The corporate intranet is an important business tool, particularly in cost and time savings. Yet many sponsors of corporate intranets are dissatisfied because they still aren't enjoying significant productivity or cost savings. Why? While critics often point to technological glitches, the real problems lie in information design and usability.
While each department of a company may have its own virtual space, intranets should be organized primarily around the business processes they help employees carry out, rather than the organizational chart of the company.
Finally, the best intranets encourage collaboration by creating shared and familiar spaces that reflect the personality of the company and create a common ground for all employees.
The effective intranet is not only a tool, it is also a model for an efficient, process-centered enterprise - a machine for doing business. Where does usability fit into all of this? Poor design, complex tools, inability to locate information, and inconsistent navigation contribute to the frustration of users and reduces employee effectiveness.
The truly effective intranet fosters new forms of efficient collaboration. It serves as a model for a company centered around processes rather than departments, teamwork rather than isolation.
