Getting past the wiki fear

For some a wiki is second nature. But for many faced with one for the first time, wikis can be an alien experience.

The wiki I recently set up for a project has resulted in a flush of emails with things that could just have been put on the wiki. I don’t mind this at all, but it does raise the question: what is it we fear about wikis?

The barriers are numerous, and I think include:

- many consider web editing to be something done by specially trained people in the corner of an organisation, or geeky friends with blogs

- ownership – we are reluctant to deface a published document, or appear too pushy on someone elses space

- fear of destroying  – we fear bringing the whole thing down

- we are used to using the comment box on blogs, keeping ‘article’ and ‘comment’ separate

- lots of people have never editted a website so it seems like a new skill.

There may be more, but I hope these few notes, and  video I pinched, will help reassure users – and that others will share their thoughts.

1. If someone puts up a wiki they are openly inviting your comment. They are passing ownership to all users (whilst still retaining a small level of ‘management’ control over things like appearance)

2. It will help the wiki owner to plan and prepare if they have your input. You are adding value to the exercise, not taking anything away.

3. Anything you change can be changed back, and for the most part it’s relatively easy to go back to an older version.

Wikis are an amazing collaborative tool. Once they’re there, you’ve been invited to use them. Have some input, even if it’s only to tidy up spellings or offer support. They may not be the most beautiful tool in the world, but hell, they’re one of the most effective.

I’ve put an abbreviated version of this post up on a wiki page as well. Feel free to comment here or on the wiki. If it helps remove the fear, it’s worth the effort.

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Other Links to this Post

1. The week that was | Freelance PR consultancy in the UK by Waves PR — February 12, 2010 @ 7:07 pm

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