If you are looking for good solutions in the area of online collaboration, then corporate wiki is something that can help you out. It is a wiki, or a webpage that can be simultaneously edited, and improved by numerous users. The reason why anyone can rely on corporate wiki, is because it does not require any prior knowledge in writing HTML code.
Before information was shared via email, but with corporate wiki everything can go a lot faster and smoother.
Moreover, in the event you need to make any corrections, it can all be done swiftly and easily. Plus, if you want the older version of the document, it'll be easily accessible, because your edits are well-kept and preserved.
In the following article, we're going to discuss how to create a corporate wiki. There will be some useful tips here, so if you are interested in creating one for your business, then make sure you go through them thoroughly. We will focus on a cloud-based solutions, since these provide you with a more secure way of handling your online data.
So, let’s get to it.
Pick a Delivery Tool
Basically, there are three modes of delivery:
- One is on-premises, or so-called installed software. You get the software, install it and manage it from your computer.
- The second option is a hosted version, or so-called software as a service (SaaS), and here vendors store all the data on their service. This is the option we will discuss, since it is cloud-based. The reason why we are going with this option is because it is something small and medium businesses usually opt for. It is secure and budget-friendly at the same time.
- The third option is basically a hybrid of the two previous models.
A good solution for a delivery tool is ProProfs, since they offer knowledge base management software that can be implemented in any line of work. The software can be used to create wikis, but it can also serve for creating FAQ pages, delivering online training, making sales, managing relations with customers etc. so anyone who is a small or medium business owner can benefit from this tool.
Overview of Creation Process
In ProProfs, there is a WYSIWYG editor, which you can use to create wiki instantly by importing HTML files, Word docs, and publishing it. You will always have a clear revision of your history and you can download online pages as PDF.
You can also customize the page add your logo, and use one of the many premade themes. So it is easy, looks good and it will still look unique. Furthermore, you can even get more out of your enterprise wiki by integrating it with other tools you might be using like, Google Analytics, Zendesk, Wufoo, and more.
Once it is up and running, it will be a really good source of internal knowledge base, your new employees can jump right in, and master how to use it, since it has a user-friendly design. It serves the purpose of storing online documentation, thereby leaving more storage on your hard drive. It is great for context-sensitive help and for knowledge management.
Manage the List of Editors, Contributors & Administrators
Even though wikis can be used for collective collaboration, it can get a bit tricky if numerous people are simultaneously providing new input. In other words, for the sake of keeping the place organized, you should have a list of editors authorized to make changes to the wikis.
Of course, there is no need to do this if only a small number of people is using the wiki, but if it gets crowded keeping track of all changes can be difficult, and there will be a need for more frequent editing.
So, it would be for the best that editors are allowed to update the wiki, whereas others can use it for the sake of viewing online documentation, or for explanations.
Other people who generate content for the wiki should be contributors, and those who have a thorough insight and can make more significant changes should be administrators. The list of administrators should be kept to a bare minimum, since you do not want a large number of people who can make significant changes to your wiki. Basically, your wiki can become like an enclosed blogging platform that has editors and administrators who manage and approve the content that will be uploaded.
Personal Wikis
Lastly, with this SaaS tool you can make it so that everyone has a personal wiki, which is a really good move. This will give them enough storage space for their research and to make notes, they will be able to keep track of their personal projects and to track their personal progress.
Since cloud-based wiki allows you to store any type of information, you can use it to keep your texts videos, audio files etc. All of these can be either private or public, so if you want some constructive criticism, you can share them, whereas if you don’t want other people viewing your personal content it can be set to private.
As you can see, it’s relatively easy to construct a personal wiki, and it has many benefits to it, so there is no reason to shy away from this option. Pick the cloud-based solution you are most comfortable with and use its tutorial on how to construct a wiki for your business.
Robin Singh ProProfs
Robin Singh is a Technical Support Executive that is well acquainted with various Knowledge base tools and is currently associated with ProProfs.