Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
ambiguities in content quickly become visible and need to be resolved.
This becomes visible, for example, when the same name is used by
different users to reference a web application, a database or a system as
a whole. The payoff from disambiguation efforts is that it allows content
to be shared using simple, human readable URLs. The wiki provides
stable URLs for concepts and can act as both a social bookmarking tool
and a URL shortener in plain English. For example, the URL
http://
wikiname.company.com/John_Smith
is easier to re-use in other
applications and is easier to remember than
http://directory.company.
com/profi les/userid=123456
.
16.3.10 Enterprise IT considerations
Even though KnowIt started as an experiment, it was deployed with
proper security and disclaimers in place. We were fortunate to
benefi t from an internal policy of 'innovation time' and develop the
knowledge base as an approved project. This allowed us to get
buy-in from a growing number of stakeholders from the information
technology department, management and power users. By deciding
to let use cases and practical user needs drive the development of
expansions to the wiki, it was possible to keep demonstrating its
usefulness while at the same time, increasing exposure through internal
communication channels and external publications. It also helped being
prepared and anticipating the usual objections to new technologies, such
as security, workfl ow and compatibility with environments and
applications already in use.
Microsoft SharePoint
Microsoft SharePoint is diffi cult to avoid in an enterprise environment, in
particular in life sciences. Most of the big pharmaceutical companies
are using SharePoint as a platform to collaborate and share data [10].
SharePoint is often compared to a Swiss Army knife in its approach to
collaboration. In addition to its core document management capabilities
and Microsoft Offi ce compatibility, it provides a set of tools such as
discussion areas, blogs and wikis. These tools are simple by design
and require consultants and third-party modules in order to complete
their features. By Microsoft's own admission, 'About $8 should be
spent on consultants and third party tools for every 1$ spent on
licenses' [11, 12].
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