Wikis


 * Return to What tool to use and why**

A wiki is a collection of web pages that can be easily edited by anyone, at any time, from computer that is connected to the internet. We can think of it as web-based tool where users can add, remove, and edit every page using a web browser. You don’t have to know HTML or special codes, just a few simple commands and regular typing. 1.1.1. A wiki's versioning capability can show the evolution of thought processes as contributors interact with content, helping us to focus more on content and less on who is contributing what. This can be a big culture change. It takes a while to get used to the idea that someone else can change what you wrote. But that also means they can IMPROVE it! So it is a 1.1.2. A wiki is a great way to edit text together, even if you are not physically together. So wikis are great “works in process” tools as compared to a finalized document. 1.1.3. It offers easy editing of web pages, so multiple team members can contribute. 1.1.4. You can roll back to previous versions if you decide you don’t like a change made by someone.
 * 1. What is a wiki?**

1.2. **History:** [|Ward Cunningham], created the first wiki and named after the Hawaiian word for ‘quick’. He was looking for the simplest possible tool to help a group of people share information they were using in a collaborative project.

1.3. **Models and Examples:** Often people have only one model of wiki practices from the most globally visible wiki, [|Wikipedia] an encyclopedia built and used by many people. You can edit the Wikipedia. Anyone can. But an encyclopedia is just one use for a wiki. 1.4. Every type of wiki is slightly different. Ours has some things that are like the wiki used by Wikipedia, and some things that are different. The important shared aspect is that any page can be edited by anyone with the right permissions to the wiki. 1.5. There are many other ways to use wikis in various development contexts. Many organizations are experimenting with wikis as online learning spaces, knowledge and information sharing tools and event documentation. Examples of wikis from other international NGOs 1.5.1. http://icollaborate.blogspot.com/2007/09/milieukontakt-internationals-wikis.html 1.5.2. http://wikis.bellanet.org/harambee/index.php/Application_of_wikis Cases in development 1.5.3. http://www.pebbleroad.com/article/using_wikis_on_the_intranet_the_british_council_case_study/

2. **Why use a wiki?** 2.1. Wiki benefits 2.1.1. To write together. Have you ever had to write a report with others, especially people who don’t work in the same location as you? Wikis allow a team to write together and see their shared work all along the way. 2.1.2. Good for writing down quick ideas or longer ones, giving you more time for formal writing and editing. 2.1.3. Instantly collaborative without emailing documents, keeping the group in sync. 2.1.4. Easy to update information that requires updating every now and then (say once in 6 months) 2.1.5. Accessible from anywhere with a web connection. 2.1.6. Need the history of a document? Wikis are good because every page revision is kept. 2.1.7. Inclusive – everyone can have a say. 2.2. Wiki applications in general

 3.1.1. Must be online to edit or read a page. You can copy the page to read offline. So it is not a good tool for people who have to write together but aren’t often online. Then it is better to send documents which can be worked on offline. 3.1.2. Not a replacement for libraries. If you use a wiki instead of a document library, you have to copy all the document text into a page and manually link it to the appropriate pages. It is harder for people to download information and read offline. So if you have a lot of documents and not a lot of people online, consider a document library. 3.1.3. Can get messy if you don’t have a practice of “wiki gardening.” If you make a lot of pages, for example, and don’t link them to other pages, they become hard to find or “orphaned.” If people don’t delete out of date text, a page becomes useless. 3.1.4. Does not emphasize who wrote what and when, so if that is important, a wiki may not be a good choice. In a wiki, the focus is on the content, rather than who wrote it or when they wrote it.l 3.2. Alternatives 3.2.1. Using a MSFT Word doc for shared writing instead of a wiki and then uploading the document to a library. (link to library map) 3.2.2. Using a discussion board for a conversation where you can track who said what and get email alerts of new messages. (link to discussion board map) 3.2.3. Using a blog as a newsletter (link to blog tool map)
 * 3.** **What are my alternatives and when should I use them? How do they compare to other tools.**


 * 4. How can I best use my wiki?**

4.1. Three key principles 4.1.1. The group or organization has to have a collaborative, open culture. Wikis are hard to control tightly. 4.1.2. People have to care about the topic of the wiki – compelling and relevant to their work. If no one cares, no one will write, edit or read the page. This is true of all tools! 4.1.3. Someone has to initiate and champion the work. This again is true of all tools. 4.2. What’s New and a Wiki’s history 4.2.1. The power of “recent changes” 4.2.2. Restoring previous versions 4.3. Wiki “gardening” – the practice of keeping a wiki just tidy and organized enough 4.3.1. Cleaning up old material 4.3.2. Organizing existing material 4.3.3. When to create a new page

4.3.4. Linking between pages 4.3.4.1. Links in our wikis

4.4.1. As a meeting tool 4.4.1.1. Shared agenda creation 4.4.1.2. Shared note taking 4.4.1.3. Distribution of minutes/action items 4.4.2. Action plan or monthly updates 4.4.3. Translate materials (see [|http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/afrophonewikis/)] 4.4.4. Learning and training (see [|http://www.un-instraw.org/wiki/training/index.php/Main_Page)] 4.4.5. Wiki as index for a library 4.4.6. Shared “to do” list 4.4.7. Create a process manual 4.4.8. Checklists 4.4.9. Capture notes, snippets and resources for a project or report 4.4.10. Create FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

4.5. Some great wiki resources
4.5.1. CommonCraft video on wikis http://www.commoncraft.com/video-wikis-plain-english 4.5.2. http://www.wikieducator.org/Using_wikis_to_build_communities 4.5.3. What is a wiki - http://onewisdom.pbwiki.com/WhatsaWiki a great site giving introduction and examples of wikis in use 4.5.4. Sobre Wikis http://www.slideshare.net/ovando/sobre-wikis/ (Espanol) 4.5.5. Wiki Pedagogy in French - for learning applications http://www.profetic.org/dossiers/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=110