Case Study: Innovation Value Institute

Effective Knowledge Sharing

IVI started off using email and file attachments, but soon found that the members had so many different email providers and technologies that it couldn't count on members receiving all attachments, or even all group emails.

Other solutions didn't work

Many consortium members use the leading collaborative software, but IVI members found it difficult to use for workflows between organizations. It was found to be "too closed" for this crucial inter-firm collaboration.

The IVI tried using a number of proprietary services to share information, but found these too difficult to upload and download files and to locate stored files, though the organization still uses one of these tools as a static archive for formal documents.

PBworks - fast and easy

That's when Matt Stack from BCG introduced PBworks to Jack Anderson, Co-Chair of the IVI. At first, Jack was skeptical. "I used Wikipedia in the past," said Anderson, "But the thought of creating my own central knowledge base was a tall wall to climb." Anderson's concerns quickly evaporated. "It was so easy," he said. Stack used PBworks to create an IVI wiki, and at the next group teleconference, demonstrated how simple it was to create and edit a page. The group was hooked. Today, the IVI team uses their PBworks for all collaboration, saving time and improving productivity on a daily basis.

Easy Meeting Planning

Jack estimates that he saves at least four hours per week by planning the weekly meetings using the wiki, and another hour per week by eliminating the need for typing up notes and emailing them to group members. Plus, the wiki makes it easy for members who miss a session to catch up on their own.

Successful document management

PBworks also solved IVI's document management issues. Jack was able to eliminate the use of those pesky email attachments and create a wiki spreadsheet to disseminate the most up to date drafts. "There's no more passing around copies of documents," said Anderson, "No more people asking, 'Which version is this?'"

Improved Group Governance

Using the wiki has even improved group governance. Since IVI is a consortium that requires input from all its members, tracking wiki usage is an easy way to prove participation and get quicker approval on projects. In the end, the reason IVI values PBworks so much goes beyond simple time savings. It actually helps the group think.

"PBworks is a great facilitator for business. People can come together and get the maximum you can out of a group. In a word, 'Wow.'"

- Jack Anderson, IVI