Reviews and feedback
“Managing an intranet seems inherently an overwhelming task. First, there’s the word, intranet. It sounds important, huge, nebulous, and boundless at the same time. In most enterprises, the opportunities for internal information sharing, collaboration, and process improvements are, well, limitless…but also very difficult to pull off.
“That’s why I very much like Step Two Designs’ new guide, 6×2 methodology for intranets. It’s a practical approach to agile intranet development that emphasizes six-month chunks in the context of a longer plan. I especially liked the part about how to create a 1-page ‘intranet concept’, to replace lists of unreachable goals and supplant vague, windy strategy documents. For about the cost of one developer-hour, this guide is well worth it.”
Tony Byrne, Analyst, CMS Watch
“Lack of senior management attention, and being swamped with daily business, are the biggest challenges for intranet managers throughout the world. Step Two’s 6×2 methodology gives intranet managers a powerful tool to breach these barriers by continually improving the intranet with tangible, visible results, and thus creating value for the enterprise. Riding on this powerful upwards spiral, intranet teams ready themselves for the next level of corporate intranet success.”
Lukas Karrer, Stimmt AG
“From the best intranet firm of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere is a new methodology on enhancing an existing intranet. The 6×2 methodology from Step Two Designs is a highly, pragmatic, activity focused process for improving the intranet in 6-month chunks. Simple to digest and understand, this methodology is a particularly solid do-it-yourself approach for small and medium-size organizations.”
Toby Ward, Founder and CEO of Prescient Digital Media
“Intranet teams are constantly confronted with many business needs and yet never seem to have insufficient resources and support to solve them. With little recognition of the value of the intranet, it is often very difficult to gain the required resources, and maintain the energy levels and enthusiasm of the intranet team. How can intranets be developed under these circumstances?
“James Robertson, the MD of Step Two Designs has developed a very pragmatic approach to the resolution of these problems. His new report, entitled ‘6×2 methodology for intranets’ works round a six month planning cycle, with a focus on what can be achieved in the next six months, and what might lie ahead for the following six months. The methodology is based on a ten-step process, of which only the final two steps are about implementation. There is a strong message here that good planning and preparation are essential if tangible and visible results are to be achieved. The key messages are about setting realistic objectives and then delivering on them.
“As with all Step Two Designs reports there is the strong feeling of a synthesis of experience from a wide range of client projects. The clarity of writing and the design of the 104pp report ensure that it could be used within hours of downloading it. Before very long the 6×2 methodology will be the intranet equivalent of the Balanced Scorecard. Simple but very powerful. I strongly recommend that you purchase a copy. The price is $189, a small price to pay for transforming your organisation. If you still have to make a business case to spend the money divide the price by the number of employees, each of whom will see a significant improvement to the intranet within six months. My only reservation is the title, which does not bring out the purpose of the report as a planning tool. The report can be downloaded from the Step Two Designs web site.”
Martin White, Intranet Focus
“James has done it again! The 6×2 methodology works because it is practical, time sensitive and results driven. Breaking an intranet’s development into six month time periods and focusing on tangible and visible improvements is probably the best way to meet both the business’ continously changing requirements and end user needs. The prioritization that this exercise forces will result in solutions that are always in touch with the rest of the organization.”
Shiv Singh, Avenue A | Razorfish
“The 6×2 methodology for intranets is exactly what you need not only to get started on an intranet project, but most importantly, to see it through succesfully. It offers invaluable advice and tips, and throughout the report the pragmaticism James is renowned for will keep your feet on the ground and your project on track.”
Adriaan M. Bloem, Radagio
“The 6×2 methodology is designed to help teams get out of the ‘intranet quagmire’ and move intranets up to a new level of usefulness and visibility so that they become valuable tools that organisations cannot live without.
“Because intranets are intimately tied to the organisation’s way of working, politics and challenges in both good times and hard times, it is very easy for an intranet team to get bogged down and feel discouraged at different moments in the intranet life cycle.
“The Step Two Designs 6×2 methodology is easy to learn, and feels very ‘natural’ when you put it into place. It does however force you to re-think some concepts you may have taken for granted without questioning. It helps you ask the right questions.
“As an experienced intranet consultant within very large and complex organisations, I have found myself introducing the basic philosophy of the 6×2 methodology into some client projects ever since I read the report.”
Jane McConnell, NetStrategy Jmc
Intranet Portal Strategy Consultant
“I believe the 6×2 Methodology for intranets has the power to transform the working lives of any intranet team struggling with the classic feeling of ’so much to do, so little time’. Its a really practical approach that provides clarity for both intranet teams and stakeholders. Its a repeatable way to deliver real value within constraints and within a fixed time period and, as they say, success builds success. At UrbisJHD we’ll be applying this methodology to both our whole intranet and to our intranet-enabled GIS system.”
Andrew Mitchell, National Manager
Knowledge and Information Management, UrbisJHD
