This got me thinking about your intranets. I suspect your employees may feel the same way. How many employees will sit through a 5 minute weekly video blog of the company CEO talking about corporate initiatives? Videos do have their place on the intranet, but (in my humble opinion) they should be used in very specific circumstances like video tutorials and how-to’s, or something with entertainment value.

Thanks to the wonders of the internet, a few videos launching new intranet sites have come across my desk. The first is almost sexy:

The second is pretty funny:

NEO from Bevin Hernandez on Vimeo.

I think these are great, and show the power of video to engage and amuse. Certainly better than just a homepage news item!

Has anyone seen any other intranet-related videos they’d like to share?

Until recently, the benefits of video have been out of reach to smaller organisations due to its cost, the skills and equipment needed to produce videos and corporate films of a suitable quality, and the perceived need to communicate through video.

As discussed in the earlier article Using audio and video on the intranet, there have been great advances in the affordability of consumer video technology. Combined with the quality and ease of use of newer video editing software, past barriers have disappeared.

Given these factors — does this open the door to new opportunities to engage and communicate with employees through the intranet?

In this article Michael Harris, Web Administrator at the Forest Products Commission in Western Australia (WA), explains how his team produces and publishes video for use on the intranet.

These videos meet the highest of professional standards, while being delivered on a tight budget. Michael also shares considerable detail on how the videos were created, and how technical barriers were overcome.

Note: this is a guest editorial, part of an ongoing series to showcase the work done by intranet teams throughout the globe. Step Two Designs was not involved in the project, but is pleased to share details on the outcomes.

[September KM Column by Michael Harris, read the full article]

As with many web technologies and trends, there are parallels between the use of such media on the web, and on an intranet. There are also some significant differences.

The other aspect contributing to the boom of rich media is the ubiquity of mobile devices capable of phenomenal levels of media playback.

With a significant percentage of employees in any organisation owning at least a personal audio player and increasingly a device capable of video playback, there are a wide array of opportunities for businesses to use these channels and devices.

Rich media opportunities include:

• video
• audio
• delivery to mobile devices

This article will highlight some issues, examples and tips on using video and audio files on the intranet, whether at a desk, or on a mobile device.

Examples will also be given where these have been used in practice. Intranet teams are encouraged to experiment with these types of approaches, exploring where they can add value.

This will help the organisation to connect better with its staff, and improve information delivery.

[August KM Column by Alex Manchester, read the full article]

At the end of the excellent IntraTeam conference in Denmark, I was invited to do a quick video interview. I’m still a bit over-excited after giving my presentation, and I seem to be blinking very slowly (jetlag? strange video effect?). Still, some useful ground is covered…