I created a wiki for a branch I worked at a year ago. The purpose was to create an online version of our reference notebook. I also wanted to maintain a record for staff to monitor the hot topics of the day or week between staff rotations. I used PBWIKI which is a free wiki resource. What I liked is that the wiki was available from any computer. What I didn't like is that staff did not want to learn a new technology, there were ads of the wiki on the wiki AND there was no ability to edit the layout of the page.
What I learned is that for this type of social networking tool to work, there must be buy-in. Staff need to be willing to experiment and offer feedback as well as feel that there is a strong need for the tool. Evidently, none of these criteria were present.
In conclusion, I find that I like wiki's. I personally use Wikipedia for many of my reference needs. Otherwise, I find many other wiki's a bit superfluous. These are good tools to stay informed about an organization. For example, NEFLIN's wiki is useful for posting recent information but I cannot help but wonder whether simply posting the information on the homepage would better serve the purpose. I believe that we have an excess of electronic tools at this time to serve our experimental needs.
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