Truths of Enterprise Social Interaction (Collaboration)

1. Collaboration tools do not need to be complex, costly, or fully integrated into the organizations other business tools to provide value.
2. The value of Collaborative technologies often cannot be quantified.
3. The “mom test” should be applied to collaboration technologies.
   • David Coleman of Collaborative Strategies defines the mom test as: “…tool needs to be easy enough for my mom to use for it to be successful.”
4. Collaboration doesn’t need to be managed, just fostered.
   • Provide people the freedom to share their thoughts, ideas and experiences in a way that can be applicable to the organization.
   • Collaboration will grow organically if it is left alone – free from management meddling.
   •  People must be given the ability to converse with limited constraints (within acceptable usage parameters).
5. Trust is developed through genuine interaction not edict.
6. Successful organizational collaboration is evidenced through cross-functional interactions.
7. Collaborative technologies will expose the hidden networks within an organization.
8. The hidden networks are where the real work of the organization takes place and value derived.
9. Collaborative technologies empower individual contributors.
10. Productivity enhancing collaboration does not always have to be 100% business focused.
11. Context is a determining factor in the value derived from conversations.
12. Self organization and policing occurs where collaboration is free of artificial constraints.