specific niche tasks, no required installation, and can be used almost anywhere there is an Internet connection.

Talk with your department to find common pains or problems with your current workflow process. After you gather the requirements and understand what is needed, you can begin doing your research for Web 2.0 services. It’s best to start small with widgets, API plug-ins, or add-on tools for existing company wide software. Most likely, trying to champion a full fledge Web 2.0 service without showing that your company can integrate on the smallest level will cause a terrible backlash. In addition, speaking technically to upper management with Web 2.0 jargon such as Ajax, Blog, Mashups, RSS, Tagging, and Wiki won’t get their attention. As mentioned before, keep it simple, keep it relevant to your cause, and provide a supporting business case for small level integration.

Phase 2: Find Your Support and Exploit Opportunities

The main goal of phase 2 is to recruit a core group of employees who can and will embrace the new technology. Grass roots marketing help to build support from the ground up and will show that there is a demand. Keep your team small as you need them to be flexible and adaptable to change. You’ll want to have at least one connector (person to spread the word), an influential (to get others on board), the expert (the one to convert ideas into dollars), the leader (the one that has respect with upper management) and lastly the driver (the one who understands Web 2.0 and it’s fit with your company).

After the team is in place, set some specific and easily attainable goals. This will build your teams confidence and score some early victories to find what’s working best for your team. Remember this isn’t a job for the IT team, we already know how they’ll respond. They’re not going to devote resources to an idea they feel they can build. They probably can build the tool but after about 2 years and 1 million dollars wasted.

Phase 3: Test, Experiment, and Beyond

With phase 1 and 2 behind you it is now time to test your tools. Determine which Web 2.0 services or products do the job best and fit well within your organization. Build upon your success with your goals set in phase 2. Since most services are going to be free initially, continue to test and experiment.

Once you found your golden tool, you need to help alleviate integration issues by making sure people understand how to use it. If your team is spending more time managing the tool than getting things done you clearly have a wrong fit. If it helps, write a “quick start” guide to explain how to navigate and get work done. Most Web 2.0 services will have video tutorials but making your own guide for your team is best. Since you don’t need to install most of the time, when something doesn’t work drop it. When it does work quickly pursue it and move to get more people on board.

Signs that you might have a Web 2.0 tool that is a winner:

• It integrates with an application your company already uses
• It comes with a basic templates or new user guide
• There is a human being you can call for support

Phase 4: Ring the Fire Alarm

The last and final step is giving power to the people. Encourage usage and adoption of your new found glory. Explain how customers, employees, and management can benefit from the tool. Have a strong business case and make the roll out easy for others. Some benefits to build on include information access, ability to add, edit, and manipulate data between departments, and an increase in the flow of processes without redundant tasks. Also, an important step in a successful launch is monitoring the progress of implementation. Gather as much feedback whether it is positive or negative to determine what’s working. Eliminate anything that is getting major push-back as this will hinder your plan for adoption. Once you’ve got a core group that’s on board move to the next stage of management. All the while use your research, feedback, time saving, and money saving notes to influence the “decision makers”.

In conclusion, ignore the status quo Web 2.0 ideas. Find functional, simple, and FREE tools to begin warming your company up to newer technologies. If you can put a solid business case together and you get key supporters you’ll be the one that made a substantial impact to your companies performance. That said, I’ll continue with a list of tools in a proceeding post that will showcase some amazing tools your company can begin to use. If you could introduce a Web 2.0 service to your company today, which one would it be and why?