Why is your intranet like the Royal Wedding?

In case you haven’t heard, or have just arrived from Mars, Prince William is marrying Kate Middleton on Friday. Although there are notable differences between your intranet and the much-hyped ceremony, there are also three uncanny similarities…

Reason 1: Security is Paramount

The estimated cost to put security in place for the wedding is costing the economy upwards of GBD20million. In fact, the main reason Barack Obama isn’t on the guest list is the huge additional cost that his presence would require. Luckily with Interact Intranet, superb security comes at no additional cost.

Whether your platform is a pure intranet or includes aspects of Extranet and Portal, there will almost certainly be some content which requires locking down or hiding from some people’s view. Most intranet platforms have some levels of security, but the biggest challenge is the complexity of the system, which means only a few well trained people are able to administer it.

With Interact, managing these permissions is so easy to do that the ability can be devolved to departmental managers – allowing them to create their own secure areas with ease.

Reason 2: Even though people are cynical, most will give it a chance

If you speak to many people about Friday’s events, they will roll their eyes and declare themselves not particularly bothered and more impressed by the day off work. However, come Friday, most of them will at least sneak a glance at the TV. As journalist Martin Bashir says, “It’s the kind of pageantry Britain does better than anyone on Earth. You’re going to have full military honours, the guards, the music. Come on – you might as well enjoy it.”

Intranets often face cynicism from the more change-resistant corners of your business even though they’re an established necessity for working life. Our studies show that people are almost always prepared to give your new intranet a chance. It’s your job to make sure you don’t squander it and give them a great first impression.

Many aspects of Interact’s intelligent intranet help with this – particularly:

• Intelligent Search – unreliable search which returns too few or too many results is most users’ #1 bugbear. Implementing a search they can trust is a massive step forward
• Great Design – an attractive intranet gets more attention and is more likely to make that initial “wow” impact. Interact’s designs are flexible and attractive enough to look superb in any business
• Networking Tools – providing a way for staff to get swift answers from experts across the business, is a real “Killer App” which will make people come back

Reason 3: Proper planning is key

The last grandiose Royal Wedding was in 1986 – which means that younger colleagues may have never experienced one. However, they’re most likely to be the ones expecting your intranet to be superb and offer a platform for collaboration.

The typical lifespan of an intranet from launch to redesign is around 4 years. Sadly, many poorly planned ones don’t live to see their 2nd birthday – causing the company to run a second expensive and time consuming procurement process. However, the best planned and implemented ones have a lifespan of 5 or more years, and offer exceptional value for money.

One of the keys to intranet longevity is the frequency of updates to the software. Interact Intranet is updated at least 3 times a year as part of your agreement with us – meaning the software is continually updated with new features and tools, keeping it fresh and successful.

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We can’t guarantee that Wills and Kate’s marriage will be kept fresh and successful, but we wish them well for their wedding and all the best for the future.

Image copyright Mario Testino 2011