Why you should use a wiki for your org.

Many non-profits and companies are using wiki’s to help leverage and retain knowledge. A wiki is a way to share important knowledge easily via a private network or the internet. The best example of a wiki site is Wikipedia which is one of the largest reference sites on the internet.
Consider the following:

• Are you sharing information with a group of colleagues?
• Have to reference checklists or other information repeatedly?
• Have to send instructions or other forms over and over?
• If a co-worker leaves, does some knowledge leave with them?

Having a Wiki may be your solution to these issues.

Like many other things, setting up a wiki has never been easier. If you are a Google Apps for Nonprofits or Business user you have google sites available to you as part of your package. Other options are available from Sharepoint for Microsoft users to setting your own server either via hosting or on your server in-house.

Benefits of a wiki.

One place for all the information.

Having only one place to search for information is much more productive than trying to figure out where the desired information you are looking for is across multiple systems.

Built in search.

Much like Google makes finding information very easy, having built in search on the wiki will help you find what you are looking for much quicker.

Collaboration.

For larger projects having multiple people working collaboratively on information helps share the workload and can allow discussion.

 

Some best practices.

Decide what you want to use the wiki for.

Keep in mind the original purpose of a wiki was for as information to be made available easily, instead of being in silos. As much as possible. In most nonprofits and corporations, many policies and procedures are freely available to staff, they just are in a myriad of different systems.

Get buy in from your ED or Senior Management.

Show them the benefits of having a wiki and have them champion your cause. This will help with adoption of the wiki.

Choose one wiki “Head Gardener”

This is the person who will initially setup the wiki structure and keeps the wiki content in alignment with the original vision. A Head Gardener will work with others in the team in case of disagreement but the buck should stop with that person.

Everyone can contribute to the wiki.

A good organization should already have a culture that encourages openness and the free expression of ideas. A wiki can be extension of that. As long as one person thinks they information they add may be useful it should be encouraged.

Train and review.

Make sure staff are comfortable and trained in using the wiki. A small investment of time at the beginning will pay off in the long run. Review the content of the wiki on a regular basis to ensure that the structure and content is keeping to the original vision.

A wiki is only as good as what is in it.

The more staff use and add to the wiki the more valuable it will be for them and the organization.

 

A wiki is another example of  using technology and productivity tools can help you and your organization achieve it’s goals in a far easier manner.