Notes on Intranet Implementation and Roadmap

Notes on Intranet Implementation and Roadmap

Alan McSweeney

November 26, 2009 2

Objectives

• Provide information on Intranet implementation options and issues

• Provide long-term vision for Intranet

• Identify key Intranet operational principles and get commitment for their application

November 26, 2009 3

Agenda

• Intranet Purposes and Objectives

• Types of Implementations

• Knowledge Management

• Security

•Deployment and Use

• Requirements Analysis and Architecture Definition

• Success Factors

• Lessons Learned

• Launching the Intranet

November 26, 2009 4

Why Implement an Intranet

• Infrastructure for doing other things− Communication

− Collaboration

• Employee satisfaction− Make information available online that is not currently available

− Collect information such as employee surveys

• Application enabler - increases speed of development and deployment of applications

• Centralised management of applications

• Cost savings through self-service

• Knowledge management platform− Flattens differences within an organisation

− Enables knowledge sharing and access

November 26, 2009 5

Intranet Objectives and Purposes

•Understand why it is being implemented−Provide access to content

−Provide access to applications

− Enable collaboration — projects

− Information and knowledge repository

• Ensures that platform meets these requirements

•Content and functionality drive Intranet usage

November 26, 2009 6

Intranet Application Areas

• Production, requisition, distribution and update of dynamic information that has traditionally been published on paper

• Consolidation of information from multiple data sources

• Requirement for a high level of communication and collaboration between people, especially if they are separated geographically

• Information management and access

• Document management

• Forms and data entry/collection

• Employee surveys

• Application access

• Closed User Groups and collaboration

November 26, 2009 7

Types of Intranet

• Functionality − Information access

− Information sharing and collaboration

−Application access

•Anonymous or Access via Login−Personalisation and customised access

− Login on first access or when accessing secure areas or restricted information

November 26, 2009 8

Knowledge Management and Sharing Issues

• Intranet− Technology to enable knowledge management and sharing

− Processes to support knowledge generation, management and sharing

− Culture to ensure knowledge is managed and shared

• Organisational Cultural Issues and Knowledge Hoarding and Sharing —“Knowledge is Power”− Need to understand and address real issues

• Knowledge resides with people

• Fear of credit going elsewhere

• Loners

• Gain personal advantage by being the expert

• Perception of ensuring job security

• Fear of asking for information

• Hiding problems

− Define knowledge management and sharing policies and reward knowledge sharing• Make this a KPI as part of the Performance Management initiative

November 26, 2009 9

Levels of Security

•General Intranet access

•Application and secure content access

•Document authoring access

•Management reporting access

• System administrator access

November 26, 2009 10

Deployment and Operation

• Platform and Security− Responsibility of the IT department

• Functionality and Application Access− Responsibility of the IT department

• Content− Company-wide

− Cater to a potentially large number of diverse users

− Requires the participation of multiple departments, sections and business units

• Central Intranet manager/administrator/co-ordinator− Manages the intranet

− Liaises between the content generation departments sections and business units

• Local Co-ordinators


Content Management Generation, Approval and Publication

End UserEnd UserEnd UserEnd User

Document Document Document Document DatabaseDatabaseDatabaseDatabase

Local Content Local Content Local Content Local Content GeneratorGeneratorGeneratorGenerator

Local Content Local Content Local Content Local Content Reviewer/ Reviewer/ Reviewer/ Reviewer/ ApproverApproverApproverApprover

Content Generated for ApprovalContent Generated for ApprovalContent Generated for ApprovalContent Generated for Approval

Content Not ApprovedContent Not ApprovedContent Not ApprovedContent Not Approved

Content Content Content Content ApprovedApprovedApprovedApproved

Local Content Local Content Local Content Local Content GeneratorGeneratorGeneratorGenerator

Local Content Local Content Local Content Local Content Reviewer/ Reviewer/ Reviewer/ Reviewer/ ApproverApproverApproverApprover

Content Generated for ApprovalContent Generated for ApprovalContent Generated for ApprovalContent Generated for Approval

Content Not ApprovedContent Not ApprovedContent Not ApprovedContent Not Approved

Content Available After Content Available After Content Available After Content Available After Publication/ Embargo Publication/ Embargo Publication/ Embargo Publication/ Embargo Date Has PassedDate Has PassedDate Has PassedDate Has Passed

Department 1Department 1Department 1Department 1Department 2Department 2Department 2Department 2


Content Management Generation, Approval and Publication

•Content generated and approved locally by designated generators/reviewers/approvers

•Documents not available until a publication/embargo date has passed

•Avoids bottleneck of central content generation

•Makes each department/section/business unit responsible for generation of relevant content

• Provides local autonomy and control


Intranet Document Lifecycle and Workflow

Validate and Validate and Validate and Validate and ModifyModifyModifyModify

Draft DocumentDraft DocumentDraft DocumentDraft Document

EmbargoEmbargoEmbargoEmbargo

ReviewReviewReviewReview

UnpublishUnpublishUnpublishUnpublish

LiveLiveLiveLive

Approve with Approve with Approve with Approve with EmbargoEmbargoEmbargoEmbargo

Approve with no Approve with no Approve with no Approve with no EmbargoEmbargoEmbargoEmbargo

Embargo Date Embargo Date Embargo Date Embargo Date PassedPassedPassedPassed

Review Date Review Date Review Date Review Date PassedPassedPassedPassed

Submit for Submit for Submit for Submit for ApprovalApprovalApprovalApproval

RejectRejectRejectReject

Flag for ReviewFlag for ReviewFlag for ReviewFlag for Review

UnpublishUnpublishUnpublishUnpublishDocumentDocumentDocumentDocument

UnpublishUnpublishUnpublishUnpublishDocumentDocumentDocumentDocument


Intranet Implementation Issues

•What is needed rather than what might be used−Avoid scope creep

• Requirements analysis and system specification−Define and agree project phasing

•Understand audience and users

•User involvement during testing

•Data integration and development of Intranet information architecture

• Single signon


Intranet Implementation Issues• Who is responsible and who controls?

• What reporting?

• Design and standards

• Centralised or decentralised content generation

• Applications or static pages?

• How to manage dynamic content?

• Acceptability

• Application and data integration

• Who communicate to

• Technology requirements

• Scalability

• Support requirements

• Closed User Groups for secure collaboration

• Implementation phases and roadmap


Recommendations

• Infrastructure and ArchitectureInfrastructure and ArchitectureInfrastructure and ArchitectureInfrastructure and Architecture — scalable Web and application server

• Content Management SystemContent Management SystemContent Management SystemContent Management System — an infrastructural application that provides content generation, distribution and management controls and enables consistent appearance standards to be maintained

• Data AccessData AccessData AccessData Access — an infrastructural application or set of standards that allows efficient access of data on other platforms from Intranet applications

• Design StandardsDesign StandardsDesign StandardsDesign Standards — consistent appearance and navigation

• Publication ModelPublication ModelPublication ModelPublication Model — a standard for publications to enable easy use

• Logging, Reporting and AnalysisLogging, Reporting and AnalysisLogging, Reporting and AnalysisLogging, Reporting and Analysis — the consistent collection, storage of Intranet logging information for reporting and trend analysis

• Approach to Application ImplementationApproach to Application ImplementationApproach to Application ImplementationApproach to Application Implementation — Set of standards for implementing Intranet applications

• Requirements and Architecture AnalysisRequirements and Architecture AnalysisRequirements and Architecture AnalysisRequirements and Architecture Analysis — quick exercise to address issues and produce recommendations


Requirements Analysis and Implementation Plan

• Analysis of strategy and its impact on an Intranet

• Analysis of business processes and their potential for exploiting Intranet technology

• Analysis of information gathered from key personnel

• System architecture definition

• System administration, maintenance and support requirements

• Resource and skill requirements to implement the system

• Appearance and navigation standards

• Information generation and maintenance requirements

• Phased implementation plan

• Application development and deployment options

• Major project issues and resolution options

• Major project risks and risk management options

• Security requirements and implementation options

• Resilience requirements and implementation options

• Capacity planning and growth requirements

• Financial analysis and a business case including costs and savings


Requirements Analysis and Implementation Planning Exercise Phases

• Project Definition

• Analysis of Department Structure and Strategy

• Information Gathering and Workshops

• Organisation and Business Process Analysis

• Intranet Architecture Definition

• Intranet Appearance and Navigation Standards

• Intranet Operation, Support and Administration

• Intranet Content Generation and Maintenance

• Phased Intranet Implementation Plan

• Financial Analysis

• Production of Draft Analysis and Presentation Material for Review

• Production of Final Analysis and Presentation Material for Review


Requirements Analysis and Implementation Planning Exercise

• Puts implementation within agreed context


Intranet Usage

•Use for its own sake or for a purpose

•Define measurable and meaningful goals


Intranet Benefits

•Delivers relevant information to users quickly, efficiently

• Increases employee productivity, satisfaction

• Provides links to physically remote employees, suppliers, customers, contractors

•Adherence to Internet standards simplifies internal and external communications

• Boosts organisational efficiency

• Save costs


Content Management Features

• Workflow processes for collaborative publishing - distributed content generation

• Automatic control of documents life cycle - expiry/review/archive

• Integrated site audience statistics

• Appearance and navigation standards

• Reusability of objects

• Office integration

• Personalisation and security

• Search facility

• Web-based interface

• User-friendly document editing


Logical Solution Architecture

Data Formatted and Data Formatted and Data Formatted and Data Formatted and PresentedPresentedPresentedPresented

BrowserBrowserBrowserBrowser Web ServerWeb ServerWeb ServerWeb Server

Application ServerApplication ServerApplication ServerApplication Server

Content Management Content Management Content Management Content Management ApplicationApplicationApplicationApplication

Information Information Information Information DatabaseDatabaseDatabaseDatabase

Content Generator/ Content Generator/ Content Generator/ Content Generator/ ReviewersReviewersReviewersReviewers



Data UpdatesData UpdatesData UpdatesData Updates


User Data Access Requirements

• Sequential Read/BrowseSequential Read/BrowseSequential Read/BrowseSequential Read/Browse - the ability to display the table of contents of the publication and select sections to view

• Index/KeywordIndex/KeywordIndex/KeywordIndex/Keyword - the ability to display a list of keywords and display and view the sections associated with those keywords

• FullFullFullFull----Text RetrievalText RetrievalText RetrievalText Retrieval - the ability to retrieve documents within a publication based on words and phrases they contain

• Process/Topic/SubjectProcess/Topic/SubjectProcess/Topic/SubjectProcess/Topic/Subject - this type of access relates to being able to view sections in a publication that relate to a given process such as, for example, opening an account


Critical Success Factors

• Policies on privacy and what is allowed

• Safeguards for information security

•Commitment from upper management

• Internal webmaster

• Rollout/buildup with matching increase in resources

• Strategic planning

• Phased implementation

•Devolved content generation and management

•Consistent appearance and navigation


Implementation Strategies

• Key applications and content to publish

•Organisational issues

• Security and privacy concerns

•Commitment to project

•Measuring return on investment

• Extensibility


Intranet Usage Characteristics

• Typically very quick acceptance and adoption by users - information is accessed using a medium and a technique very familiar to users from experiences outside work

• Significant goodwill among most users towards an Intranet

• Typically very rapid growth in usage.

• Implementation of management features and facilities is frequently an afterthought.− Imposing management on disorganised structure after the initial rollout is costly and difficult and never completely achieves its goal

• Delays in either providing access to the Intranet or in deploying applications and access to information causes user frustration and can lead to the users circumventing the main Intranet by developing local Intranets

• Intranets need a platform to enable rapid growth, rapid implementation and management − Requires scaleable hardware, software and application infrastructures


Intranet Lessons

• Set and maintain clear boundaries

• Develop appearance and navigation standards

• Intranet is only as good as the validity and integrity of its content

• Content management for devolved content generation

• IT-led Intranet is a dangerous default

• Don’t wait for perfection - get on with it

• Very fast business gains are possible to achieve

• Do not forget the operation, maintenance and reporting

• Intranet implementation is a people/organisation/technology mix

• Platform for significant growth


Intranet Problems — Common Problems

•Old/Out of Date Content

• Inconsistent or No Standard Navigation and Appearance

• Too Many Pages with “Coming Soon/Under Construction" Notices

•Content Clutter and Complexity

•Not Enough Real Material and Substance

• Too Secure and Too Many User Access Challenges

• Poor Search Facility

•Content Repeated or Not Properly Structured


Recipes for Success

• Establish Intranet pilot

• Ensure access - default home page, search engine

•Migrate content

•Measure cost savings and productivity gains

• Expand Intranet application set

• Roll out into additional functional groups

• Build interactivity and add collaborative applications


Intranet as Application Portal

• Facilitate access to multiple business applications by end-users

• Single point of access to applications by users Increase efficiency and improve customer service

• Enable integration of data access and data entry between applications

• Long-term portal vision —requires application development


Business Intelligence Portal via Intranet

• Collects data from various applications

• Integrates data into a single model

• Delivers information using various tools

• Form the basis for other initiatives


Integrated Access to Data and Applications

• Possible long-term plan− Integrated view of data for analysis and applications

− Implemented through business intelligence and application portal


Intranet Launch Options

• Public−Marketing and promotion before system launch

− Launch date announced months or weeks before system release

−Marketing campaign and activities to create awareness and expectation among potential users

•Quiet−Marketing and promotion after system launch

− Internal target date used by development team and content generators

−Uses word-of-mouth promotion

− System awareness after Intranet released to production


Intranet Launch Issues

• Public− Sure that the Intranet will be ready by the stated launch date

−Not buried within a stream of new system launches

− Few previous failures by IT to meet delivery dates

•Quiet− Intranet development is continuous so a formal launch date is not appropriate

−There have been previous failures by IT to meet delivery dates

−There is no stream of system launches and/or users have not responded well to previous public system launches


Publicity Options

•Company-wide presentations/demonstrations

• Focussed launches on specific areas and/or to specific user groups

• Posters and other advertising

•Newsletters

• Intranet merchandise

•Migrate processes to Intranet — HR, IT support

•Quizzes and competitions


Intranet Audience

•Audience−Company wide

− Specific departments, sections, business units

− Specific set of roles or levels within organisation

•Need to define and agree who is the audience

•Defines content and functionality


Standards and Policies

•Create and publish standards on content

•Define what is acceptable−Buy and sell advertisements — yes or no

−Anonymous feedback

−Anonymous access


Intranet Platforms and Tools

•No one common platform−Documentum

−Google Search Appliance

− IBM WebSphere

− Lotus Domino

−Microsoft SQL Server database

−Microsoft SharePoint

−Oracle Database

−Oracle Portal

•Many others


Intranet Vision

• Intranet will be a central point for information and application access−Complete work environment — “hub”

• Intranet will contain public and private information

• Intranet will grow in a planned and structured manner


Bord Na Mona Intranet Vision and Road Map

Message CentreMessage CentreMessage CentreMessage Centre

Internal Internal Internal Internal Information PortalInformation PortalInformation PortalInformation Portal

Application Application Application Application AccessAccessAccessAccess

WorkflowWorkflowWorkflowWorkflow

HR SelfHR SelfHR SelfHR Self----ServiceServiceServiceService

Online FormsOnline FormsOnline FormsOnline Forms

Online TrainingOnline TrainingOnline TrainingOnline Training

Secure Project Secure Project Secure Project Secure Project CollaborationCollaborationCollaborationCollaboration

Structured and Planned Growth Structured and Planned Growth Structured and Planned Growth Structured and Planned Growth and Added Features Based on and Added Features Based on and Added Features Based on and Added Features Based on Requirements Analysis and Requirements Analysis and Requirements Analysis and Requirements Analysis and

Business caseBusiness caseBusiness caseBusiness case

Intranet Content Intranet Content Intranet Content Intranet Content GenerationGenerationGenerationGeneration

Closed User Closed User Closed User Closed User Groups and Groups and Groups and Groups and CollaborationCollaborationCollaborationCollaboration

Online FormsOnline FormsOnline FormsOnline Forms

Online TrainingOnline TrainingOnline TrainingOnline Training


Intranet Key Principles

• Content must be generated and managed locally− Users will be supplied with and trained in the use of a content editing tool

• Executive sponsorship is key to success− Establish culture of content generation and management and Intranet usage

• “Look and feel” is very important− Intranet will be strongly branded with Corporate identity

• IT will supply and manage hardware and software infrastructure including content management tool

• Intranet development must be supported by requirements analysis and business case

• Content policy must be defined at the Corporate level and agreed


Key Intranet Implementation Steps

1. Establish project team

2. Complete Phase 1 —Message Centre

3. Define overall Intranet group structure

4. Create “look and feel” branding

5. Define and agree usage policies

6. Business content generation

7. Business requirements gathering and assessment

8. Solution definition

9. Business case

10. Solution implementation

11. Steps 8-10 repeated for each application area


Key Intranet Implementation Steps

Establish Project Establish Project Establish Project Establish Project TeamTeamTeamTeam

Message CentreMessage CentreMessage CentreMessage Centre

Define Overall Intranet Group Define Overall Intranet Group Define Overall Intranet Group Define Overall Intranet Group StructureStructureStructureStructure

Create Create Create Create ““““Look and FeelLook and FeelLook and FeelLook and Feel””””BrandingBrandingBrandingBranding

Define and Agree Usage Define and Agree Usage Define and Agree Usage Define and Agree Usage PoliciesPoliciesPoliciesPolicies

Business Content GenerationBusiness Content GenerationBusiness Content GenerationBusiness Content Generation

Business Requirements Gathering and AssessmentBusiness Requirements Gathering and AssessmentBusiness Requirements Gathering and AssessmentBusiness Requirements Gathering and Assessment

Application 1 Application 1 Application 1 Application 1 DefinitionDefinitionDefinitionDefinition

Application 1 Application 1 Application 1 Application 1 Business CaseBusiness CaseBusiness CaseBusiness Case

Application 1 Application 1 Application 1 Application 1 ImplementationImplementationImplementationImplementation


Requirements

• Project team− Executive sponsor

− Intranet owner

−Business sponsors

−Project manager

−Requirements analyst

− Solution architect

−Developer

•Mixed team involving all parties


Why Implement an Intranet

• Infrastructure for doing other things− Communication

− Collaboration

• Employee satisfaction− Make information available online that is not currently available

− Collect information such as employee surveys

• Application enabler - increases speed of development and deployment of applications

• Centralised management of applications

• Cost savings through self-service

• Knowledge management platform− Flattens differences within an organisation

− Enables knowledge sharing and access


Intranet Objectives and Purposes

•Understand why it is being implemented−Provide access to content

−Provide access to applications

− Enable collaboration — projects

− Information and knowledge repository

• Ensures that platform meets these requirements

•Content and functionality drive Intranet usage


Intranet Application Areas

• Production, requisition, distribution and update of dynamic information that has traditionally been published on paper

• Consolidation of information from multiple data sources

• Requirement for a high level of communication and collaboration between people, especially if they are separated geographically

• Information management and access

• Document management

• Forms and data entry/collection

• Employee surveys

• Application access

• Closed User Groups and project collaboration

• Online training


Summary

•Analysis is key

• IT has to manage

•Content management tool is essential

• Phased implementation is essential

• Local content generation

•Make Intranet accessible and relevant

•Commitment and resources


More Information

Alan McSweeney

[email protected]

Notes on Intranet Implementation and Roadmap

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