Enterprise microblogging (part 1): A love story

Motivated by presenting our story at VALA2010 on Thursday (so this is a preview teaser!) – this post forms Part 1 in a 3 part series on the implementation of enterprise microblogging within my workplace. Part 2 and 3 will (be a little more serious) and focus on the benefits of enterprise microblogging and lessons learned 12 months on. For now though…sit back, relax and enjoy this love story…

Warning: basic knowledge of Toy Story is required.

It was a day like any other when it started although it could be argued there was a certain nervous tension in the air. Set up in just a few minutes, on not much more than a whim, the Yammer ‘trial’ (formal word for whim) came into effect amongst a small team, Knowledge Networks, within CPA Australia. This team knew it was onto a good thing, the possibility for reducing ‘silo mentality’ amongst the myriad of business units and assisting with knowledge sharing and problem solving across a growing global organisation of approximately 450 employees across 17 offices.

But when you’re onto a good thing – you’re onto a good thing and god forbid you’re actually ready for the tsunami when it hits. It started as a secret love affair with just 3 users and grew to a manageable 38 in a few weeks. But the secrecy was unsustainable and people started shouting about it from the rooftops which lead to an explosion of 268 excited people in just 4 months. The ‘whim’ was over. Yammer became our favourite toy, our very own Woody. It was time to formally declare our love and through our intranet we invited all staff to participate, provided some basic ‘be nice’ guidelines and education. The love affair continued to soar as did the temperature over the summer of 2009.

But with all love stories there is a time when the honeymoon is over, as Winter closed in the temperature outside and in dropped and it began to feel like Woody in Toy Story after Buzz Lightyear came on the scene. Although in this case it wasn’t something shiny and new with pretend lasers and cool catch phrases…it was just normal work life that took over and Yammer was put back on the shelf (except for a few passionate players).

Then something happened…another cool kid came on the scene, and instead of Woody going to the garage sale he again became Andy’s toy of choice. Oddly enough (or perhaps not) the shiny new toy was the launch of our CPA Australia Twitter account. The spark was rekindled, Yammer taken off the shelves of many, dusted off and played with again. It was also introduced into our new employee induction program inspiring staff of new and old to wonder what all the fuss was about and play for the first time. People were asking questions (and getting answers!) and sharing everything from industry news to team wins to lunch reviews. And so our Twitter account and Yammer have become somewhat akin to Woody and Jessie – riding off in the sunset hand in hand.

So now 12 months on (or to be exact more like 15) everyone is still atwitter about Yammer. Apart from backroom gossip there has been no more formal declarations of Yammer love. Yammer has not moved in, we still have to visit and then go home again…it is somewhat of an open relationship. But the romance continues…

Read Part 2 & the on the edge of your seat conclusion in Part 3