Computerworld — Remember the good old days, when all you needed was a phone number and maybe a street address to get in touch with someone? Slowly, new fields were added to our contacts lists: fax numbers, cell phone numbers, e-mail addresses, instant messaging IDs, URLs. And on top of all that we've added LinkedIn and Facebook accounts and connections through Twitter, Tumblr and more.

Social Networking Websites from A to Z

Communication and the tools to do it are forever evolving, and at an alarming rate. While it may feel overwhelming at times, all these ways to connect represent a tremendous opportunity for building communities to help us find and share information faster and more easily.

In fact, tapping into social media to manage projects is a very efficient and forward-thinking way to keep everyone in the loop and come up with the best ideas for reaching goals. I favor five smart social media practices for project managers They are:

1. Be an information seeker and sharer. One of the things I have loved about blogging, and Twitter in particular, is how much great information gets shared quickly. Sure, some people tweet what they are eating or drinking, but thousands of others tweet insights and URLs for great articles and white papers that have saved me tremendous time and pointed me down a new road. And I find that when I have an "a-ha" moment because of something cool and useful that I've received, I tend to follow suit and post useful articles and information myself. And than an interesting thing happens: More people start following me. For me, blogging and tweeting are like playing in a giant global sandbox where we're all learning to share the tools we need.

2. Provide a sense of community. What are your passions and interests as a person and a project manager? By searching communities like LinkedIn and Facebook, you can become connected to other project managers who share your interests. Even better, you can ask questions about things that have you stumped or help other people out who may be facing a challenge that you have already mastered.

3. Be clear about what's allowed. The idea that social media and networking can actually help advance project goals can still seem philosophical if you haven't experienced the instant gratification of getting an "update" or a "tweet," especially if you need to separate "church and state," or the corporate and personal spheres.

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