So, What

1
So, Whats an Intranet?

• The following is excerpted from "Intranets
  What's The Bottom Line?", by Randy J. Hinrichs,
  published by SunSoft / Prentice Hall.

2
So, Whats an Intranet?

• Organizational Intelligence.
• An Intranet is an internal information system
  based on Internet technology, web services,
  TCP/IP and HTTP communication protocols, and HTML
  publishing. Huh? The Intranet is a technology
  that permits your organization to define itself
  as a whole entity, a group, a family, where
  everyone knows their roles, and everyone is
  working on the improvement and health of the
  organization.

3
How do they do this?

• By identifying and communicating missions, goals,
  processes, relationships, interactions,
  infrastructure, projects, schedules, budgets and
  culture on-line, in a single interface everyone
  uses and can add value back to.
• In a word, an Intranet represents your
  organizations intelligence. The purpose of
  this intelligence is to organize each
  individuals desktop with minimal cost, time and
  effort to be more productive, more cost
  efficient, more timely, and more competitive.

4
Leveraging Intelligence.

• Intranets are not about putting technology and
  software together. Thats the easy part. In fact,
  youve probably got all the components in your
  organization already.
• Effectively building an Intranet is similar to
  building individual intelligence. It requires
  learning, applying the learning to practical
  decision making, acting on the intelligence with
  solid, clear tasks and responsibilities,
  modifying the learning for improved performance
  in the future, and making sure all of this is
  communicated all of the time to everyone.

5
Single Point of Contact.

• The Intranet is the WAN/LAN, client/server, PC,
  UNIX, Apple computer stuff that youve been using
  all along in your organization to do your work,
  improve efficiency, and communicate with others.
• The problem, of course, is that the machines,
  software, and communication systems have been
  proprietary. You couldn't have internal
  communication of all data and information without
  a team of programmers and new software for every
  new cut on the information.

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Single Point of Contact-2

• With an Intranet, you have access to all the
  information, applications, data, knowledge,
  processes, etc. available in the same window, or
  the same browser. No more conversion to different
  formats, waiting for programmers to code all the
  new systems together, or teams of consultants
  to sift through your processes. No more missed
  opportunities, giving up and not doing business
  with someone, because their technology was
  different.
• Instead, an Intranet connects people together,
  with Internet technology, using web servers, web
  browsers, and your data warehouses in a single
  view that everyone can easily learn while still
  using their old software.

7
Organisational Focus.

• The Intranet is your opportunity to define your
  organization and display it for everyone to see.
  If everyone knows what the company stands for,
  what the companys strategic vision is, what the
  guiding company principles are, who the clients
  and partners are, then they can focus more
  clearly on what their own contributions are to
  the organization.
• A clear, single web page representing the values
  of the company is tantamount to success. Every
  organization can constantly refer to the central
  messages and develop their own supporting sites
  accordingly.
• Use the Web as an information, communications,
  and project-management tool across the
  organization.

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What the Intranet is Not

• Not the Internet.
• An Intranet does not have to be connected to the
  Internet. However, moving mail and other
  information across the Internet to clients and
  partners is highly desirable, so an Internet
  connection is nice, but not necessary.
• Intranets use Internet and Web technology
  concepts. But, your information is securely
  managed inside your organization. Security issues
  are still important, however, as you can suffer
  from internal security leaks.

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Not the Internet
What the Intranet is Not

• What makes the Intranet so different is the
  infrastructure. That means, what are your
  policies for using the technology? How do you set
  up the Intranet for your department, who puts out
  the content? What is the approval process for
  getting content out there? Who maintains the
  content? Are there libraries of graphics, logos,
  approved text, and other navigation and design
  features for each page.
• The Internet is more of a marketing and customer
  support entity. The Intranet is your internal
  communications mechanism.

10
Not the LAN/WAN.
What the Intranet is Not

• Although using the same connections, your LAN/WAN
  networks depend upon the applications from your
  vendor, HP, IBM, Sun, Apple, Novell, Banyan
  Vines, etc. These hardware vendors and networking
  companies provided excellent solutions for your
  information needs, but their technology and
  solutions are separate from your Intranet set up.
• With an Intranet model of computing, you may not
  even need to rely on these software. You may have
  needed their operating systems, their drivers,
  their applications, and their programmers. But
  thats where your interconnectivity problems
  reside. Intranet technology sets you free!

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Not an E-Mail program.
What the Intranet is Not

• The Intranet is not just a mail program. In, fact
  it goes way beyond e-mail.
• A corporate web delivers reliable, feature-rich
  applications that share five core,
  standards-based services
• directory
• e-mail
• file
• print, and
• network management.

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Not Just Hardware and Software (servers and
browsers)
What the Intranet is Not

• The Intranet is not difficult to set up. The
  connection is the same in every operating system.
• The Servers are nothing more than computers. The
  software is nothing more than a universal
  graphical user interface.
• Although Netscape, Microsoft Internet Explorer
  and other browsers exist, they all have the same
  basic functionality. They show web pages, web
  forms and web applications.
• The Intranet uses these technologies to connect
  human information processing with human
  performance.

13
Not Groupware
What the Intranet is Not

• Groupware products offer many functions that
  operate well together.
• Groupware is not fully interoperable. It requires
  specific hardware, operating system, and network
  configuration. It is expensive and not always
  easy to scale up. Until recently, groupware was
  not compatible with other network systems,
  including the Intranet. For exampleMS Exchange
  may not work on UNIX, Lotus Notes may not have
  support for MAC o/s.

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Not Groupware-2
What the Intranet is Not

• Groupware is vulnerable to changes in the
  marketplace, and is ultimately proprietary. It
  comes from one company, whose expertise lies in
  their own perception of software development and
  client needs.
• Groupware typically is complex and costly to
  install, manage, and train users on.
• The Intranet is simple, and independent of any
  one development organization. You can make it
  what you want it to be.

15
Intranet as a Tool-1

• Think of an Intranet is a high tech Swiss Army
  knife, providing you with a set of tools for
  almost every function within your organization.
• Most organisations rely on information,
  knowledge, intelligence to create products,
  services, education and entertainment.
  Information is power.
• In the past, it was always difficult to get a
  hold of information. Either you couldnt get
  reliable information, or you couldnt get it on
  time. This was either by intent or by cumbersome
  mainframe or networked systems.
• Now, information is managed directly at the
  desktop with no particular worry about platform
  or software compatibility.

16
Intranet as a Tool-2

• Each user purchases the tools they need to do the
  job they need to do. Some are still using
  mainframe connections, with client/server
  software solutions. They still, however, cannot
  rely completely on the accuracy of the
  information, because the source may or may not
  have fed the information up to the server.
• With an Intranet any user, at any level, can
  publish information. This makes information
  reliable because it comes from the source. The
  individual can serve the information that can be
  read in any browser, and make itself linkable to
  any other server. This linkage creates process
  flow within your organization. You can secure
  information and share information in the best way
  you see fit.
• With Intranets, everyone in the company can
  access information, knowledge and company
  intelligence and design it in any way that
  improves your business models.

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Uses of Intranets.

• Intranets can be used for so many different
  functions within your organization. Applications
  that youve been using for years are finding
  their way to the Intranet. Every developer from
  1996/97 is creating new Web applications, or
  retrofitting existing applications to run
  seamlessly in Intranet environment.
• Uses include executive decision support systems,
  sales cycle automation tools, financial systems,
  online analytical processing (OLAP) applications,
  personal productivity applications, financial
  trading floor systems, procurement and
  business-to-business commerce applications,
  document management systems, and customer support
  and help desk applications. The list just goes on
  and on.

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A Decision Making Tool.
Uses of Intranets

• The Intranet links together all of the
  information in your organization. Either you can
  look at pre-determined information, or you can
  use interactive forms or report writers to prune
  and graft information to help you analyze market
  trends, or business behaviour.
• You can share results with colleagues, clients
  and partners, and modify your business decisions
  accordingly. Templates and common look and feel
  come included.
• With sophisticated web searching tool, you
  neednt sift through long pages of information to
  get what you want either. Just key in a few
  keywords and your information is served to you
  like a meal. Example Livelink from OpenText.

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Learning Organization Tool.
Uses of Intranets

• When information can be pulled instantly,
  decision makers are able to analyze business
  processes, business opportunities, and business
  goals much faster. It follows that more employees
  can become decision makers.
• Projects are managed more efficiently.
  Communication is opened up to include anyone
  related to any part of a project. Customer
  requirements are documented and adhered to.
• Development occurs in a shared electronic
  development space, rather than between meetings,
  telephone calls, and individual schedules.

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• The company that shares information, learns
  together, improves together, and creates a more
  intelligent organization.

21
A Complete Communication Tool
Uses of Intranets

• Imagine integrating all corporate communications,
  all departmental communications, all group
  communications, and all individual communications
  into a place that provides up-to-date, quality,
  instant information to anyone in the
  organization, whenever and wherever you wanted
  it. Imagine a single place like a magazine cover
  that would easily allow everyone in the company
  to get any information from the Executives, Human
  Resources, Marketing, Sales, Training, Finance,
  Partners, Operations, Facilities.

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A Complete Communication Tool-2
Uses of Intranets

• Imagine all the hundreds of documents,
  presentations, notes, software, policies,
  training materials on line. Imagine these
  resources available to everyone 24 hours a day.
  Imagine your company communicating with anyone
  who produces this information, improving on its
  presentation or content. Imagine knowing where
  the information came from, when it was generated
  and how it relates to other information. The
  Intranet is this communication tool.

23
A Collaboration Tool
Uses of Intranets

• Think about what happens when an easy to use,
  easy to learn, powerful tool for collaborating,
  project managing, data collecting, managing
  knowledge and information, is handed to everyone
  in your networked organization. Imagine a tool
  that empowers people to put their best foot
  forward, proudly displaying their quality
  products, sales tips, marketing messages,
  internal customer services, technical procedures,
  processes, departmental goals, frequently asked
  questions, shortcuts, tips, tricks and
  self-images in a place where anyone who
  subscribes can access them.

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A Collaboration Tool-2
Uses of Intranets

• Imagine collaborating with each other without
  wading through e-mail, or playing telephone tag
  sessions, or missing your chance to input at a
  meeting. And, think of forums where people with
  common interests meet and thrash out issues,
  until the best possible solution is achieved.
  Then, add video conferencing, electronic white
  boards, single document sharing, and youve got a
  collaborative tool - the Intranet.

25
An Experts Tool
Uses of Intranets

• Who knows their job the best in any organization?
  The individual or group(s) performing the jobs.
  Imagine experts responsible for sharing their
  expertise, and responsible for communicating it
  to others so it can be understood. And, imagine
  being linked to real-time on-line expert support
  by experts who add depth and breadth to their
  site, while you incorporate their levels of
  expertise into your workflow.
• Imagine chatting directly with the top, essential
  consultants and knowledge czars within your
  organization. And capturing all that information
  in threaded databases, so anyone could look at
  it, at any time. Imagine sharing tips, tricks,
  pitfalls, analysis, and bottom line information
  about any topic, and getting it from those who
  know best, and have spent innumerable hours
  researching, thinking, and putting ideas into
  action.

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A Single Invention Tool
Uses of Intranets

• Imagine employees finding information when they
  needed it, and available to cut and paste it into
  their presentations, sales pitches, marketing
  messages, or training modules. Think of the time
  people save not reinventing the wheel.
• Instead of company information stored in filing
  cabinets, desks, garbage cans, huge piles on
  desks, information is on-line in your
  Intranet--available for re-use by anyone working
  on similar topics. Consider common look and feel,
  and common goals and messages repeating across
  the organization.
• Imagine everyone in the organization telling
  customers the same story!

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A 21st Century Telephone
Uses of Intranets

• The Intranet is a tool that has already become a
  utility in many companies, much like the
  telephone. Use it, and you are empowered to
  accelerate production cycles, to focus on expert
  information, to customize products and services
  for customers, to educate yourself immediately,
  to get a hold of anyone in the organization.
• Allow individuals to create their own sites,
  groups sites, departmental sites, and you empower
  a knowledge environment in which individuals
  within the organization know who they are talking
  to, what they represent, and how they fit into
  the organization. The level of interaction
  becomes more intelligent and more streamlined to
  business goals, and corporate missions.

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A Process Identification andProcess Improvement
Tool
Uses of Intranets

• Ever wondered how your sales cycle really worked?
  Or have you ever dreamed of a system that would
  show you where any transaction was within a sales
  cycle, so you could make the most appropriate
  move? Because an Intranet produces a visual
  representation of the work flow within the
  organization, everyone in the organization can
  examine the elements of the process that it is
  representing. You see the way cross functional
  teams integrate their needs, products and
  services. You develop awareness of how your way
  of doing business makes your internal clients
  job easier. Does it include the necessary pieces
  of your overall organization, department or
  group? Is your group giving others what they
  need? Where are they getting their information,
  and do you have anything to make their job
  easier?

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Uses of Intranets
A Process Identification andProcess Improvement
Tool-2

• Or vice versa Can you clearly see your own
  inputs, what process activities youre
  responsible for, and what your outputs are? Can
  you observe the work flow among your team
  members, identify the process and provide ways to
  improve it continuously? Companies with
  established, integrated Intranets have only one
  word, YES.

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A Partnering Tool
Uses of Intranets

• It seems every company in the world has created
  at least one page on the Internet. Surely many
  havent yet, but are planning on it.
• Youll find Internet statistics at
  www.dataquest.com, The Burton Group, Forrester
  Research Group, etc. if you want a real taste of
  what millions of people are doing on the outside
  Internet. With all this information explosion,
  the idea is to obviously hook up with your
  partners as well, if theyre going on-line. Doing
  so provides accurate, precise, up-to-date
  information on products and services, competitive
  advantages, current trends, late breaking news,
  partnerships, technologies, and on and on. What a
  wealth of information that can feed your
  Intranet. Incorporate their site into your
  website for a more robust internal Intranet.
  Track projects, manage vendors, manage
  requirements, link to one anothers excellence
  and processes.

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A Customer Tool
Uses of Intranets

• Like your partners, your customers have gone
  on-line as well, describing their processes,
  their services, their products, and often their
  competition. Linking into these sites provides
  you a much quicker reference point for getting to
  know what your customer is thinking.
  Even-more-so, you can connect to your customers
  clients, and analyze solutions or opportunities
  from a different vantage point. This connection
  is an Internet tool, meaning it is on the outside
  of your companys security firewalls. But, having
  the information about your customer at your
  fingertips can decidedly impact how you deliver
  to them.

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An ISO Tool
Uses of Intranets

• The Intranet can satisfy a lot of your ISO 9000
  requirements.
• First of all you can provide all information
  on-line in a single location.
• Secondly, you can identify processes, metrics,
  and project contacts on-line.
• Since everyone can access the Intranet, it
  becomes a solid singular source or repository
  which enables many of the ISO requirements.

33
A Target Marketing Tool
Uses of Intranets

• Steve Finnegan, President, The Huntington Group,
  Inc.says 'The elements of a traditional
  business-to-business marketing and sales programs
  can be integrated within the Web environment in
  order to create target marketing, which attracts
  highly qualified customer/client prospects and
  engages them in an ongoing product/service sales
  dialogue.The end result can be more profitable,
  long-term customer/client relationships.
  (http//just4u.com/webconsultants/nlv01003.htm,
  or steve_at_hunt.com). These issues include a shift
  in emphasis from sales transactions to the
  lifetime value of business relationships, from
  one-way information flow to two-way dialogue and
  collaboration, and from mass markets to market
  segments, each demanding more customization and
  faster response times. Again, more value of an
  Intranet.

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A Human Resource Tool
Uses of Intranets

• It takes a systematic rethinking about the nature
  of employee-to-corporation and employee-to-employe
  e relationships now that every employee has the
  ability to instantly communicate work, thoughts,
  gripes, experiences, and solutions to every other
  employee. The power of the employee also creates
  a set of responsibilities for all members of the
  corporate community. Youre going to have to
  start thinking about infrastructure, policies,
  procedures, roles and responsibilities,
  templates, legal issues. The Intranet may cause
  your company to re-evaluate itself entirely. But
  havent we been told that for the past five years
  - reengineer your corporation, right size it,
  turn it into a learning organization, focus on
  principle-centred leadership so your employees
  can build quality products, services, education
  and entertainment? YES.

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Let the Intranet Be!