Today I had the opportunity to meet with Josh Bancroft and chat about all things geek. Everyone once in awhile Josh and I get together to talk about “geeky” things.  Every time I walk away from meeting with Josh I’m pumped up about geeky stuff, online communities and usually end up buying the new toy he just showed me. Yup, I’m bad. Last time Josh and I met, I ended up buying a Kindle… this time he showed me a cool, white, EPC.  I’m in trouble with that one. I really REALLY want that. I’m a sucker for new, techy things.

I am just so amazed and how much one can learn about building online communities, social media, web 2.0 and all those other “hot” phrases for connecting on the web. On one hand I feel really strong in my knowledge and on the other, I feel like I have so much to learn.  Josh keeps telling me I know more than I think I do, and maybe that’s so, but I want to really feel comfortable about what I know. I want to be able to speak to anyone, geek and non-geek, about wikis, blogs, podcasting, online communities.

I can’t believe I went with three questions and we only got through the first.  Ok, yeah, I can because Josh and I have a habit of talking about the question and then going off on a tangent and then coming back.  Right in the middle of talking about blogs I should be making sure to read, showing me how to use Netvibes and making feeds of twitter searches we jumped to iPhone apps.  I had to laugh a bit because there we were in Panera sharing apps and “geeking out”. I’m sure people thought it was quite a site. Josh has some wicked cool apps though, like sonic lighter. That is one cool app! I can’t believe that it shows you all the people that are running that app all over the world.  It was amazing to look it.  Imagine the power in that sort of thing, maybe not for a lighter, but it did make me wonder how it could be applied to other things. Koi Pond was super cool too.  I ended up with nine apps on my list to try.

Josh and I also talked about his new project which sounds so cool and right up his alley.  I think he’ll be great at it.  The cool thing is I get to help him a bit.  How cool is that?  Right now I’m going to try and work out a logo for him and then go from there. I am so flattered that he’d want me to help him.  So we’re helping each other. He’s mentoring me and I’m helping him, where needed, on his project.

I learned so much today and got so many great sites to start following.  I’ve also implemented some new changes on my blog too based on today’s meeting.  I even got an early preview of Josh’s presentation for tomorrow at WordCampdx.  That’s the other fun things happening.  I’m really trying to emerse myself in the blogging, wiki community.  I’m pretty excited about tomorrow to learn lots about WordPress and network with other bloggers in the pdx area.

I know I’ve talked about it before but I have to say. I am so excited about the implications of wikis in the business world. I have been fortunate to participate in investigating wikis and their uses in the company I work for. It’s been so interesting to review the wikis that are out there for purchase, their pros and cons. It’s also very interesting to see the sample wikis that companies have steered me too.

While working on my wiki investigation, I found this article – 7 Strategies for Implementing Wikis - amongst my rss feeds. The article outlines strategies for implementing wikis as outlined by Industry Week.

These strategies couldn’t have come at a better time. I really liked the 7 points the author pointed out but I also felt it could be shortened and adjusted a bit. Here’s my list below.

1. Integrate
2. Understand
3. Optimize
4. Assign
5. Recognize
6. Value
7. Encourage

Honestly, I think those 7 words say it all. I started thinking of those 7 words and tried to pick out “the one” action or behavior that has to happen for a wiki to be successful and honestly, I can’t pick just one. Good solid wiki adoption depends on so many things. It would be so easy to say that it just requires leadership support and some rules, but there’s so much more. Wikis thrive on people and not just the “big wigs” or the “people in the trenches” but all people. A wiki is the catalyst for collaboration, sharing of ideas, meeting people with like interests or ideas and much more.

For a wiki to be adopted by all you’ve got to address all aspects; everything from the new user of technology to the early adopter. You need to speak their language and really show the value of the tool. For many the wiki becomes a paradigm shift. I know for some it is hard to make the transition from writing a word document and uploading it to making a wiki page that IS the document.

I am just so very excited that I get to participate on the team working toward a wiki solution for our company. Every day I see new uses for it in our environment. I can’t wait for the day that I can say, we have xx wiki.