Structure

Users require a single point of access to all information relevant for a project.

Every task is done by people who employ tools that suits their needs best. Therefore there is no tool to rule them all. Nobody wants to force software developers to use a wiki to write code. Nobody wants to force managers to use a source code management system to write reports. Nonetheless we need all information to be connected. To link information we have to define the origin for each type of information and connect them via an information hub. This information hub not only connects the different parts of information, it also serves as the single access point for all stakeholders seeking for information about the project.

Provide one URL to all resources to a project or product. From this page, all information is accessible by search or browsing.

Advantages

• It is easy to given an URL to people interested in the project or product.
• Having one resource for all stakeholders supports thinking-outside-the-box. Members with different roles benefit from information that is typically only circulating in closed stakeholder groups. Think of strategic papers for a product that help developers to understand what is expected next.

Disadvantages

• There may be privacy aspects to get right. See Privacy, please.
• Some information systems may be difficult or resource intensive to include.

Related Practices

The following practices are related to this practice.

Resources

For more information regarding this practice please refer to:

6 Reasons why the Enterprise Wiki Confluence keeps on thriving

A blog article (K15t ) by Martin Häberle on Confluence as information server for the whole team.