Web Secret #32: Web 2.0

In my very first iWebU blog entry I wrote: "You do not have to be a geek to understand the power of Web 2.0 and expand your business or your private practice".

This should have been followed by a blog entry defining Web 2.0. Oops.

That never happened.

Mea culpa.

So here is that missing entry...

Web 2.0 is a very new concept. Tim O'Reilly, the CEO of O'Reilly Media, a company that publishes books and produces conferences on computer technology topics, first coined term in 2004. “What Is Web 2.0” wasn’t published until September 2005. His definition is lengthy and not particularly intelligible to a non-technically oriented person.

Now for a more understandable perspective.

A mental health professional is looking for an article on the use of technology during critical incidents.

Web 1.0 approach – She browses through the online archive of EAPA’s Journal of Employee Assistance, a static collection of web pages, eventually finding an article published in 2008, “Using Technology in Mass Disasters”(Vandepol).

Web 2.0 approach - The professional joins the EAP Manager Listserv. Her e-mail sent to the listserv “Do you know of any articles about the use of technology during critical incidents?” instantly reaches over 600 top notch EAP managers. A half dozen of them respond within a couple of hours with recommendations. She now knows about the JEA article, AND finds out there is an online panel presentation “Critical Incident Continuum of EA Services: Technology Makes a Difference” delivered at EAPA’s 2008 World EAP Conference which she can access in a matter of minutes.

See the difference?
Web 2.0 describes changing trends in the use of World Wide Web technology and web design that aim at enhancing information sharing and collaboration. Web 2.0 is all about interactions between internet users.

In my opinion, professionals in any field should:

1. understand the concept of web 2.0
   
2. be aware of the numerous web sites and internet platforms that emulate core web 2.0 principles, and their application to their work
   
3. potentially use some of these websites and platforms to enhance their businesses.

I repeat: there are dozens upon dozens of internet web sites and platforms that emulate core web 2.0 principles: Skype, blogs, SharedBook.com, ChaCha, etc., etc.

Choose wisely.

Actually, reading this blog will help you do just that...