SLP - 3 Computer technology and the networked organization - Essay Example

SLP - 3 Computer Technology and the Networked Organization What Is a Wiki and How Can Be Useful For an Organization Wiki is an open website solution that allows an individual to edit information online. Wiki is utilised for extensive variety of tasks including information taking, creating inner knowledge base, developing online community and managing website. In particular, wiki represents the maximum attainable information sharing tool for an organisation where people willingly and liberally collaborate and create knowledge and perform towards common objectives of both employees and organisation.

In an organisation wiki helps to share information regarding an important subject such as product catalogue or service information. It also helps to manage different projects undertaken by an organisation. One of the key benefits organisation can get from the use of wiki is better communication. Wiki is useful for placing meeting minutes, providing different ideas and additional contribution by the employees (Grace, 2009).Description of a Wiki ProductOnline wiki products do not perform alone rather the products must be coupled with online server which provides the permission to create a website.

One such product which helps to create wiki is Microsoft SharePoint. It is an online platform through which wiki page can be created. This product is related with several functions comprising web component management, social network association and document management among others. Through this product, organisations can also conduct effective searches for documents and access huge amount of commercial information. Apart from that Microsoft SharePoint also comprise several web tools which assist in central information management, security controls and management of servers (Microsoft Corporation, 2014).

Organisational Goal Supported by Microsoft SharePointOne key organisational goal which is supported by Microsoft SharePoint is increased collaboration. Since this product allows the members to create wiki for the purpose of information sharing, it facilitates collaboration within organisation. It act as a platform for creation of online software, comprising IT assets, group workshops, emails, attendance awareness and internet oriented conferencing. Furthermore, the services provided by this product also allow organisations to discover distributed information and files rapidly and effectively, along with empowering the employees to perform creatively.

As a result, this product helps to maintain a collaborative environment in an organisation (Cloudmore, 2011). Features of Wiki to Support Organisational GoalsThere are several features which can be used in wiki for supporting organisational goals. For instance, FAQ can be used in order to surrogate knowledge base which can be helpful for the employees to solve common issues pertaining to their operation. Furthermore, activity streams can be used in order to distribute information on any plan or announcements.

The other prevalent feature is blog which help to create ongoing discussion on a popular topic (Challborn & Reimann, 2005). Relation with Learning ObjectivesCreation of wiki is related with the learning objectives of the module in the sense that it helps to understand the concept of website component delivery tools. The wiki product, Microsoft SharePoint provides several tools which help in creation of individual wiki and therefore support the learning objectives. Wiki has strong potential in the area of education as it allows sharing thoughts with other students and exchanging information for better learning experience.

ReferencesChallborn, C., & Reimann, T. (2005). Technical evaluation report 47. Wiki products: a comparison. The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 6(2). Cloudmore. (2011). Windows SharePoint Services (WSS) – introduction. Retrieved from http://www.cloudmore.com/services/communication-and-collaboration/windows-sharepoint-services/ Grace, T. P. L. (2009). Wikis as a knowledge management tool. Journal of Knowledge Management, 13(4), 64-74. Microsoft Corporation. (2014). Create a wiki.

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