Intranets – why you should care Web Standards Group, Sydney 31 st May 07 Patrick Kennedy, Step Two Designs

A bit about me Computer Systems Engineering Web designer Lead developer Information architecture and usability Consultant at Step Two Designs

Computer Systems Engineering

Web designer

Lead developer

Information architecture and usability

Consultant at Step Two Designs

Intranets are the beast you love to hate

What is an intranet? Not just an internal website Powerful business tool; a place to get things done Think of a transactional websites

Not just an internal website

Powerful business tool; a place to get things done

Think of a transactional websites

So why are they so unpopular?

Reasons [notes] mostly concerned with strategy, planning and management ‘ internal project’ syndrome lack of support and resources “ It’s just a couple of web pages, you can just whip that up this afternoon right?” Balancing all the things they could possibly do, versus day to day Intranets are a journey not a destination but quite often it’s seen as a discrete project Lack of recognition of their plight and the resources needed Interfacing with ‘corporate systems’ long, hard slog burn-out, feeling overwhelmed and unsatisfied.

mostly concerned with strategy, planning and management

‘ internal project’ syndrome

lack of support and resources

“ It’s just a couple of web pages, you can just whip that up this afternoon right?”

Balancing all the things they could possibly do, versus day to day

Intranets are a journey not a destination but quite often it’s seen as a discrete project

Lack of recognition of their plight and the resources needed

Interfacing with ‘corporate systems’

long, hard slog

burn-out, feeling overwhelmed and unsatisfied.

But seems to be more like Most intranets suck Internal website Low profile Not sexy Insignificant

Most intranets suck

Internal website

Low profile

Not sexy

Insignificant

So what can we do?

What can we do [notes] Cross pollination of skills Selling the benefits of intranets

Cross pollination of skills

Selling the benefits of intranets

Problem 1: cross-pollination of skills

Cross pollination Expertise might be found where you least expect it (the ‘long tail’ effect) Learn from each other Intranet folks Web design UX WSG

Expertise might be found where you least expect it (the ‘long tail’ effect)

Learn from each other

Problem 2: selling the benefits of intranets

Selling the benefits of intranets Greater satisfaction Empowering users Captive audience Bigger challenge More functionality Freedom to experiment Commercial free No mistakes

Greater satisfaction

Empowering users

Captive audience

Bigger challenge

More functionality

Freedom to experiment

Commercial free

No mistakes

When they’re good…

Next generation intranets Enterprise 2.0

Enterprise 2.0

Where do web standards fit in?

You have the power You have the power, people respect your views You can drive things forward As with web standards, IA, usability etc

You have the power, people respect your views

You can drive things forward

As with web standards, IA, usability etc

Need to keep a grip on 2.0 Enterprise 2.0 is amassing momentum as per web 2.0 And it might actually be even bigger Wiki, blogs, RSS, IM, ajax We need to reel it in so it doesn’t get out of control Standards will need to be developed Need to be promoted within business not just on the outside

Enterprise 2.0 is amassing momentum as per web 2.0

And it might actually be even bigger

Wiki, blogs, RSS, IM, ajax

We need to reel it in so it doesn’t get out of control

Standards will need to be developed

Need to be promoted within business not just on the outside

Questions? Your feedback is most welcome Patrick Kennedy [email_address] Blog: www.gurtle.com/ppov/ Website: www.steptwo.com.au

Your feedback is most welcome

Patrick Kennedy [email_address]

Blog: www.gurtle.com/ppov/

Website: www.steptwo.com.au