Hirschfeld Consulting

Intranets: Your Inside Web Site

Nine times out of ten, I am corrected when I use the word Intranet. I am usually interrupted with an embarrassed, "Um, don't you mean Internet?" This confusion is both natural and surprising. Its natural because the concept of using web technologies to distribute private information within a company (Intranet) has not caught on nearly as quickly as using the same technology to give away public information (Internet). I am surprised because Intranets make excellent business sense and most companies already own all the necessary tools and infrastructure.

What makes an Intranet such a good idea? Intranets provide tangible benefits with even a limited effort and the benefits grow with your investment. Unlike traditional applications, web based technologies have shown amazing versatility, which means that even if you start small, your site can easily grow and adapt to your business. Plus, traditional applications (like Microsoft Office) will be offering new web features in their next release.

A hypothetical example

You decide to start small and create a simple site with copies of your employee manuals, routine memos, and calendars. This improves employee self-service and makes distribution of information faster and cheaper. Since you just turn on the standard WWW service on your current file server and used the Word97 "Save as HTML" feature you have probably not spent any cash to get this benefit.

Your initial Intranet is great, but employees want you to increase the site for managers to see project updates. This is still not a big deal, you appoint a "Web Master" and send them to FrontPage training. They coordinate with the managers and tell them were to save their project files. In the process, your Web Master cleans up the site, adds glitzy graphics, and turns on some build-in wizards that allow employees to post "for sale" and "free puppy" notices electronically instead of cluttering your bulletin boards. Making the project information public is a powerful performance incentive and also improves communication. Plus, you are still using the original file server and have only invested an extra $1,500.

By now your employees are looking for information on the Intranet before they call Human Resources or interrupt a manager in a meeting. You computer pro goes to a seminar and learns that your email package (i.e.: Lotus Notes or Microsoft Exchange) is already web enabled and you can turn on all sorts of useful Intranet features like public calendars, discussion groups, and knowledge bases. Then you read that your time and expense entry program has just announced an upgrade that lets employees use a browser. By now you may need a server upgrade, but it is justified since you cane reduce licensing costs and better leverage you groupware investment.

What does it take?

Compared to an Internet site, building an Intranet is easy. It is not as expensive or difficult to setup as an Internet site, content does not have to be blessed by Marketing, and you won't get a headache from security issues. Even so, it still requires planning and you will need to keep the information updated. Remember, the bottom line for both Intranets and Internets is the same: you need to give the user a reason to return.

Commit to keeping the Intranet information up to date before you start. While you can build a beautiful Intranet site with animated icons and coordinated themes, even the most bored employee will not login twice if you are not updating the content. When Freeport McMoRan created their Intranet in 1995, the weekly cafeteria menu was part of the site and one of their most popular pages. I have even heard of companies that actually withheld paychecks if employees failed to login to their Intranet once a week!

From the technology side, building and maintaining a web site is finally getting easy, really easy. Today's software is all "Internet enabled," and tools that help you administer sites (Like FrontPage) are on their third generation. This means that it does not take a PhD in HTML (the web page language) to make a fantastic web site. This was not the case just 12 months ago.

Where should I start?

When you are ready to create an Intranet take small steps. You should be able to use existing hardware and software and plan to make it fancy later. Here are my suggestions:

If you build it they will come…

• Do NOT make it fancy. Intranets are workhorses and the content will sell users not the packaging.
• Use simple tools. Office97 can turn anything into HTML and can open HTML files for editing.
• Create logical places for information. This allows anyone to add information and the latest web site tools, like FrontPage, make re-arranging directories easy.
• Appoint a Web Master. Every ship needs a captain and every web site needs a Web Master.

We the people…

• Spend time to build content up quickly. Convert all your normal corporate documentation to HTML right away.
• Give users rights and freedoms. If you make too many rules, employees will not even try. I have seen companies that felt obliged to write elaborate procedures and policies for Intranet use. If the people in your organization who handle sensitive information do not realize it is sensitive then you need to make a staff change.
• Mistakes are OK. Remember this is an INTERNAL site so customers won't see your blunders.

Make it useful and easy…

• Put the corporate directory on-line. This is a huge draw for mid-size companies since you can keep it updated centrally. Want real power? Include links to employees' alpha-pagers!
• Intranet enable your applications. Would anyone object if your time and expense tracking software were on the Intranet?
• Build FAQ lists. Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) lists help new employees get up to speed or provide guidance on rarely used procedures.
• Call in professional help. Consultants can help you really unleash your Intranet's potential with both new ideas and custom programming.

Make it fun…

• Encourage casual use. If your office has Internet access, then an Intranet may give employees something work related to browse instead of jumping right to news, weather, or stock sites.
• Create a place for employees to post "for sale" items. Ads are a nuisance on bulletin boards but very effective electronically.
• Buy a digital camera and post photos. How many snapshots from an award banquet or the company picnic never make it to the developers?
• Anticipate people's needs for Internet information. You can save everyone some time if you download copies of the tax forms and create a links page to useful information like professional and volunteer societies

While I do not expect an Intranet to replace paper or make meetings obsolete, I am certain it can improve the way your office communicates. Intranets really do work: I have been installing and using Intranets for almost 5 years! It is not very often that you can get so much value with so small an investment.

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