What’s happening behind the What’s happening behind the firewall?firewall?

The emerging role of social software in The emerging role of social software in IBMIBM

Gabriela Avram Brian Gabriela Avram Brian O’DonovanO’Donovan Liam BannonLiam Bannon

Interaction Design CentreInteraction Design Centre Centre of Advanced Centre of Advanced Studies Studies

University of Limerick IBM Ireland University of Limerick IBM Ireland

Enterprise 2.0Enterprise 2.0

“Enterprise social software will be the biggest new workplace technology success story of this decade. 30% of enterprises will openly sponsor internal…social sharing spaces to help employees find others with similar interest, skills, backgrounds and experiences. “

- Gartner, “ Predicts 2007 – Big Changes Ahead in the High Performance Gartner, “ Predicts 2007 – Big Changes Ahead in the High Performance Workplace”, Dec 5, 2006Workplace”, Dec 5, 2006

Several global companies are known to have Several global companies are known to have adopted Enterprise 2.0 tools: Sun, Google, adopted Enterprise 2.0 tools: Sun, Google, Deloitte, KPMGDeloitte, KPMG

IBM/Lotus has a long history of building IBM/Lotus has a long history of building andand using using collaboration toolscollaboration tools

IBM through the yearsIBM through the years IBM was established over 100 years agoIBM was established over 100 years ago

Until 1980s Until 1980s thethe dominant computer company dominant computer company Mainframe hardware companyMainframe hardware company Set own proprietary standardsSet own proprietary standards Formal & Proud/ArrogantFormal & Proud/Arrogant

Almost went bankruptAlmost went bankrupt But elephants can danceBut elephants can dance

Now a services, software & hardware companyNow a services, software & hardware company Passionate about Open StandardsPassionate about Open Standards Very informalVery informal

Interesting FactsInteresting Facts 300-350k employees (ambiguity from contract &vendor staff)300-350k employees (ambiguity from contract &vendor staff)

40% do not work at an IBM facility40% do not work at an IBM facility Significant growth in Emerging Countries (e.g. 40K employees in Significant growth in Emerging Countries (e.g. 40K employees in

India)India) Significant growth through acquisition (e.g. Vallent in Cork)Significant growth through acquisition (e.g. Vallent in Cork)

Building a culture of Building a culture of collaboration collaboration

The IBM Values:The IBM Values:

Dedication to Every Client's Dedication to Every Client's SuccessSuccess

Innovation that Matters - for our Innovation that Matters - for our company and the worldcompany and the world

Trust and Personal Responsibility Trust and Personal Responsibility in all Relationships in all Relationships

The practicalities:The practicalities:

Searching for the place one can fit in Searching for the place one can fit in bestbest

Job rotation encouraged – go where you Job rotation encouraged – go where you can learn the most can learn the most

Internal IM gives every employee Internal IM gives every employee instant access to anyone in the instant access to anyone in the companycompany

Interaction with peers (i.e. anyone) – Interaction with peers (i.e. anyone) – build your own network build your own network

Asking tough questionsAsking tough questions sooner the better sooner the better Finding innovative solutions in Finding innovative solutions in

challenging situationschallenging situations End of the year assessment – based on End of the year assessment – based on

input from both managers and input from both managers and collaborators collaborators

Recognition and acknowledgment of Recognition and acknowledgment of successes successes

Innovation and creativity are firmly Innovation and creativity are firmly encouragedencouraged

Culture and practice are interwoven;

Our research is focusing on social practices built around social software applications - allowing for flexibility, frequent communication and reliable knowledge-sharing mechanisms.

Tools - seen as result of, and support for the collaboration culture

Engaging employees with Engaging employees with emerging technologyemerging technology

TAP – Technology Adoption ProgramTAP – Technology Adoption Program Launched in 2006 to accelerate the adoption of new Launched in 2006 to accelerate the adoption of new

technology to benefit our internal transformation and technology to benefit our internal transformation and productivityproductivity

Foster a culture of early adoption to understand the impact Foster a culture of early adoption to understand the impact of new technology on day-to-day workof new technology on day-to-day work

Brings together a community of early adopters to try new Brings together a community of early adopters to try new solutions and provide feedback directly to the creatorssolutions and provide feedback directly to the creators

Provides methods and infrastructure to support innovation Provides methods and infrastructure to support innovation development and deploymentdevelopment and deployment

TAP Offerings typically come from product groups, IT TAP Offerings typically come from product groups, IT teams and IBM Researchteams and IBM Research End-users are also sharing tools that they’ve build to End-users are also sharing tools that they’ve build to

enhance their own productivityenhance their own productivity TAP has reached over 100K employees as early TAP has reached over 100K employees as early

adopters and offers a catalog of over 200 solutionsadopters and offers a catalog of over 200 solutions

Collaboration tools - Collaboration tools - 3 stages of adoption: 3 stages of adoption:

1.1. For getting the work doneFor getting the work done Everyone must use theseEveryone must use these

2.2. Taking offTaking off Used widely in certain sub-communitiesUsed widely in certain sub-communities but not yet ubiquitousbut not yet ubiquitous

3.3. In an experimental stageIn an experimental stage Early adopters onlyEarly adopters only Research concepts which are likely to change Research concepts which are likely to change

singinifcantlysinginifcantly

1. For getting the work done1. For getting the work done

e-mail, calendar (Lotus e-mail, calendar (Lotus Notes)Notes)

E-mail – business as usual –more context, keeping track of E-mail – business as usual –more context, keeping track of decisions, delegating tasksdecisions, delegating tasks

Calendaring and Scheduling – pivotal for time management: Calendaring and Scheduling – pivotal for time management: “The Notes calendar is king”“The Notes calendar is king”

Mailing lists for maintaining team awarenessMailing lists for maintaining team awareness Web 1.0 tools, but content is used in web 2.0 mashupsWeb 1.0 tools, but content is used in web 2.0 mashups

Instant Messaging Instant Messaging (Sametime)(Sametime)

CommunicationCommunication Contacts listContacts list Awareness mechanismAwareness mechanism Location/position in the Location/position in the

organisation chartorganisation chart

What makes IM so attractive?What makes IM so attractive?

Existing contactsExisting contacts Team matesTeam mates ManagersManagers Support staffSupport staff ExpertsExperts Knowledgeable peersKnowledgeable peers LiaisonsLiaisons

New contactsNew contacts Following Following

recommendationsrecommendations Found on the organisation Found on the organisation

chartchart Authors of documents Authors of documents

published on the intranetpublished on the intranet Indicated by folksonomiesIndicated by folksonomies

• Status visibility, persistent, less intrusive Status visibility, persistent, less intrusive • ““In many ways instant messaging does seem to support the In many ways instant messaging does seem to support the

serendipitous kinds of interactions that are lost when serendipitous kinds of interactions that are lost when employees are not co-located.” (Parker et al)employees are not co-located.” (Parker et al)

• Part of the IBM culturePart of the IBM culture• IM as an alternative to the break room, coffee meeting, water IM as an alternative to the break room, coffee meeting, water

coolercooler• Affords getting in touch with:Affords getting in touch with:

Solving an urgent situationSolving an urgent situation Context: translation testing;Context: translation testing; Two days before the Two days before the

deadlinedeadline Coordinator at the Irish siteCoordinator at the Irish site Fix provided; tester in Fix provided; tester in

France refuses to apply it, France refuses to apply it, because “he got tired of because “he got tired of fixes that don’t work”fixes that don’t work”

Extended chat: the Extended chat: the coordinator explains the coordinator explains the situationsituation

He asks again the tester to He asks again the tester to apply the fixapply the fix

3 min3 min No further comments…No further comments…

A BC

BluePagesBluePages• Employee directory/personal pages/profiles

• Information on status, location, skills, management chain, languages spoken, picture

• Fringe: tag clouds, recent activity, internal&external blogs

WikisWikisCollaborative editing:

• documentation,

• code snippets,

• discussion of new ideas

Lotus Notes Team rooms

2. Just taking off…2. Just taking off…

BlogsBlogs

http://www.ibm.com/blogs/

Internal blogs:• BlogCentral

External blogs on • ibm.com, • developerWorks, • Alpha Works, • PartnerWorld

Only IBMers can create a blog on ibm.com; anyone can add comments to the thread.

Many IBM Staff have blogs on a variety of platforms

Cross-posting from internal to external blogs is quite common.

- In the future BlogCentral might extend beyond firewall

Who is blogging? Why? About Who is blogging? Why? About what?what?

Developers, testers, managers, support, Developers, testers, managers, support, sales ~10% of IBMerssales ~10% of IBMers

Internally: connect to peers; build Internally: connect to peers; build reputation; spread the word; ask for help; reputation; spread the word; ask for help; document own work; expose private livesdocument own work; expose private lives

Externally: get feedback from a broader Externally: get feedback from a broader audience; provide information to audience; provide information to customers; connect with other professionals customers; connect with other professionals outside; develop own reputationoutside; develop own reputation

About: work, challenges, tools, initiatives, About: work, challenges, tools, initiatives, personal development, hobbies, familiespersonal development, hobbies, families

A selection of posts…A selection of posts…

Fighting e-mail: Progress Fighting e-mail: Progress Report - End of Week 3 Report - End of Week 3 (Whoooaaahhh!!!)(Whoooaaahhh!!!) Well, today is the end of the Well, today is the end of the

third week and still going third week and still going strong. strong.

My team is stopping blogging…My team is stopping blogging… not writing any more entries to a not writing any more entries to a

blog might be a sad thing for the blog might be a sad thing for the interested readers (tolerable), but interested readers (tolerable), but actively deleting it might be actively deleting it might be actively destroying created actively destroying created knowledge without need... (not knowledge without need... (not acceptable) (comment from a acceptable) (comment from a reader)reader)

A storyA story Today I was on a prep call with a Today I was on a prep call with a

potential client from a large potential client from a large bank….bank….

All of a sudden the client says, All of a sudden the client says, "Do you blog?" I said yes. And she "Do you blog?" I said yes. And she said, "I thought your name said, "I thought your name sounded familiar, I read your sounded familiar, I read your blog!" She knows me...we have a blog!" She knows me...we have a bond!bond!

A random selection of A random selection of posts…posts…

I'm a new manager and can't blogI'm a new manager and can't blog Hey all. I've missed ya! I'm now out there in the brave Hey all. I've missed ya! I'm now out there in the brave

world of management and can't blog. No one said I world of management and can't blog. No one said I can't, nobody said I shouldn't, but wow, when do I do it? can't, nobody said I shouldn't, but wow, when do I do it?

Headless chicken impressionHeadless chicken impression Today is not my day.Today is not my day. I wanted to print my handouts on I wanted to print my handouts on

business cards. .. But the printer at business cards. .. But the printer at home stubbornly refused to feed the home stubbornly refused to feed the Avery business card forms I picked up…Avery business card forms I picked up…

How am I, you ask?How am I, you ask? A timeline of recent personal and work-A timeline of recent personal and work-

related events. related events. Friday, 12:15PM. Wife calls, having Friday, 12:15PM. Wife calls, having

locked herself out of the house...locked herself out of the house...

Social bookmarking Social bookmarking (dogear)(dogear)

To Dogear or not to Dogear - thoughts To Dogear or not to Dogear - thoughts please!please!

““My "use cases" for dogear: My "use cases" for dogear: 1. Sometimes, I'll post a bookmark which I 1. Sometimes, I'll post a bookmark which I

think is of general interest - I have to admit I think is of general interest - I have to admit I don't do this often, I'm still wedded to don't do this often, I'm still wedded to "traditional" bookmarks in my browser. "traditional" bookmarks in my browser.

2. I subscribe to the RSS feed to discover what 2. I subscribe to the RSS feed to discover what is hot and new.is hot and new.

3. I have the dogear plugin installed in Firefox. 3. I have the dogear plugin installed in Firefox. When I search W3, I get dogear results at the When I search W3, I get dogear results at the top of the results page. THIS IS THE KEY for me top of the results page. THIS IS THE KEY for me - I almost always find what I want within - I almost always find what I want within seconds, usually via the dogear results.” seconds, usually via the dogear results.”

““After thinking about it for about 5 minutes, I After thinking about it for about 5 minutes, I decided to go the extra mile and configure my decided to go the extra mile and configure my iMac to connect to the IBM network and install the iMac to connect to the IBM network and install the necessary software.  I did a Dogear search on necessary software.  I did a Dogear search on "mac remote access" using the Dogear Firefox "mac remote access" using the Dogear Firefox plugin.  Several links came up which led me to plugin.  Several links came up which led me to the Mac Fans community.  That led me exactly to the Mac Fans community.  That led me exactly to the two pages that I needed:  FAQ for Mac users the two pages that I needed:  FAQ for Mac users and IBM Downloads for Mac Users.  I and IBM Downloads for Mac Users.  I LOVELOVE DOGEAR!! ”DOGEAR!! ”

Going the extra mile…Going the extra mile…

Fringe – BluePages+1Fringe – BluePages+1

Media SharingMedia SharingShared repositories:

• Podcasts (IBM Media library)• Presentations & other docs

(cattail)• Video on demand (IBMTv)

3. In an experimental stage3. In an experimental stage

Metaverse (aka 3D Internet) Metaverse (aka 3D Internet)

IBM Almaden training for emergency situations in SLIBM Almaden training for emergency situations in SL Virtual TeamBuildingVirtual TeamBuilding Virtual LotusphereVirtual Lotusphere

In Second Life:In Second Life: "Why do we need walls and ceilings to do a meeting?" "Why do we need walls and ceilings to do a meeting?"

"We’ve had meetings under water and up in the air. Meetings "We’ve had meetings under water and up in the air. Meetings are where you want them to be." are where you want them to be."

““So last night I logged on for 30mins or so and got a little So last night I logged on for 30mins or so and got a little more adventurous in the exploring department. I cruised more adventurous in the exploring department. I cruised over to a large art gallery to check out what virtual art looked over to a large art gallery to check out what virtual art looked like - it looks just like .bmps stuck to walls.” like - it looks just like .bmps stuck to walls.”

““It’s not weird for a brand to expose themselves in a 3D It’s not weird for a brand to expose themselves in a 3D space, and it’s not weird for people to socialize in 3D using a space, and it’s not weird for people to socialize in 3D using a variety of mediums (audio, et al). What’s weird is the variety of mediums (audio, et al). What’s weird is the unfocused environments and the poor technologies of virtual unfocused environments and the poor technologies of virtual worlds that are used to engage in very basic, primitive worlds that are used to engage in very basic, primitive behavior: conversationbehavior: conversation.” .”

““I might try to have an organizational get-together in SL for I might try to have an organizational get-together in SL for my team. One of the things I'm grappling with is how to my team. One of the things I'm grappling with is how to make it "better than" a simple presentation to folks that make it "better than" a simple presentation to folks that could be done in 2-D, or even better than a real world could be done in 2-D, or even better than a real world meeting! “meeting! “

Other “bleeding edge” appsOther “bleeding edge” apps

IBMrIBMr reputation management reputation management

systemsystem integrated with IM integrated with IM

BlueTwitBlueTwit Micro blogging (like twitter)Micro blogging (like twitter)

SonarBuddiesSonarBuddies Detecting implicit social Detecting implicit social

networksnetworks

ReputationReputation

People spend a lot of time trying to People spend a lot of time trying to improve their reputationimprove their reputation It is difficult to measure reputationIt is difficult to measure reputation

But if it matters we must tryBut if it matters we must try Some experimentsSome experiments

Blog rating system – readers award starsBlog rating system – readers award stars BeeHive gives points for “good work”BeeHive gives points for “good work”

Quantity versus quality debateQuantity versus quality debate IBMr – an explicit reputation management IBMr – an explicit reputation management

systemsystem

Mashups / Situational ApplicationsMashups / Situational Applications

Facilitating innovationFacilitating innovation Inside IBMInside IBM

IBM ThinkplaceIBM Thinkplace TAPTAP Innovation JamInnovation Jam CommunitiesCommunities

Around IBMAround IBM IBM PartnerJamIBM PartnerJam developerWorksdeveloperWorks DW communitiesDW communities IBM group on IBM group on

FacebookFacebook Greater IBMGreater IBM

developerWorks Spaces

Illustration: IBM’s first Illustration: IBM’s first HackDayHackDay

Began with a post from Kelly D. to Began with a post from Kelly D. to Blog CentralBlog Central

submission to Thinkplacesubmission to Thinkplace Quickly embraced by the communityQuickly embraced by the community

Using existing tools the group took it Using existing tools the group took it from idea to event in 2 weeksfrom idea to event in 2 weeks

Over 50 teams submitted projects or Over 50 teams submitted projects or ideasideas

Voting was held to determine winners Voting was held to determine winners in 7 categoriesin 7 categories

Emphasizing community and culture…Emphasizing community and culture…not a contestnot a contest

Opening the doors to the wider Opening the doors to the wider communitycommunity

alphaWorksalphaWorks Lotus GreenhouseLotus Greenhouse Open Commercial Open Commercial

DevelopmentDevelopment Jazz is now open to the Jazz is now open to the

public: jazz.netpublic: jazz.net

Thank you! Thank you! Questions? Comments?Questions? Comments?