From tailored databases to Wikis: using emerging technologies to work together more efficiently

This article describes the emergence of collaborative work between researchers and information professionals through the presentation of two tools developed within Cemagref. The first tool is a traditional database and the second a Wiki; they were both implemented by in-formation professionals with the contribution of information technology (IT) experts. The role of Cemagref information professionals is to provide researchers with expertise on infor-mation technology. The first task of the ten Cemagref documentation departments is to supply our researchers with suitable data. This paper develops this experience through the description of two existing systems. Not only can researchers now retrieve information, but they are also able to feed the databases with their own information.