Corporate portal development: a practical approach ensures real business benefits

Abstract

Corporate intranets have been a remarkable success story over the last few years. The growth of Email as an everyday business tool, the connection of employees within large global organizations, and the astonishing ROI figures reported for some intranet projects all indicate that intranets, just like the Internet, are permanently changing the way business is done. Intranets have sprung up at an extraordinary rate, and most large organizations now have one. Many companies established the necessary infrastructure with projects that have more than paid for themselves in terms of cost savings. Now that the quick wins have been implemented, those responsible for intranets are struggling to cope with the practical problems of keeping content fresh, improving usability, and effectively meeting user needs. So much so that, if you’ve ever used a large corporate intranet, you will probably wonder what all the hype is about. Sure you can look up people’s phone numbers or today’s lunch menu, but trying to find useful business information is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Or rather a flashing, spinning, multi-coloured mess of out-of-date, incomplete and inaccurate information with no obvious order or organization. It is this problem that led to the development of the corporate portal. Today there are many vendors who promote the benefits of implementing a corporate portal solution. These vary widely in features and approach, but all aim to make it easier for information and knowledge to be shared in the organization. This article will explore the key issues behind the successful utilization of a corporate intranet and the practical approach that needs to be taken if these are to be tackled through the development of a corporate portal.