To be successful, intranets must have a clear definition of their purpose and character, underpinning decisions about future directions.

There are two key reasons for a staff member to come to the intranet: to find a specific piece of information, or to complete a specific task.

To be truly effective, intranets need to address three fundamental purposes: content, communication and activity.

This article introduces two critical success factors for intranet discussion forums: a clear purpose, and a common community.