A wiki is a Web site that enables its users to create and control content. Wikis are essentially group discussions held online, with the information produced through the discussions improving in value as more users participate. Wikipedia is probably the most well-known example of a wiki; this online encyclopedia is perpetually developed and updated by its user community -- basically anyone with a Web browser and some information. Wikis are being used as collaborative tools to write articles or books, share experiences on a particular topic, create a perpetually updated database of research, knowledge or news on a subject.
The quality of a wiki's information is going to be as strong as the user community. In addition, many wikis rely, in large part, on the assumption that users have the best motivation when participating in a wiki, and that a benefit of a user community is that it has the ability to quickly identify and remove inaccurate or misleading information. For firms less inclined to trust potential users' intentions or who have concerns over their possible lack of expertise, wikis can be created for more specific user groups through a registration or screening process. They also can be created to be completely private, housed on extranets and accessible to a select group of users, perhaps just to individuals within the firm, or to the firm and clients, etc.
Here's a great idea... Utilize a wiki platform for your law firm's intranet. This will offer firm personnel a collaborative tool rather than simply a one-way repository of information. It would also present a great opportunity to market the creative and highly technical manner in which the firm communicates with its personnel. Inherent has already built its new intranet on the wiki platform -- we'd be happy to show you how it works.
