A lot of intranet and portal projects aim to deliver functionality related to personalisation or customisation. This may involve tailoring information based on staff role, delivering news relevant for specific offices, or limiting access to information based on seniority. Any of these capabilities requires the system to know who staff are, the business unit they belong to, and where they sit in the real world. Unfortunately, too many of these projects run aground before they start because a key piece of IT infrastructure has not been correctly put in place. LDAP and Active Directory Sitting invisibly behind the scenes in

Often it's difficult to tell exactly who is using an intranet, and how they are using it. Obviously, some research is required to help answer these questions, but what technique can capture the tacit knowledge without shadowing users in an uncomfortable and expensive way? A relatively recent research technique that can be very useful in this situation is known as a 'cultural probe'. In essence, the technique involves getting users to give you information without you actually being there. Often this means giving them a diary to write things down in, but the technique can make use of all manner

Macquarie University is an innovative university located on a single campus in Sydney, Australia. Macquarie was founded in 1964 as a second-generation Australian university with a focus on interdisciplinary research …

This is the second of a two-part article on the Intranet Hive. For a complete view of the Intranet Hive, the two articles should be read together. The Intranet Hive is a new concept that provides awareness of the activities that underpin the ongoing management of an intranet. The Hive informs teams about the six broad areas they must work through in managing their intranet. These six areas are: Strategy - know where you are going Design - make it easier for staff Content - meet the business need Change and communications - inform and support everyone Technology - keep

CMS products have come along way in the last five years in terms of functionality and usability. They now (mostly) deploy quickly, are reasonably easy to use, and are a …

| View I've just uploaded the presentation I gave today at a KM Roundtable meeting in Melbourne. A great group of people, lots of good questions, only just scratched the surface in the time we had available. (I think there's huge amount of value in all these types of groups. The simple act of getting together and sharing information face-to-face is immensely valuable. So if you're into KM, definitely look into the KM Roundtables, held in Victoria and NSW.)

Ok, I’m going to confront the elephant in the room: wiki markup has no future. I know I’m going to burnt at the stake by all the wiki fanatics, but …

When I posted my recent article on Time needed to select a CMS to the CM Pros mailing list, it generated a lot of discussion. This included a number of …

Being an intranet star isn't easy, as any intranet manager overwhelmed with the underwhelming response from authors and managers will agree to. Nevertheless with some fearless counsel and a good measure of bravery on the part of intranet managers it can be done. There is precious little guidance on the necessary behaviours in this area. This briefing seeks to redress this shortfall. Seize power It can often be the case that in all matters intranet, the organisation just doesn't have the 'right' kind of focus. When I was much younger, a particularly well-weathered project management veteran, to whom I was

It will always take longer than hoped to select a new content management system. While an 'accelerated' approach can be taken, the reality is that somewhere between 6 and 12 months will probably be needed, from beginning to end. To help clarify this statement, this briefing provides a breakdown of the individual steps and the amount of time needed for each. Use this to set appropriate stakeholder expectations, and to develop a realistic project plan. Selecting a CMS: step-by-step Activity Duration Redesigning the site 8 weeks Making a business case 4 weeks Receiving project sign-off, approval 4 weeks Documenting CMS