Enterprise 2.0, When Web 2.0 goes corporate: Hype or reality?

Many of us naturally associate Web 2.0 with consumers rather than corporations. With examples such as MySpace, Digg, Flickr, Wikipedia, Del.icio.us and many others, the value to the consumer is clear. However, the benefits of Web 2.0 can be extended to the enterprise. Think about the power of Web 2.0 relative to harnessing the collective intelligence of an organisation as well as its partners and customers. Enterprises should become familiar with Web 2.0 and related concepts. They should plan for adoption of these technologies in order to significantly enhance performance and productivity.

The tools that we use outside of work, as consumers, tend to creep into the enterprise as we find creative ways to exploit new technologies. Web 2.0 is the latest example of this phenomenon, and we should not ignore or underestimate the potential impact.

In addition to Web 2.0 tools moving into the enterprise, the Web 2.0 user creation mindset is also entering the enterprise as more users gain the ability to create applications without even requiring the help of IT.

The relative ease of Web 2.0 solutions deployment is changing the nature of enterprise IT. Social networking and other Web 2.0 collaborative tools are moving into the enterprise because people find them beneficial and easy to use. Organisations should encourage their employees to use these technologies as they can provide improvements in efficiency & information sharing and enable innovation in ways that meet corporate objectives. Users know their own needs best and may be able to create “mashups” that meet those needs faster and possibly better than through traditional software deployments.

There are, of course, certainly risks associated with this approach including security, infrastructure stability, data loss, reliability, and more. However, in many cases, the benefits may outweigh the risks, especially if some precautions are taken to mitigate these.

I highly recommend a recent BNET Briefing on this very topic. The first section of this report is providing a simple, yet comprehensive definition of these next-generation Internet technologies. Should you consider reaping the benefits of Web 2.0 inside your company, this briefing is also providing a step-by-step guidance on how to take Web 2.0 applications and services for a test drive. A basic directory of Web 2.0 services will help you with identifying the solutions that are most relevant to your business needs. Finally, and since Web 2.0 is built around a set of underlying concepts that make good business sense both online and offline, BNET is presenting an interesting view on how smart companies apply the principles of Web 2.0 … without even using the Web! The report has recently been updated with a video to find out how many people could explain Web 2.0. (Fewer than you might expect, considering the buzz surrounding it). Video host Dan Farber, editor in chief of ZDNet, explains how to use and get the most out of Web 2.0 in a corporate environment.

Hype or reality? … Well, Web 2.0 is certainly representing an important shift in the way digital information is created, shared, stored, distributed, and manipulated. In the years ahead, it will definitely have a significant impact in the way businesses use both the Internet and enterprise-level IT applications.