Huberman and his team have developed a Web-based tool called Brain, or Behaviorally Robust Aggregation of Information, that enables HP as well as other companies to tap into the intelligence of its employees.
"We use groups of 15 people to determine the probability of critical outcomes. For instance, what is the likelihood a key product will be done by a certain date or a drug currently in development will make it to market," he says.
Huberman says companies guarantee participation by offering cash incentives for each prediction. "Harvesting the wisdom of your internal crowd is more accurate than relying on pundits," he says.
HP also uses an in-house developed tool called "WaterCooler" to determine what information is most important to its users. "It gathers and analyzes RSS feeds from inside and outside the company and displays the top bloggers and what they are blogging about," he says.
Huberman says WaterCooler plays to a person's natural curiosity about what other people are talking about.
It's this type of innovation that Bonvanie is keeping his eye on. "We believe human contact is what makes companies successful. If people don't communicate and collaborate, not a whole lot will happen. We know there are risks, but the positives far outweigh them in how much spirit social networking and collaboration bring to an organization."
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Reprinted with permission from Networld World. Story copyright 2008 Networld World Inc. All rights reserved.
Comments
I've worked for tech companies in the past - never did I think such clever approaches such at HP's Brain or Water Cooler approach would ever be realized. As a organizational consultant to mid sized firms, I have to offer that many of those that I come in contact simply don't get it.
The question is how and if these inventive and open approaches are being used to educate the senior managers and board members of these operations or are all these tactics reserved for the new employees and the IT departments?
I'm thinking that there are many applications that relate to organizational compliance (S-OX) that could use some of the same approach to inform the board members about what is going on within and how firm is being recognized by it stakeholders.
If you would like to think along with me along the same lines visit me at http://buscreate.blogspot.com or email me at info@phronesisinc.net
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