What is Web 2.0?

Wikipedia has the following definition of Web 2.0:

“Web 2.0 encapsulates the idea of the proliferation of interconnectivity and interactivity of web-delivered content. Tim O'Reilly regards Web 2.0 as the way that business embraces the strengths of the web and uses it as a platform. O'Reilly considers that Eric Schmidt's abridged slogan, don't fight the Internet, encompasses the essence of Web 2.0 — building applications and services around the unique features of the Internet, as opposed to expecting the Internet to suit as a platform (effectively "fighting the Internet"). In the opening talk of the first Web 2.0 conference, O'Reilly and John Battelle summarized what they saw as the themes of Web 2.0. They argued that the web had become a platform, with software above the level of a single device, leveraging the power of "The Long Tail," and with data as a driving force. According to O'Reilly and Battelle, an architecture of participation where users can contribute website content creates network effects. Web 2.0 technologies tend to foster innovation in the assembly of systems and sites composed by pulling together features from distributed, independent developers.“

AIIM defines Web 2.0 similarly in that Web 2.0 technologies provide the means and tools for organizations to leverage the Internet as part of their enterprise platform and architecture. Many organizations see value in using Web 2.0 tools or social software within their organizations for improved collaboration and innovation, and this is then often referred to as Enterprise 2.0. AIIM defines Enterprise 2.0 as a system of web-based technologies that provide rapid and agile collaboration, information sharing, emergence and integration capabilities in the extended enterprise.

Social software for an enterprise must according to Andrew McAfee, Associate Professor, Harvard Business School have the following functionality to work well:

Search: allow users to search for other users or content
Links: group similar users or content together
Authoring: include blogs and wikis
Tags: allow users to tag content
Extensions: recommendations of users or content based on profile
Signals: allow people to subscribe to users or content with RSS feeds

He recommends that the software must be easy to use and not impose any rigid structure for users. The roll-out should be informal, but on a common platform to enable future collaboration between areas. He also recommends strong and visible managerial support to achieve this.

The above list was expanded upon by Dion Hinchcliffe in 2007 by adding the following 4 functions:

Freeform: no barriers to authorship, i.e. free from a learning curve or restrictions.
Network-oriented: all content must be Web-addressable.
Social: stresses transparency (to access), diversity (in content and community members) and openness (to structure)
Emergence: must provide approaches that detect and leverage the collective wisdom of the community.

AIIM has developed an Enterprise 2.0 training course in best practices for using Web 2.0 technologies to improve collaboration and knowledge management within an enterprise. This vendor neutral training program was developed by AIIM based on learning objectives defined by an advisory panel consisting of some of the industry's foremost thinkers on Enterprise 2.0. For more information visit www.aiim.org/training

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AIIM provides an educational roadmap for the industry.

• Certificate Training Programs  - Industry leading Certificate Training Programs include Enterprise Content Management (ECM), Electronic Records Management (ERM), Business Process Management (BPM), Information Organization & Access (IOA/Search), Enterprise 2.0 (E2.0), Email Management (EMM) and SharePoint. Courses are available via the web or classroom.
• AIIM Essentials Courses   - The AIIM Essentials programs are short online courses that are focused on very specific topics applicable to any organization, and are a perfect complement to the AIIM Certificate offerings. Courses include: Imaging and Recognition, Evaluating SharePoint, Web Content Management, Digital Asset Management, eDiscovery, and PDF/A.
• In-person Seminars  - These free, educational seminars held in cities throughout the U.S. and Canada, help educate business and government professionals with information on the latest industry trends, key business drivers, case study examples, solutions, and more.
• Information Portals  - Provide case studies and white papers, articles and research studies focused on Green ECM, Compliance/Electronic Records Management, SharePoint and ECM, Healthcare Information Management, and Capture/Scanning/Recognition.