It's clear that some working knowledge of Web 2.0-style groupware apps, and how they can be deployed in workplace settings, is a real plus for IT experts these days. You may not be inclined to deploy Facebook as an office productivity tool, but some forms of collaboration and social networking do have a place in the office.

The proof is in a McKinsey Quarterly article that describes how companies are benefiting from Web 2.0. It summarizes a survey of 1,700 executives which asked about Web 2.0 deployments within their organizations, in their relations with customers, and in their dealings with suppliers, partners and outside experts.

The bottom line:

69 percent of respondents report that their companies have gained measurable business benefits, including more innovative products and services, more effective marketing, better access to knowledge, lower cost of doing business, and higher revenues.

And how does all that happen?

We found that successful companies not only tightly integrate Web 2.0 technologies with the workflows of their employees but also create a 'networked company,' linking themselves with customers and suppliers through the use of Web 2.0 tools.

McKinsey claims that Web 2.0 collaborative tools bring more employees into daily contact at lower cost.

When used effectively, they also may encourage participation in projects and idea sharing, thus deepening a company's pool of knowledge.

This is a point advocates of groupware make all the time: Nothing is more important than capturing and saving local knowledge, preferably in a way that's easily archived and searched later. It's thought-provoking stuff at a time when low-cost productivity solutions are in great demand.

-- Don Willmott