Socialtext launched Socialtext 3.0, a trio of applications for connected collaboration with context:
- People – Social networking for the enterprise
- Workspace – Group-editable wiki for easy, flexible, enterprise-wide collaboration
- Dashboard – Customizable home pages that let each person decide where to focus their attention.
Here’s the 60 second video, fresh from Ross Mayfield’s blog
Now add Signals to the mix, Socialtexts Twitter for the enterprise clone …
[…] integrated microblogging for the enterprise. Socialtext Signals is social messaging for the enterprise connected with context. With the rise of Twitter, more people are learning the benefits of microblogging as a medium for conversations and sharing each day. Socialtext developed a standalone version six months ago. Using it internally we’ve learned how different usage is from Twitter, not just because it is more private, but because it is in the context of a company. The social patterns of what people say and share has taught us a lot about potential use cases. Now in private beta with Socialtext customers, Socialtext Signals will provide an integrated user experience across Socialtext Workspace, Socialtext Dashboard and Socialtext People.
Above, that’s an 18 min interview found via Robert Scoble. Yes, I believe this is an important addition and will be an essential part of any enterprise 2.0 platform. Integrating social features like easy microsharing and social networking into Enterprise wikis is just natural. While supporting relationships is a generic purpose, it needs an integrated user experience (that’s a point where laconi.ca based implementations still have a hard time), a focus on work groups and a discrete use (well, we need to ease a pain point to really make the point). See how Dennis Howlett expands on the need for context-sensitive linkage
SocialText [Signals] is providing the essential linkage between people and context with some elements of process. That’s crucial for this type of application to make sense in a corporate environment.
This move by Socialtext is all too timely, we’re seeing enterprise Twitters pop up here and there. Check out some of the recent newcomers with Laura Fitton’s evaluation sheet and read up on some of my thoughts on related adoption patterns and best practices.