Comments on: Roadblocks and steamrollers http://www.acidlabs.org/2007/06/28/roadblocks-and-steamrollers/ strategies, tools and processes to empower knowledge workers Fri, 05 Sep 2008 16:05:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Social Computing: If not us, our competitors at Social Cult http://www.acidlabs.org/2007/06/28/roadblocks-and-steamrollers/#comment-2807 Social Computing: If not us, our competitors at Social Cult Mon, 20 Aug 2007 02:15:20 +0000 http://www.acidlabs.org/2007/06/28/roadblocks-and-steamrollers/#comment-2807 [...] Matt Hodgson, I am wondering when I get my social computing tools at work. Like Steve Collins, I’m wondering whether I should be standing in front of the steamroller trying to stop [...] […] Matt Hodgson, I am wondering when I get my social computing tools at work. Like Steve Collins, I’m wondering whether I should be standing in front of the steamroller trying to stop […]

]]> By: James Governor’s Monkchips » links for 2007-06-29 http://www.acidlabs.org/2007/06/28/roadblocks-and-steamrollers/#comment-2490 James Governor’s Monkchips » links for 2007-06-29 Fri, 29 Jun 2007 23:27:22 +0000 http://www.acidlabs.org/2007/06/28/roadblocks-and-steamrollers/#comment-2490 [...] Roadblocks and steamrollers | acidlabs Australian trouble makers [...] […] Roadblocks and steamrollers | acidlabs Australian trouble makers […]

]]> By: Stephen Collins http://www.acidlabs.org/2007/06/28/roadblocks-and-steamrollers/#comment-2489 Stephen Collins Fri, 29 Jun 2007 21:59:24 +0000 http://www.acidlabs.org/2007/06/28/roadblocks-and-steamrollers/#comment-2489 Thanks everyone for the comments so far - it's good to see that a good number of organisations are getting their heads around social computing in business. My strong feeling is that it is the conservatism inherent in the public sector, embodied in top-down structure, deep risk aversion and general bureaucracy that's largely preventing social computing adoption at a organisational or sector-wide level. I am aware of several public sector agencies that have adopted these tools to one extent or another, and that's encouraging. It's the blindness in the illustration I provide that's frustrating. Thanks everyone for the comments so far - it’s good to see that a good number of organisations are getting their heads around social computing in business.
My strong feeling is that it is the conservatism inherent in the public sector, embodied in top-down structure, deep risk aversion and general bureaucracy that’s largely preventing social computing adoption at a organisational or sector-wide level.
I am aware of several public sector agencies that have adopted these tools to one extent or another, and that’s encouraging. It’s the blindness in the illustration I provide that’s frustrating.

]]> By: vanderwal http://www.acidlabs.org/2007/06/28/roadblocks-and-steamrollers/#comment-2479 vanderwal Fri, 29 Jun 2007 13:52:48 +0000 http://www.acidlabs.org/2007/06/28/roadblocks-and-steamrollers/#comment-2479 At the recent Enterprise 2.0 conference the people who actually opened the doors to blogs, wikis, and other social web tools (inside or outside the firewall) found they had competitive advantage over similar organizations. In places that were not competitive (government and some non-profits) they found that people were more efficient and projects and regular work were higher quality for knowledge based jobs. One panelist stated the only reason not to embrace these tools it you want your organization to be unsuccessful. That said, there is a huge culture shift that needs to take place in organizations around control from the top down. This takes time and it is an important part of my consulting, preparing for the culture shift (mostly providing a value trade for control with improved knowledge/intelligence. At the recent Enterprise 2.0 conference the people who actually opened the doors to blogs, wikis, and other social web tools (inside or outside the firewall) found they had competitive advantage over similar organizations. In places that were not competitive (government and some non-profits) they found that people were more efficient and projects and regular work were higher quality for knowledge based jobs.

One panelist stated the only reason not to embrace these tools it you want your organization to be unsuccessful.

That said, there is a huge culture shift that needs to take place in organizations around control from the top down. This takes time and it is an important part of my consulting, preparing for the culture shift (mostly providing a value trade for control with improved knowledge/intelligence.

]]> By: Enterprise Social Computing: If not us, our competitors at Facibus Reviews http://www.acidlabs.org/2007/06/28/roadblocks-and-steamrollers/#comment-2465 Enterprise Social Computing: If not us, our competitors at Facibus Reviews Thu, 28 Jun 2007 22:53:08 +0000 http://www.acidlabs.org/2007/06/28/roadblocks-and-steamrollers/#comment-2465 [...] Matt Hodgson, I am wondering when I get my social computing tools at work. Like Steve Collins, I’m wondering whether I should be standing in front of the steamroller trying to stop [...] […] Matt Hodgson, I am wondering when I get my social computing tools at work. Like Steve Collins, I’m wondering whether I should be standing in front of the steamroller trying to stop […]

]]> By: Susan Scrupski http://www.acidlabs.org/2007/06/28/roadblocks-and-steamrollers/#comment-2456 Susan Scrupski Thu, 28 Jun 2007 13:56:24 +0000 http://www.acidlabs.org/2007/06/28/roadblocks-and-steamrollers/#comment-2456 patience. these are still early days. education and building awareness is key. patience. these are still early days. education and building awareness is key.

]]> By: Stephen Collins http://www.acidlabs.org/2007/06/28/roadblocks-and-steamrollers/#comment-2454 Stephen Collins Thu, 28 Jun 2007 13:37:17 +0000 http://www.acidlabs.org/2007/06/28/roadblocks-and-steamrollers/#comment-2454 @James and Shane - I couldn't agree with you more, and it's more than a significant part of the reason I left permanent employment in the public sector and then went independent (in February this year). I'm very keen to do more (any) work helping organisations introduce social computing, but at the moment it's straight contract work doing UCD and some IA work for a government organisation whose corporate view is <em>exactly</em> as I describe. Matter of fact, it's the dominant attitude across the Australian public sector. I <em>really</em> need to get more (any) private sector freelance gigs! :) @James and Shane - I couldn’t agree with you more, and it’s more than a significant part of the reason I left permanent employment in the public sector and then went independent (in February this year).

I’m very keen to do more (any) work helping organisations introduce social computing, but at the moment it’s straight contract work doing UCD and some IA work for a government organisation whose corporate view is exactly as I describe.

Matter of fact, it’s the dominant attitude across the Australian public sector.

I really need to get more (any) private sector freelance gigs! :)

]]> By: Shane Morris http://www.acidlabs.org/2007/06/28/roadblocks-and-steamrollers/#comment-2451 Shane Morris Thu, 28 Jun 2007 13:04:55 +0000 http://www.acidlabs.org/2007/06/28/roadblocks-and-steamrollers/#comment-2451 I would have thought a key way to foster more trustworthy staff would be to not treat them like they can't be trusted. I would have thought a key way to foster more trustworthy staff would be to not treat them like they can’t be trusted.

]]> By: James Governor http://www.acidlabs.org/2007/06/28/roadblocks-and-steamrollers/#comment-2450 James Governor Thu, 28 Jun 2007 12:51:47 +0000 http://www.acidlabs.org/2007/06/28/roadblocks-and-steamrollers/#comment-2450 graduates and skilled people are not going to join companies that are so blinkered. game over. graduates and skilled people are not going to join companies that are so blinkered. game over.

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