33 Wikis: #27 -- The SAP Apollo Wiki

This 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 leads the Apollo Group, a strategy and communications org within SAP, the enterprise software giant. Nolan, one of Silicon Valley's top bloggers, is 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 is mostly used for extended 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 with the overall effort to transform its culture -- and with helping the SAP in its effort to compete with Oracle -- the Apollo Wiki is eliminating the need for superfluous email, never-to-be-read status reports, and unneccessary paperwork.

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.