Web-Tones

All Wikis, all the time!

This has been, for me, the summer of the Wiki! Why is that? Well, as it turns out, on two different gigs I have been challenged to articulate the Wiki value proposition. That is not an easy task unless you want to sound like another technology "snake oil" vendor. Collaborative platforms have been around at least as long as Lotus Notes firmly established the category. So the question is, what is different this go round?

Aside from the fact that most small businesses and even a large percentage of mid-size firms probably could not afford the Lotus Notes ante, the biggest difference is the platform. The "always on 24/7 anywhere/anytime platform" is a huge differentiator from the collaborative apps of the past. The fact that most of the innovation (and investment) is in the "web as platform" space is also important. There is significantly less vendor lock in then there was in the past. Sure, committing to an Enterprise Wiki vendor is no trivial commitment, but NOT exactly the equivalent of committing to Notes or Sharepoint.

I am far more willing to ride on the open platform train then to hitch my wagon to another proprietary platform. The fact that customers, partners and employees require no special training to use a Wiki is also important. The platform simply works and delivers on the promise. We have collectively just started to scratch the surface of potential WIki applications. Those that believe Wik's are nothing more than geeks singing another verse of "Kum Ba Yah" are going to miss this train. This is not unlike those in corporate America who, early on, thought that the PC was a novelty.

Shilling for Money: "People Ready"

Link: People Ready. Start here and follow the links. Is this controversy about "running a business" or "journalistic integrity?" We live in a complex world and the answer is probably a little bit of both. It is naive to think that money doesn't change the equation and probably equally naive to think that it absolutely corrupts. However, the issue is important and should not be easily dismissed as "much to do about nothing."

e-Commerce Growth Slowing, What Gives?

Link: Online Sales Lose Steam as Buyers Grow Web-Weary - New York Times. The data for e-Commerce sales going forward is not a rosy as it has been in the past. The "data collectors" have been predicting this for some time now and there are many factors contributing to the slowdown. The interesting phenomenon that is emerging is not "clicks versus bricks" but "clicks & bricks." The so called hybrid models may be the e-Commerce winners going forward. Why? Because we do not live in the on-line world as opposed to the off-line world, we simply live and work in the world, which is a world of bits and of atoms. What we want is the integration of the two. The companies that can provide a "seamless integrated experience" are likely to get our attention.

The takeaway is that face time still matters; personal relationships still matter; service from a human being that we know and trust still matters. Yeah the bits still matter, but you cannot hide behind the faceless facade of the network.

Scalability & why it matters

Missing from much of the Web 2.0 discussion is the real change that is happening behind the scenes. There is a race to see who is going to control the "computing on the cloud" experience. No duh? But wait, I am not talking about the latest social networking app du jour, but rather the race to build "the biggest, baddest data centers that the world has ever known."

Why? Because scalability matters for nearly ALL online businesses that want to grow (which don't?), and the best way to get it is to buy it from the grid. Information Technology, as in the "speeds and feeds," is no longer something any business should be managing in house. Bad things happen when you try to scale in house systems. The relationship to other pain points (e.g. staffing) is not linear and it is not long before the "wheels fall off of the wagon."  The marketplace is quickly waking up to this reality. Google and others want to be well positioned when the inflection point comes.

The inflection point is approaching at light speed. The future "ain't what is use to be." Change or die.

Wikis & Law Firms

The "Wiki for law firms train" has already left the station. We are way beyond just the chatter of legal tech consultants hyping Web 2.0! Cisco's General Counsel discusses why outside counsel that wants to work for the Fortune 500 may be toast unless they get on board here. One of the UK's dominant "magic circle" law firms discusses its Wiki rollout strategy here.

However, if you believe that the value proposition has to do with internal operations (especially vis-a-vis marketing to the Fortune 500), you have completely missed the point. Sure, Mark Chandler at Cisco wants a "collaborative space" where he and his staff can work more effectively with outside counsel, but he is MORE interested in how your knowledge management strategy is increasing the value that your firm delivers (i.e. how it helps deliver higher quality work at competitive rates).

In other words, there is far more to the strategy than mere platform advantages. The platform advantages are easily copied, the real question is "how are you leveraging the platform to create value for the client?"

Implications of Google Buying FeedBurner?

Link: Weekly Wrapup, 28 May - 1 June 2007. Google continues to put the pieces of its Web 2.0 strategy together. Buying FeedBurner allows it to control yet another advertising channel. We are witnessing the making of another "natural monopoly." Google's ambitions cover multiple vectors. It is clear that the land grab will continue for the foreseeable future. Its advertising model allows it to convert all strategic acquisitions into "monetizable" properties.

As long as the consumer continues to benefit there is very little to fear. Other giants will be forced to follow suit, and that should ensure that pricing remains competitive. The Web 2.0 landscape remains quite fertile ground for other acquisitions. An interesting strategy would be to ride the Google train to competitive advantage by leveraging their high value add low cost offerings. In others words, by becoming a smart consumer of Google's suite of increasingly integrated set of products and services.