Having decided that you need a wiki, and having developed an approach for structuring the information, how do you go about getting people to actually start contributing content?
Earlier in the book I discussed the idea of using a “fun” project to get people using the wiki and becoming accustomed to its features, functionality, and benefits. This is certainly a proven, viable approach, but what if there are no projects that fit that model? Is there an alternative approach?
One approach I would recommend is the personal one. Today almost everyone is familiar with the concept of having a home page in social network applications like Facebook to post information, photographs, etc. When setting up a wiki, set up a “homepage” template and a few examples individuals can use to create their own environment. Giving each person an area on the wiki provides a safe place to experiment and get used to editing and contributing.
Some things people might want to put on their home page include:
A professional, corporate wiki home page is not a substitute for Facebook or other external social networks, so posting holiday snaps, pictures of the dog, etc., may not be appropriate. What is deemed appropriate will, as with other aspects of the wiki, be determined by the culture of the community. You should not dictate what should be included; remember that a homepage is personal space.
A home page could just as easily apply to a project group, a department, or any grouping of the community that you want. But always remember that the contributors to your wiki are individuals, and allowing them a sense of individual identity will lead to a sense of involvement and ownership.
The idea of a home page and the “fun” project are not mutually exclusive, and they aren’t the only two methods for encouraging users. You can, and should, mix and match techniques. Experiment. Try different ideas and see what does, and just as importantly, what does not, resonate with the wiki community. Don’t try just one technique and then abandon the wiki because it didn’t work. It takes a while to build a critical mass of content users and contributors.