Like any business, an intranet without a strategy is an intranet looking to die. Although an over-arching business strategy should be highly complex that takes into account many external factors and variables (e.g. competitive assessment), an intranet strategy is not as complex nor time-consuming.


An intranet strategy has definition, is well documented and shared by all stakeholders, and has key performance indicators (KPIs) or metrics. The strategy provides direction for executable actions (in the context of this article, we will treat strategy as synonymous with plan, though a strategy in the broader definition might contain many plans). For an intranet, a typical strategy would include the following elements:

  • Vision

  • Mission

  • Target audience definition / segmentation

  • Governance

  • Goals

  • Objectives

  • Action plans

  • KPIs (or CSIs)


Methodology


When looking at strategy at it relates to the process of developing or redesigning an intranet, strategy encompasses the first two phases of Prescient Digital Media's Intranet Project Methodology © 2009, Assessment & Planning.


1- Assessment – understanding the needs and requirements for the intranet

2- Planning – strategy development including the governance model and design

3- Technology – where execution begins with the selection of the technology

4 – Implementation – “the rubber hits-the-road” execution of the strategy

5- Marketing – communications, change management, and promotion


Execution


“A very general definition of the term “implementation” is execution of an idea, plan, design, model, standard, algorithm, or policy,” writes Prescient Digital Media's Cathy Mcknight in Implementing your intranet plan and other dastardly deeds. “In the realm of information technology, an implementation is the realization of a technical specification as some type of computer related system or applications. The key words being; plan, specification and realization.”


In short, if your plans are sound, then execution is relatively straight-forward: everyone knows their job, the schedule, and the budget. This of course is easier said than done and requires strong project management to ensure that all plans are executed as directed. Of course, even the best plans and projects have hiccups; all technology projects hit barriers and are challenged by problems (technology is imperfect, almost as imperfect as the people implementing the technology). To overcome these problems and challenges requires the aforementioned detailed plans, and a strong project manager or three that has experience steering intranet projects.


The intranet is not just a piece of technology; not merely an IT project, nor is it a communications vehicle or channel; the intranet is a business system that should represent and support all areas of the business. In fact, the intranet is one part technology, and many parts people and process, that requires a detailed strategy (plans) to ensure all work in tandem. No complex system such as an intranet can adequately support a company and a workforce without a thorough strategy.


Read more on intranet strategy: Intranet strategy - planning a successful intranet

Read more on implementation: Implementing your intranet plan and other dastardly deeds


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Toby Ward, a former journalist, prominent writer, speaker on intranets and intranet planning, is the President of Prescient Digital Media. To learn how to undertake effective intranet strategy please see our intranet service offering The Intranet Strategy , or download the free Good-To-Great Intranet Matrix. For more information, contact Prescient directly.

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