Fremus.co.za

Ok so here is the thing right, I have been using one or more Wiki’s as a modelling tool for my projects without anyone ever telling me to use it in that way, so amazingly I found an article that gives you the do’s and don’ts of using a Wiki within an IT project environment. I agree 100% that a Wiki is of no use if articles are not kept up-to-date. Updating and maintaining a Wiki is a conscious, disciplined effort. Don’t think that by creating some content on it once you don’t have to look at it again. The main gain from a Wiki comes from going back into articles and updating them and maintaining them. By consciously updating and maintaining your wiki you not only document processes and projects but you also allow yourself to be brutally honest at all times. There are times when I read something and I think to myself whether what I wrote there makes sense or not, or maybe it is just not relevant anymore.

At the moment I use two wiki’s, a php/open source one and an open source ASP.NET version:

• MediaWiki (php)
• ScrewTurn Wiki (ASP.NET)

During this year I have found myself using Wiki’s in a way that seemed strange at first, but that made sense later on. I have been using Wiki’s to describe systems and processes, in detail, from which I was then able to model a solution using Object Oriented techniques and methods. I find that if I take time to write out what I want to do, hidden or vague things become clearer. From the description I can then identify objects and processes and implement those in a system or program. At the moment I am using a .NET based wiki called ScrewTurn wiki on a local Intranet. The wiki allows me to create and share articles across our organisation in a consistent manner, and the content remains as a constant reference both for myself and team members. A wiki can also act as a good knowledge management tool.