Tips for using Google Wave in client projects

The media hype around Google Wave seems to fade a bit, and since invitations to the service spread, people start looking for practical applications.

What’s getting clear is that Wave isn’t a replacement for email as the Google I/O premiere presentation suggested. Because Wave’s more of a mix between web chat and collaborative document editing, it’s more likely to replace my team chat on Campfire some day than it’s going to replace Google’s own GMail.

Will Kelly tried Wave for a bit of client collaboration and posted his findings on 6 Tips For Using Google Wave On Your First Project. To the people that want to try Google Wave with a client, he suggests:

1. Set suitable expectations.
2. Do a dry run with a Wave.
3. Take control of your Waves.
4. Use folders and tags.
5. Consider whether to use live editing or attachments.
6. Have a Plan B.

Since Google Wave still is a preview version, I’d be careful using it for serious project work. The service still has got many rough edges and misses some extensions and gadgets to add useful functionality. But if your team or some of your clients are open for some early adopting, give it a try! It’s fun!

(BTW, if you’ve been sitting under a rock over the last days and/or noone shared an invitation with you so far, I’ve got some left. Just leave a comment with your email address if you’d like one.)

Sources for presentation images

Recently, I gave a talk about “Effective Presentations”, giving a short overview how to prepare and hold presentations that offer a concrete gain to the audience.

I mentioned Presentation Zen and slide:ology, my favourite books about transferring insight via presentations, and how they advocate replacing bullet-pointed text by images.

Just in time, Smashing Magazine posted an article about sources for presentation images, so I’ll simply spread the link to my participants.

The new knowledge management

“How can we make sure everyone of our employees has access to the knowledge they need to do a kick-ass job?” My colleagues and I ask this question every other day. We already use Wiki technology intensively and recently, I gave the impulse to create an internal blog platform. But, as the three presentations from besser20.de clearly explain, that’s still far from having effective knowledge management.

Part 1: The Wikipedia Myth

You don’t get knowledge management by installing a wiki. A wiki, although efficient, is only a tool.

Part 2: People at the Center

Knowledge is what people know, so you have to include them in the equation.

Part 3: Getting Started

Maybe creating a wiki gets you a powerful tool. But only by creating a culture of sharing information, you get effective knowledge management.

There’s much to learn from these presentations. Thanks for all this food for thought!

(via Armin Karge)