ibmconnect

that there is one platform for collaboration. Silo'd platforms kill collaboration

Yes, @furrier nails it, though it's very hard for #collaboration implementation teams to grapple with a multilayered strategy, as it's relatively new, but it's clearly the situation in most organizations now.

@furrier That should be on a t-shirt. Silo'd platforms kill collaboration!

@dhinchcliffe Where does the problem lie - in the IT teams responsible for implementing, the LOB teams responsible for adopting, the tools themselves, or other?

another misconception that the marketing cloud exists in an end to end digital marketplace it doesn't exist it will die

Marketing cloud vendors will shift to SalesClouds or die

But other major #collaboration strategy misconceptions include: a) that it's primarily a technology discussion b) roll-it-out-and-they-will come c) general purpose tools will create targeted business value d) that community management isn't key

Would you say @dhinchcliffe and @IBMConnect that makes it even more important for 'platforms' to be open to multiple integrations to allow users to have the best experience?

It seems like there is an interesting dichotomy here between security/built-for-business apps and the proliferation of new collaboration apps and platforms. Having to give in to compliance vs. innovation

an open end to end digital fabric based upon data and APIs will win the day; orchestration is the new middle layer

@PhyliciaTeymer Yes, #collaboration platforms must be open to succeed from now on. The good news is that they generally have been, but the capability has been greatly underutilized for creating a cohesive and contextual user experience. That is changing.

@dhinchcliffe Dion sounds like SOA again :-)

Exactly right, @furrier. The pattern of digital fabric + open data (APIs) comes up again and again as the end-game to get the most out of a given #tech solution. Is true of #collaboration too.

@danielkdtwt Of course, the answer is it depends. A major challenge is that the IT team looks at #collaboration as largely a technology problem, when it's primarily a human challenge. LOB just doesn't have the expertise in #tech or collab #strategy.

Put simply, #collaboration strategy is the plan you have to achieve your objectives in improving teamwork. It should be a living artifact and updated as you learn what works and what doesn't. It should have both policy and an overall plan.

So it needs to be constantly evaluated and updated?

I find that many organizations create a #collaboration strategy in a point in time, but then don't update it or communicate it as well as they could. In general, stakeholders should be well aware of the strategy and help realize it, improve it.

Collaboration strategy is both technical and business

At what cadence do you typically find companies update their collaboration strategies? Any recommendations, @dhinchcliffe?

If you look at the successes of SaaS companies in collab mkt they find one killer use case then build more tech from there

Having a strategy that creates open APIs gives most flexibility

Doesn't have to be updated constantly, but it should contain the ongoing storytelling of the organization as it improves how it connects and enables groups of people to work together.

@furrier Right, John, #collaboration strategy must be about people as much as #tech.

I would add that having a "connections-oriented" model in a new way with users is key; users are the new network

@PhyliciaTeymer The strategy cadence in organizations varies quite a bit, and ranges from having little to no #collaboration strategy, to high performers, who maintain theirs regularly. You can guess who is steadily producing better results. ;-)

user experience and having on staff and on call developers

The issue is that #collaboration tools are competing with a lot of other pre-existing tech. Has to be an incentive + help to switch #collaboration tools. Community management is a major way, as it redesigning work around the the new tools.

top down leadership is critical for all projects, including email right? If execs don't buy in why would anyone else?

Ok this seems to speak directly to the trend of moving away from email as a colllaboration tool. Would that be right?

@skiingmadman Indeed that is spot on Eric. As Chris Crummey says you have to 'lead out loud'.

@skiingmadman There has to be a grass-roots adoption as well - people are more likely to use it if their colleagues are. Identify core, non-C-suite evangelists to speed adoption among the masses.

@skiingmadman Yes, exec leadership is a key success factor, though about a third of #collaboration efforts succeed without it. It's the hard way to do it, but I do encourage doing something even w/o leadership support, than doing nothing.

Another key success factor in #collaboration adoption is getting champions, recruitied from respected figures in the organization, to use the tools publicly, regularly, and well.

I agree @dhinchcliffe being able to identify internal champions is a great way to drive user adoption with collaboration software. My company has been using VitalSigns monitoring tools to identify the thought leaders within our organization.

Automation of data will assist the collaboration to make us smarter in how we spend out time seems to be the biggest thing

Yes, we are seeing a sort of convergence with #collaboration now, as app integration has started to become popular to create a sort of digital workplace hub. AI, machine learning, and bots to support #collaboration are a big trend too.

It'll be interesting to see if companies cling to the notion that everybody on a particular team must be in the same physical space every day to be effective.

check out this article about AI beating the best poker players http://nerdist.com/a...

Curious to know how collaboration tool could identify user's context and persona right now. That's the key for collaboration,create pull v/s push.

The rise of artificial intelligence tech within #collaboration platforms does appear to be helping provide the needed user context and persona adaptation.

Definitely - the enormous amounts of data, structure and unstructured seem to be a problem that machine learning and AI can tackle. Providing contextual tailored experiences, personal assistance, and rapid search to make collaboration more efficient

As I often say, we have to learn how to design better for loss of control. The horse has left in the barn when it comes to fully controlling the #digitalworkplace or our #collaboration environments. Focus on preserving only essential control.

Can you elaborate on 'designing for loss of control'?

Sure. You can design for loss of control in many ways, such as specifically enabling points of allowed variation. For example, as @furrier noted, providing open APIs gives people tools to innovate at designated points, however they choose.

Other ways to design for loss of control: empowering + enabling #changeagents, holding #hackathons, building app stores into your platform, crowdsourcing, working out loud, etc. My full take here: https://dionhinchcli...

Employee experts are possibly the single most valuable type of user in a system of #collaboration. How you tap them to unload their knowledge into the network and how you connect them with others, can have great positive impact.

Make sure those employees are not only experts, but are adept at *communicating* that expertise.

@danielkdtwt Yes, in general it's smart to provide a digital #collaboration skills booster to all users when new tools are provided, but especially to the employee experts.

,1 Collab,context of work at the lowest possible level. Outcome can be measured reduction in process steps (eliminate / optimize). 2.multi-level collaboration(Task/project/functional/team), foster positive interdependence and team building.

Make abundantly clear (supporting with numbers if possible) that the collaboration strategy is part of and essential to the overall business plan.

We should be clear that you can improve #collaboration without a mass culture shift. But to get at the larger slice of the value equation, an organization must shift to a mindset that embraces openness, mutual trust, and inclusiveness in work.

@danielkdtwt Yes, Daniel, that's ideal, though can be challenging to keep integrated.

Engage with Workforce in the context of work,fulfil their aspiration. Spread culture of learning, but with care and empathy. Tools / Systems to drive this

Perhaps the culture shifts happen with decreased aversion to change. To me, that should be a company value shouted from the rooftops before it even comes to adopting new tools or even collaboration.