Six ways to make Web 2.0 work

Technologies known collectively as Web 2.0 have spread widely among consumers over the past five years. Social-networking Web sites, such as Facebook and MySpace, now attract more than 100 million visitors a month. As the popularity of Web 2.0 has grown, companies have noted the intense consumer engagement and creativity surrounding these technologies. Many organizations, keen to harness Web 2.0 internally, are experimenting with the tools or deploying them on a trial basis. Over the past two years, McKinsey has studied more than 50 early adopters to garner insights into successful efforts to use Web 2.0 as a way of unlocking participation.

The six critical factors that determine the outcome of efforts to implement these technologies: 1) The transformation to a bottom-up culture needs help from the top.
2) The best uses come from users—but they require help to scale.
3) What's in the workflow is what gets used.
4) Appeal to the participants' egos and needs—not just their wallets.
5) The right solution comes from the right participants.
6) Balance the top-down and self-management of risk.