Diplopedia Wiki Culture in the U.S. Department of State
From Devwiki
Eric Johnson
The wiki editorial model -- which is markedly different from multi-layered bureaucratic publishing models -- has gained ground within the U.S. Department of State because of its simplicity and effectiveness. Since its debut two years ago, the Diplopedia internal enterprise wiki has exponentially increased its readership and content contribution. The presenters will describe how Diplopedia has grown by adapting to the existing institutional culture, balancing the need for oversight with the desire to incorporate as many contributors as possible. Historically, the U.S. Department of State, like most government entities, broadcasts information through controlled channels. This has been true whether the information was going to the public or to State employees. Until recently, virtually all online communications were subject to multiple layers of approval before appearing on a Web site, or in an official message.
In such an environment, the Diplopedia enterprise wiki represents a significant shift toward a more nimble, timely delivery of information. As such, it opens up collaborative possibilities across State's 240+ embassies and consulates, which previously had been collaborating primarily through e-mail. Diplopedia places the power -- and responsibility -- of sharing knowledge in the hands of the front-line diplomats and other employees.
Because the Department is used to producing printed documents, maintaining a never-completed, ever-growing set of articles is a relatively new phenomenon. It changes the common view of authorship: all Diplopedia articles are fair game for editing (including the Main Page), so any registered user can change anything. No individual, office, or embassy "owns" any article, unlike the content distributed through other media. This is a challenging concept for the Department to grasp and use to its advantage.
The presenters will outline the cultural changes that have started to emerge from Diplopedia's increasing use. They will describe the regulatory changes to accommodate this new way of working, as well as how State's Office of eDiplomacy has governed and encouraged the growth of the wiki. Finally, they will note the growing acceptance of Diplopedia as an information resource, as shown by the exploding number of readers and editors.
Historically, the U.S. Department of State, like most government entities, broadcasts information through controlled channels. This has been true whether the information was going to the public or to State employees. Until recently, virtually all online communications were subject to multiple layers of approval before appearing on a Web site, or in an official message.
In such an environment, the Diplopedia enterprise wiki represents a significant shift toward a more nimble, timely delivery of information. As such, it opens up collaborative possibilities across State's 240+ embassies and consulates, which previously had been collaborating primarily through e-mail. Diplopedia places the power -- and responsibility -- of sharing knowledge in the hands of the front-line diplomats and other employees.
Because the Department is used to producing printed documents, maintaining a never-completed, ever-growing set of articles is a relatively new phenomenon. It changes the common view of authorship: all Diplopedia articles are fair game for editing (including the Main Page), so any registered user can change anything. No individual, office, or embassy "owns" any article, unlike the content distributed through other media. This is a challenging concept for the Department to grasp and use to its advantage.
The presenters will outline the cultural changes that have started to emerge from Diplopedia's increasing use. They will describe the regulatory changes to accommodate this new way of working, as well as how State's Office of eDiplomacy has governed and encouraged the growth of the wiki. Finally, they will note the growing acceptance of Diplopedia as an information resource, as shown by the exploding number of readers and editors.
