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the180 - Making Intranets More Attractive
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Intranets - Making Them More Attractive Than Phone and Email

Email a growing time-monster.

  • Many routine answers could be relayed via well-designed intranet.

Many intranets a mismash of different formats and content.

Amateur "web masters" indulge in favorite ideas on design and layout.

  • Not a truly integrated "net", but separate islands of information.

If not controlled, phone calls and emails remain the primary means of getting answers.

Most significant design error: main navigation links composed of the names of all top departments.

  • Users trying to discover information about a product, service, or project will have a very tough time, and quite often give up.

Suggestions:

  • Templates should be used and standardized for layout, text format, and navigation.
  • Text should be written for scannability first, detail second.
  • Each department page, each product or service page, each project page should describe who or what it is and who or what it does.
  • Every project page should link to team members, each employee page should link to projects and statuses.
  • Every page should indicate where users have been, what they can do now, and where they can go next.

Descriptions for main page of departments, products, or projects are especially important.

  • Should clearly tell users how that department, product, etc. differs from others in company.
  • Main description should be very concise and conspicuous on page.

Users ignore "buzz" words.

  • "Buzz" words get in the way of scanning when trying discover the right place in the site.
  • A "buzz" test: Would any other department, product, etc. claim the same thing? Would any claim the opposite?
  • For example, wouldn't all departments claim to deliver "excellent, cost-effective" solutions?
  • Would any department claim to deliver "poor, costly" solutions?

Every *minute* of time saved in intranet use each week for the average employee would save at least $33,600 for a company with 1000 employees.

  • According to estimate by Jakob Nielsen, "Designing Web Usability."

Posted September 27, 2001
By Joe Grant

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