33 Wikis: #27 -- The SAP Apollo Wiki

T his is the twenty-seventh installment in "33 Wikis," a close look at best practices in wiki-based collaboration.  Each day -- for 33 days -- we look at one wiki and briefly describe what the wiki is for, why we like it, and what we all can learn from it.  If you want to nominate a wiki, please let us know.  On day 34 we will post a public wiki featuring info on all nominees.

What this wiki is for:   Jeff Nolan, one of Silicon Valley's top bloggers, leads Apollo, a strategy group at enterprise-software giant SAP.  Nolan and his group are using a number of social media tools -- blogs, RSS, and of course, a wiki -- to better compete with Oracle, SAP's chief rival.  The Apollo wiki mostly is used for project management.  [Note:  this is a private wiki].

Why we like it:  this is one use of wiki technology that we are certain will gain wide adoption in the future.  The gathering of competitive intelligence, and the management of that intelligence, are two of the most critical areas of activity for the strategy, marketing, and sales functions of an enterprise.   Nolan's group has found a way to approach these activities in ways that are better suited to how employees actually work.  The result?  In addition to helping SAP in its effort to compete with Oracle, the Apollo Wiki is enabling the Apollo Group to perform more nimbly and efficiently by reducing the amount of email, status reports, and other unneccessary paperwork.

We also love the mythological wordplay.  Apollo, the god of light, is the deity of the Delphic Oracle.  Talk about being the "first mover" ....      

What we all can learn from it:  as we said above, the wiki -- in tandem with other social-media technologies -- could very well emerge as the competitive tool of the future.