Information Technology 1 (Wiki + ResTechs) = (Fresh documentation + Organic Knowledge Management + Training Materials + Good, Cheap Technical Writers) Niki Serakiotou Rice University

Information Technology 2 Layout of the talk: Why wiki? What’s with a wiki? Whose wiki? Wikimania!... Layout of the talk: Why wiki? What’s with a wiki? Whose wiki? Wikimania!...

Information Technology 3 Why wiki? What’s with a wiki? Whose wiki? Wikimania!... “geek squad” Owners of info “lit squad” Presenters of info Documentation Too much effort => Stale documentation

Information Technology 4 “geek squad” Owners of info “lit squad” Presenters of info Documentation Wiki => fresh, organic documentation Quick write-ups Beautify later Change as you go Why wiki? What’s with a wiki? Whose wiki? Wikimania!...

Information Technology 5 Documentation One central place for all documentation FAQs How-tos Directions Knowledge Configurations Systems’ info Documents Media files Records Minutes Memos WHERE? Central Storage Personal Folders Media Nowhere! Why wiki? What’s with a wiki? Whose wiki? Wikimania!...

Information Technology 6 “owners” able to contribute keep info fresh keep info fresh grow as you go grow as you go all in one place all in one place Other advantages: web editing for all easy learning curve disaster recovery easy ability to do “news”, “announcements” Why wiki? What’s with a wiki? Whose wiki? Wikimania!...

Information Technology 7 Why wiki? What’s with a wiki? Whose wiki? Wikimania!... it is a website it is a knowledge management tool (search, tags, keywords) it is a content management tool it is different in structure from a website it is a “cheap and easy” knowledge management tool it is a simple, not fancy, content management tool, with basic editing and simple web presence

Information Technology 8 Why wiki? What’s with a wiki? Whose wiki? Wikimania!... wiki vs. website: wiki vs. website: A website contains Folders Pages Links A page needs to be referenced to appear or to belong to a browse-able folder

Information Technology 9 Why wiki? What’s with a wiki? Whose wiki? Wikimania!... A wiki contains Pages Links Pages are related in a tree structure (parent – child pages) Every page contains by default links to each children A page appears as soon as it is created as a child Links are auto-updated “space” “Dashboard” wiki vs. website:

Information Technology 10 Why wiki? What’s with a wiki? Whose wiki? Wikimania!... Structure of a wiki page Title Info Content Chidren

Information Technology 11 Why wiki? What’s with a wiki? Whose wiki? Wikimania!... Structure of a wiki tree “space ” “Dashboard ”

Information Technology 12 Why wiki? What’s with a wiki? Whose wiki? Wikimania!... compared with other tools compared with other tools description of the wiki’s structure description of the wiki’s structure description of the editors description of the editors the Rice wiki the Rice wiki Additional info on Rice’s wiki: “Confluence” license ~$3,000 Database is Size of installation is It was moderately difficult to create Rice “skin”

Information Technology 13 Why wiki? What’s with a wiki? Whose wiki? Wikimania!... Organizational unit Function, Project Other Society Public Spaces Internal Spaces (by authentication)

Information Technology 14 Why wiki? What’s with a wiki? Whose wiki? Wikimania!... Permissions and spaces

Information Technology 15 Why wiki? What’s with a wiki? Whose wiki? Wikimania!... Org Units: Org Units: read/write by all members Function, Projects: Function, Projects: read/write as appropriate Student Worker space: Student Worker space: read/write by all IT, student workers Public Spaces with Policies, Announcements etc: read by anyone (no authentication) write by management as appropriate Public Spaces with Technical Directions, FAQs etc: read by anyone (no authentication) write by all IT, student workers Permissions and spaces

Information Technology 16 Why wiki? What’s with a wiki? Whose wiki? Wikimania!... How to encourage writers Lunch & learns, Town Halls, “commercials” Private tutoring “Seed a tree” Ask staff specifically and insist that they contribute Send wiki links instead of verbatim info Allow the student workers access to contribute Get a “gardener” for each space Get at least one “champion” at the beginning

Information Technology 17 Why wiki? What’s with a wiki? Whose wiki? Wikimania!... space structure space structure space permissions space permissions encourage adoption encourage adoption role of student workers role of student workers

Information Technology 18 Why wiki? What’s with a wiki? Whose wiki? Wikimania!... What to document? (internal documentation) Personnel issues: Who is on-call How we hire students Directories of staff and contact options Calendar of absences Systems’ configuration information: How is a server setup and what needs to be done to redo all the steps of the work How do I increase quota for a user (technical steps and policy guidelines) What access privileges should be given to a new staff member What dependencies exist between servers Event (such as outage) Calendars Network traffic reports Organizational life records: Minutes from meetings, events Policies and procedures Forms to be used for various procedures

Information Technology 19 Why wiki? What’s with a wiki? Whose wiki? Wikimania!... What to document? (public documentation) CONNECT Overview of the Rice Network Connect on-campus Connect to Rice from remote networks Connect from PDAs & Smart Phones IT SERVICES Telephones Accounts File storage and restore from backups Calendar Printing Public Scanners Creating Websites Classroom Technology Video & Digital Media HELP DOCUMENTS Security & Viruses Operating Systems Software and Applications Software Help SHORT COURSES, ONLINE TRAINING Short Courses Online Courses Per request training sessions

Information Technology 20 Why wiki? What’s with a wiki? Whose wiki? Wikimania!... Navigation vs. Search To help “navigators” use “topic columns” use lean structure use task oriented structure To help “searchers” use “lay language” titles do not “cross-link” do not refer to tangential topics

Information Technology 21 Why wiki? What’s with a wiki? Whose wiki? Wikimania!... Tree structure tricks Describe tasks, (i.e. “how to connect remotely” vs. “use VPN”) Arrange platform specific directions under one task heading, i.e.: How to setup VPN for PC for Mac for Linux Instead of : If you are using a PC How to connect remotely How to setup VPN

Information Technology 22 Why wiki? What’s with a wiki? Whose wiki? Wikimania!... possible topics writing tricks writing tricks tree & page tricks tree & page tricks Still in pain: not everyone has a green thumb people like to make fancy websites – it is creative & rewarding gardener’s job not recognized (nor “funded”)? why not wikipedia like comments from customers?

Information Technology 23 Have a great wiking!!! The End.