A wiki is a tool that allows multiple users to collaborate with each other through a group website. Each user can add or modify text as well as upload files by simply using a web browser. While a wiki has many advantages, there are some disadvantages to this unique tool.
• A wiki is a web based document which means that what you put up into cyberspace can be found by other people. Wiki’s can be protected by using a password, but that doesn’t mean someone can’t hack into it. One of the people that has the password may be a little less than trustworthy and give the password out to others. If you are working on a project that you really don’t want others to see, you may not want to use a wiki.
• Wikis do make it easy for several people to brainstorm and collaborate on projects by adding content to a group website, but if no one is keeping tabs on the content, it can get pretty confusing. All of your great ideas may turn into one big “idea mess”. Designating someone to organize the wiki and its content may be a solution to this problem.
• If someone in agroup is not tech-savvy, they may be very timid about using the wiki. If one or more of the users are avoiding the wiki because they are scared of it, the whole group will lose out on those people’s ideas.
• It is not uncommon for a group member to be lazy about doing their fair share of the work. When that person has access to everyone else’s work, it may be easy for them to steal ideas and take credit for work they didn’t really do.
• What happens when you lose your Internet connection or are traveling and cannot find a connection? Since the wiki is web based, if you can’t get to the web, you can’t access the wiki, and therefore, you can’t access the work.
• There are many types of wikis to choose from. Some of these can be confusing as to how to install it and back it up.
These are just a few examples of what can go wrong with a wiki. It’s important to realize that using a wiki can have many advantages as well. You should weigh both the positive and negative aspects of a wiki before you decide on using one. You may want to experiment with one, perhaps on a personal level first, before you implement the use of one for your business.
