We recently had a fascinating conversation with a forward thinking CIO who is the driving force behind a project based on the Attensa Managed RSS platform. The project will dynamically create groups based on ad hoc project teams, build custom feeds and content streams and channel this information directly to the team. When these ad hoc projects are completed, the teams and feeds are shut down automatically, but the AttentionStream reporting remains for analysis.

He pointed out that using technology to channel information is only part of the solution. The greater challenge is creating a collegial culture that better serves the real world information needs of the enterprise. While their technology integration is focused on developing a collaborative environment where people can easily share their expertise, their cultural initiative is focused on encouraging people to do so. He describes it this way, "We want our teams to be able to find what we don't think we know."

For this customer, the earliest days of this Enterprise 2.0 initiative started with the introduction of a wiki. An internal contest was held to name the collaborative initiative. The winner - Wiki - What I Know I Share. Since the introduction of the wiki, training has been focused on turning knowledge brokers, the people who bridge different functions and hierarchical levels into knowledge connectors who use collaborative networks and tools to share their expertise. Knowledge connectors are the people whom others turn to for reliable information, insights and decision making advice.

Here's his advice on bringing the technological and cultural initiatives together.

Get knowledge brokers and connectors into the pool of early adopters for Enterprise 2.0 pilot programs so they can share their experience and lead by example.

Cultivate the skill of knowing where and how to find relevant information.

Reward team members who find and share those gems of information that can solve a problem or advance the business. Tag it, forward it, republish it.