Google has been a part of my life since I can last remember. It has even become a verb - googling this or googling that! To me, google was merely a search enginge. I learnt in one of my other IS classes how google ranks the pages on the web in order to display them to the user in order of importance or popularity. What I didn't know about google was how much more it had to offer! Just recently I began to use Google groups to collaborate with my group members. it allows us to share files, chat, create our own web pages, send mass emails, etc.
Google is in the process of developing many exciting new tools that may help organizations in leveraging KM to generate value. In my opinion, the following new tools have some potential in helping leverage KM: In Quotes, Google Audio Indexing (GAudi), Google Page Creator, Google Talk, Lively by Google. In Quotes and Gaudi are very innovative ways of how employees can search databases and compare and contrast what their co-workers have posted. Also, to those who find it difficult to explain in words could record their findings in a video and post it on the company’s portal and thus buy using Gaudi, employees will be able to search what co-workers are talking about if it matches their search terms. This is also a way to encourage employees to participate in Knowledge sharing as it does not require as much effort when it comes to just “speaking”.
Lively by Google is a tool which I believe does not fit in with all companies however to those it works with the company culture, it could be a method in which employees could virtually meet and exchange knowledge and interact. I find it similar to applications such as Second Life. Not everyone is comfortable with confronting others directly through email, chat or portals and perhaps this method might encourage those who prefer to be anonymous when retrieving knowledge from co-workers.
Furthermore, I read on Stephan's blog about zapproved. Here's what he wrote on:
http://managementblog.mcgill.ca/
Zapproved
Perhaps the most mind numbing task of project managers is running around the office reminding people of their approvals and getting their sign off. Zapproved automates all of this process, all you need to do is create the project, assign the approvers and the dates and priority. The program will provide approvers with daily or hourly reminders of the approvals that they need to commit to. This allows for more time to focus on the projects that you are working on and less time tracking down people.
I think this is a fantastic tool that Google should be looking into. This is definitely a problem all groups have that usually consumes a lot of time and effprt over something so small. This application could improve efficiency in companies as well. It can be implemented within departments where ideas could be passed around and if it meets the approval of perhaps 75% of the team, then the idea may be sought after.
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