Microsoft faced challenges related to internal knowledge sharing. Field employees dispersed around the globe had no unified means of sharing knowledge with one another, leaving vast expertise untapped. Given the fast pace of the IT industry, few of these workers have adequate time for formal training. Units within the organization tended to build their own ad-hoc knowledge-sharing  systems. These disparate platforms siloed workers along organizational boundaries rather than promoting the free flow of information. Microsoft used Microsoft® Office SharePoint® Server 2007 as the basis of a social media platform known as Academy Mobile. It enables users to share, rate, and download audio and video podcasts. The site is deliberately designed not to look like a typical Microsoft intranet site. It is more user-driven, giving workers a sense of ownership over the content.

• Academy Mobile has more than 20,000 active users and 2,000 people actively producing content, and offers 20,000 downloads a month. User satisfaction is extremely high.
• Through a program called “Podcasting in a Box,” Microsoft centrally purchases podcasting gear and lends it to employees who actively producing content. Employees produced more than 1,000 podcasts in eight months.
• A star rating system helps users find the best content. Users can subscribe to their favorites.
• By downloading content onto a mobile device or media player, workers can learn on the go.