Feature
Say what you will about SharePoint -- over the past twelve years, the platform has added more and more social functionalities. From wikis to blogs to discussion boards to enterprise social media network integration. Of course, social is as social does, so SharePoint alone can't improve interpersonal communications and knowledge sharing.
Social + SharePoint
SharePoint's social capabilities follow mainstream social development. Just as wikis and blogs emerged, similar functionality appeared in SharePoint 2007. Similarly, as microblogging and social tagging became more popular, they made their way into SharePoint 2010. So, it's only fitting that in 2013, SharePoint becomes more mobile friendly and offers more social collaborative integration, thanks to Yammer.
Among the social tools that are most useful, everyone has their own list and preferences. Yet, most agree that Yammer has been a welcome addition. As well, social search, newsfeeds and communities are offer helpful ways to find information and glean new insights from across the enterprise.
Can SharePoint Make Social Business Better?
Most businesses struggle to adapt social functionality into their workflows. However, SharePoint can help. Stats indicated that without an effective infrastructure, stand alone social tools will not stand much of a chance. That being said, the social functionalities in SharePoint should be used to solve problems and streamline business process for all - not just IT. Much like any SharePoint adoption strategy, getting everyone to use and benefit from social business applications requires a "It takes a village" mentality. The better you can demonstrate its benefits, the more users will feel empowered to experiment and explore.
