Wikipatterns

Chapter 6. Prevent (or Minimize) Obstacles

Whereas wiki patterns are the approaches and strategies you want to apply, anti-patterns are the things you don't want to happen, or at least want to catch and fix as early as possible. To do this effectively, you must recognize them, and that's the goal of the anti-patterns on Wikipatterns.com.

What Can Hinder Wiki Adoption?

Let's look at some of the most common anti-patterns, the reasons they happen, and how to quickly fix them.

The key thing to remember about anti-patterns as they relate to wiki use in an organization is that they're mostly the result of ignorance about how to use the wiki, and not malicious intent. Often people who are engaging in anti-pattern behavior just need some help understanding how to contribute to the wiki in more productive ways.

Do-it-all

Sometimes a person can get too enthusiastic about the wiki, and try to do everything. Remember that kid in school who always raised his or her hand to answer every question? It's somewhat the same situation with a person who acts as a Do-it-all on the wiki.

A Do-it-all is someone who:

• always is the first to volunteer to do something on the wiki to the point that they don't even give others the opportunity to volunteer

• regularly offers to do things on the wiki for others, instead of helping them do it themselves

Bear in mind that a Do-it-all isn't a bad person, but the danger in having a Do-it-all is that one person dominating the wiki blocks others from having the opportunity to ...