I was poking around on the internet the other day trying to get a handle on the difference between a widget and a wiki. I coordinate a web site and people expect me to know about this stuff. It’s a definite old dog, new trick thing, but I’m learning.

 

During my search, I came across this article about Web 2.0 written by Jon Gorman, editor-in-chief of the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies’ online weekly E-newsletter.

 

In putting the newfangled notion of Web 2.0 into perspective, Gorman shows that he gets it—this man clearly understands what makes Web 2.0 tick. The piece is entitled “It’s a New World Wide Web Order,” and in it Gorman writes:

 

“What the concept of Web 2.0 really boils down to is the utilization of the World   Wide Web as a platform where users and visitors can control their own data, enrich their experiences, and customize their online lives. Web 2.0 is dependent upon the ‘community.’”

 

In a virtual world comprised of RSS feeds, Blog posts, webinars and podcasts, the ‘community’ is the point. The raison d’etre. The white plume.

 

As Gorman tells us, Web 2.0 is the term that Tim O’Reilly of O’Reilly Media coined to describe the concepts of content sharing and community development on the World Wide Web. LexisNexis has taken the plunge in a big way with this insurance law center and with a series of other online law centers for environmental law, torts, and emerging issues. Centers for real estate, commercial (UCC) and business law are in various stages of development. We’ve also set up a wiki where folks can log on to update and maintain a constantly evolving list of emerging issues. But we need ‘the community’ to make it all work. The screaming success of Web 2.0 ventures like YouTube, Facebook and MySpace continues to occur because of consistent participation by a very tuned-in and highly connected community of users. Six Degrees of Separation doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface.

 

So what does all of this have to do with insurance? Well, quite a lot if you listen to some of Gorman’s ideas. He talks about updating policyholders, agents or directors using text or video web logs that can be published through RSS feeds. (for the uninitiated, RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication, and RSS feeds create a connection between your content and a third-party website or e-mail delivery that allows subscribers to be immediately notified when updates take place). The Insurance Law Center permits users to set up RSS feeds for Insurance News, Movers and Shakers, the Expert Forum and the Insider Perspective Blog. Just go to the RSS icon at the top right hand corner of the website, and click. Go on . . . try it. It’s easy. You can impress your teen-agers.

 

Gorman describes lots of other ways to apply Web 2.0 concepts to the business of insurance. He suggests publishing claims and underwriting manuals, ERM documents and IT technical documentation as online wikis, which permit employees and agents to utilize the material in their daily operations, update them immediately online when information becomes outdated and access them from anywhere on the planet where they can get an Internet connection.

 

The biggest aspect of Web 2.0 is social networking, and its applications to insurance are limitless. According to Gorman, keeping agents, field staff and directors connected to a company could be as simple as employing some form of social network. He also suggests creating an online or e-mail discussion forum for agents to share experiences via e-mail posts to groups of other agents. Gorman writes, “This allows them a forum to discuss and share experiences related to their jobs, and through this interaction, find answers and solutions to their questions and/or problems.”

 

This is precisely what we’re trying to accomplish with the Insurance Law Center. We want to create a forum for our users to discuss and share experiences about the issues and trends relating to insurance. But to do that, we need YOU. So here’s a challenge to all of you lurkers out there—and you know who you are—thanks for signing on and checking us out, but next time you log in to read the news or peruse some top cases or find out what the experts are saying on the issues, take a minute to comment. Share you views. Tell us what you think. Suggest ideas. You know, participate.

 

Dave Rossmiller, one of the advisory board members for the insurance center and a prolific blogger himself, (http://www.insurancecoverageblog.com/) is someone else who, like Jon Gorman, gets it. In an email the other day, Dave wrote:

 

“The Web has transformed all sorts of communications, and the world increasingly will be made up of two kinds of people -- those on the train who understand this, and those who don't get it and stand staring and slack-jawed as the train pulls away and the folks on it wave bye-bye.”

 

So come to our Web 2.0. We’ll continue to keep the content fresh and interesting for you—our community.