For many intranet teams it is all too easy to view the intranet through the eyes of their corporate colleagues. With dedicated computers inside the firewall and polished computer skills, access issues are limited. However, taking a broader audience view is critical to ensuring that the intranet gets the attention and usage it needs.

Access issues

Clearly, some intranet audiences have limited computer access. Computers may have to be shared or may only be available when workers are not completing core duties. Other audiences have no apparent need to use a computer, and there is a danger that these workers will be completely ignored for that reason when the intranet is designed. Some staff types at risk of being ignored include:

• sales employees in a retail environment
• educational teaching staff
• production line employees
• delivery and transportation workers
• heavy industry plant operators
• maintenance and repair crews
• hospitality industry workers
• workers in health care professions

[October one-pager by Stephen Byrne, read the full article]