This entry point to all information and applications in a KM system is also called a Portal Service . If the same environment supports also the creation of content, it s called the KM desktop. These decisions must be taken fast enough to get a competitive advantage. A collaborative environment needs to be extended if it is to meet these requirements because it is still too hard for its users to access accurate information, gather all the relevant information, and find hints to other knowledge sources. Communities, Teams, and Experts add the next level of sharing knowledge and turning it to results.
Teams differ from communities in that teams are task driven, and communities are interest driven.
In many cases the information produced by a team is closely held within the team until it has reached a level of completeness where it can be shared, for example in a review, with a broader audience. The information shared by a community is closer at the final release. Communities are especially useful for building knowledge to higher levels, often by getting successive levels of input from a wide audience. Lycos, Excite, or MSN where consumer oriented services allows for easy information shopping. Another huge benefit of these Consumer Portals is the high customization provided for its visitors.