As time and technology changes, so does the way that we do business. It was not too long ago that the computer age began and ushered in a new era of efficiency. Today, business owners are looking for new business methods and applications to take the work experience to the next level. Enter the world of social software and Enterprise 2.0. Enterprise 2.0 was defined by Andrew McAfee as “the use of emergent social software platforms by organizations in pursuit of their goals.”

Perhaps it is simpler to define Enterprise 2.0 as a practical focus on creating, managing and governing business communities within the framework of social media. Overall, Enterprise 2.0 must be value added to a business. Because of this, the key benefits offered by it and are of critical importance.

Productivity – productivity is increased by allowing easy access to information and streamlining the communication process
Knowledge – Through the use of “Wiki” like pages, information is readily available to users of the system
Communication – Enterprise 2.0 allows for increased communication through social media like outlets.
Modernization – the emergent technology represented by Enterprise 2.0 systems is the future of business
Transparency – because information, data and knowledge is readily available, Enterprise 2.0 increases the transparency of a business

Enterprise 2.0 manages to provide these benefits, and more, through the use of simple and intuitive tools.

Wiki – software that encourages the creation of content by users. Hyperlinks are supported, as are cross-links. Easily edited, Wiki portals are the perfect method for sharing knowledge across an organization.
Blog – Blogs, originally developed as a sort of public journal, are an excellent model for today’s businesses. Through interaction, such as commenting, audiences can participate in discussion relating to a variety of business topics.
Voting – Perhaps the most simple of all social media tools, voting mechanisms can be used to provide feedback on ideas and concepts.
Agents – a type of query or search functionality that runs, 24/7, in the background. Agents allow relevant information and date to be delivered quickly and can be filtered through the use of unique user preferences.
Relationship Building – Social networking sites are known for their ability to develop and foster relationships. Enterprise 2.0 brings this trend to the business place.
Social Network Analysis – SNA provides a framework that allows businesses to visualize the way that work is performed throughout their organization. This information can identify potential bottlenecks as well as uncover ‘extra’ effort by employees through the number, strength and even volume of interactions and connections.

At the end of the day, Enterprise 2.0 marries the needs of business owners with the ease of use and reliability of social media. By providing a platform that employees are familiar and comfortable with, employers set in motion an environment that will encourage change, growth and productivity.  The tools utilized by Enterprise 2.0 allow businesses to grow and change with the times and technology and can foster positive change for the future of business both large and small.

The latest version of Noodle is now available from the Vialect website.  Existing Software as a Service clients will be upgraded automatically.  Server customers my download the upgrade from the customer support site.

What's New in V6.8?

New Feed View Interface for Folders
Shows by Date or A-Z
Upload Multiple Files (supports Mac & PC)
Upload Zip Files (unpacks Automatically)
Download all files in a folder option
Folder Description Panel
Folder Information Panel
Inline Comments for files
Check Out Documents
Check In Documents (Option to create new version or overwrite)
Versions show inline on Feed View
Send Link to file via instant Messenger
Image Thumbnails in Feed View

What's New Subscription Feature
Users can subscribe to Noodle to receive What's New (daily, weekly or as it happens)

Add calendar events from the Merged Calender interface.

Search Speed greatly improved

We hope you enjoy these new enhancements to Noodle

You know your doing something right when your customers are writing poetry about software.  This was sent to us from one of our customers.

Stick to the Noodle
By Margaret McMaster

When you are fraught with worries and woes,
From the top of your head to your wee little toes,
And a cup of hot chocolate or maple-glazed strudel
Cannot ease the stress of another bad rule,
A school bus that’s late, a battery that’s dead,
A book you think you’ve already read.
When all of your spunk has gone up in smoke
And your mood hangs on either a pill or a joke -
Waste no more time, it’s so simple, you see,
To get the kisses and hugs that you need,
No not from that slobbering standard white poodle
No, no, you must all STICK TO THE NOODLE!

Stick to the Noodle for tips worth hearing,
Where no one gives a hoot what you’re wearing!
Don’t hesitate - by gosh, don’t tarry,
Or make an appointment with Ben & Jerry,
Tomorrow will break fresh and new,
And give us another tough bone to chew,
But we are strong and we are mighty,
Answering supply calls in our nightie,
Our resolve is strong, we’re steadfast and true,
And stronger than any ridiculous flu,
The cure’s so simple it’s almost feudal,

Need I say it again? STICK TO THE NOODLE!

Log into a live beta version of the next release of Noodle.

http://ourcompany.intra.net

username: guest
password: guest

What's new in version 6.8?

New Feed View Interface for Folders
Shows by Date or A-Z
Upload Multiple Files (supports mac/PC
Upload Zip Files (unpacks automatically)
Download All files Option
Folder Description Panel
Folder Information Panel
Inline Comments
Check Out Documents
Check In Documents, (Option to create new version or overwrite)
Versions show inline on Feed View
Send link to file via instant messenger
Images Thumbnail in Feed View

What's New Subscription Feature Users can subscribe to Noodle to receive What's New(daily, Weekly, as it happens)

Add calendar events from the Merged Calendar.(legend)

Location added to What's New Page

Five tips for de-cluttering your Intranet

It's fall and that means cleaning up the garage and preparing for the colder months ahead.  Just like a garage, an Intranet is a storage facility and if not kept organized it can become cluttered and inefficient to use.

Here are 5 simple tips to help keep your Intranet de-cluttered and running efficient for your staff.

1. Review Main Navigation
During the year items may have been added to the main navigation to distribute information or call attention to a company initiative.  If these items are not longer important or dated, remove them as they just add clutter to your interface.

2. Review Employee Directory & Permissions
Your company may hire new employees during the year and ultimately some may leave.  Ensure your user directory is up to date by validating that new employees have access and remove people that no longer work for your company.

3. Remove any date sensitive announcements
Archiving the RSVP invitation and map for the 2007 Christmas party is not really a good use of the Intranet.  Remove any old content that is not considered corporate knowledge. 

4, Archive data not being accessed
Old company data has value and should be considered as corporate knowledge but it needs to be organized and archived in a special section of the Intranet.  This will de-clutter current information areas and help with future research.  One of your navigation items should be labeled archive and used to stored older content.

5. Update usage policies & strategy
Review your Intranet usage statistics.  It is important to fully understand what pages are the most popular and what are the least.  Find out from users what needs improving or adjusting and why.  Companies often adjust their business strategy and the Intranet should be aligned with that strategy.

If you implement these few simple suggestions every year, your staff will find the Intranet easier to use and your company will experience the value promised by an effective Intranet.

An internationally recognized enterprise architect and business strategist, Dion Hinchcliffe has written an article regarding Identifying Enterprise 2.0 best practices. Its a good read with some valuable tips. Have a read at Link

Jeremy Dean has written a great blog post about traditional brainstorming.  Why it doesn't work and how to improve the process of creating new ideas.

We agree and feel Noodle is a better environment for brainstorming new ideas as its more controled and no social loafing or Evaluation apprehension can happen.

Many companies are looking to empower their employees more and more by involving them in decision-making and other processes normally reserved for management.  This has made fast, reliable communication even more useful in today's workplace.

Noodle has some great ways to get opinions and feedback from users and organize results to provide real value.

Simple polls can be created on the dashboard, departmental or project portlet pages to get fast feedback or opinions.  These are easy to create and can be strategically placed to catch the eye of the user.

For more advanced options, the Database system can be used to create a detailed questionnaire with multiple option types, even incorporating links and images, to ensure relevant information can be given to and received from each user.

To ensure every user required to provide feedback is notified, the Memo Manager can be used to send a scheduled email out to all or a selection of users to inform them that their participation is required.

Reach out to your employees using Noodle!