Designing and Developing Your Intranet

from the SMi Conference on Intranets, Extranets & Corporate Portals,
London, March 2001

by Howard Gerlis
Managing Director, Andor Information Technology
&
Chairman, BCS Internet Specialist Group

What is an Intranet?

An Intranet is deploying Internet technology inside an organisation. An Intranet needs no connection to the global public Internet.

Is a web site on an Intranet any different from a web site on the Internet?

Is developing an Intranet Web Site the same as for an Internet based one?

No, and even more so, successful Web development in general, should still reflect the same processes, approach and technology as traditional software and systems development. It still uses hardware, software, data communications, and networks. It requires project management and control, analysis, design, planning, user-involvement, version control (configuration management), testing, implementation and training.

Technically, is an Intranet different from the Internet?

Not necessarily. In some ways it could be said to be to be far easier. Two PCs connected on a simple network, using Windows 98, sharing an HTML document can be defined as an Intranet. In practice though, to obtain the full functionality of the Internet, but as an internal equivalent, does require server technology.

Why use an Intranet?

It would be perfectly feasible to utilise a networked client-server system application, either off-the-shelf or written especially for the purpose, for corporate information and communication. However because an Intranet uses the very same technology as the Internet, this provides several benefits:

• Browsers are freely available client software with minimal system overheads, with which users are very familiar.
Browser runs on almost any specification client machine. Uses documents most commonly written in industry standard HTML. HTML makes documents platform independent these documents are not limited to displaying HTML-encoded material, but together with the simplicity of hypertext linking, there are also images, sound, video, web-server applications and client applications, e.g. IE5 will automatically recognise and open the appropriate application on the desktop which is related to that document, but from within the browser, such as Word or Excel. Content and structure easy to maintain, without necessarily requiring complex technical skills.

Is security such a major issue with an Intranet?

The Internet is not known for its intrinsic robustness when it comes to security, it is a haven for hackers and other problems. However, it is still just as important to implement tight security and access internally, albeit without connectivity to the Internet, the risks are reduced. In practice, however, most corporate Intranets do have a link somewhere to the outside world. Typically an Intranet may also be extended to other parts of the organisation via an Extranet (using a VPN, perhaps) or to allow remote workers to gain access.

What are the main considerations when developing an Intranet Web site?

A major advantage from a Web developers perspective is that the work, and final product, is carried out in a controlled environment. It is possible to have absolute control over:

• Browser and version e.g. IE5, or Netscape.
• Desktop environment e.g. Windows 98, 2000.
• Desktop hardware e.g. screen size and resolution.
• Server & Network technology e.g. NT IIS, Unix Apache.
• Bandwidth and access speed.

These are the very aspects, which, typically, make developing traditional Internet Web sites such an ill-defined process. With an Intranet, some or all of these are under the developer’s control making the end product more reliable and predictable.

It is crucial that web-hosting skills are readily available, ideally in-house. These technicians will need to work closely with the Intranet development team, as much of the server-side parameters and configuration will need to dovetail with the Intranet Web application, especially if CGI scripts are used.

How will the users maintain the Intranet?

Allow for the content to be maintained and managed by the users. This will usually involve building into the system a means of updating the content, loading new documents, and managing databases.

Many of the technical elements and Web design can also be user-maintained, for example if they want to add new links, pages or menus. Design the underlying structure and code so that, with minimal training or Web skills, they can understand the site construction and how to change it.

Make as much of the technology parameter-driven, as possible e.g. in javascript functions for menus. Use Cascading Style Sheets (CSS); this will encourage consistency in many of the web page elements and allow changes to be made, much more easily, across the entire site.

What attitudes should the users take in specifying and implementing the Intranet?

An Intranet has a different objective to an Internet Web site, therefore if offers a different perspective to the organisation. Users must quantify the purpose and benefits of the site. It is not an "advert" or information for, the general public and therefore needs to be justified more carefully. Much depends on whether it contains useful day-to-day resources or simply static, basic, unexciting content, falling into the trap of the eponymous "company phone list".

Just as e-mail has changed the face of intra-company communication and the dissemination of information and knowledge, the Intranet can provide a similar rôle, though many of the same issues that e-mail has raised will be found when deploying an Intranet solution. However, if the Intranet is fulfils its objectives correctly, then users will find corporate information easier to find, though this must be complemented with appropriate education and training.

The browser, always open on their screen, will eventually become their main "window" to the organisation, handling not just HTML-based documents, but web-based e-mail, contacts, diaries, project management, discussion fora, information requests, database handling and news, plus more sophisticated functions such as audio and video broadcasting.

What limitations are there?

The browser and Internet technology has still not fulfilled the promise of running all our applications. Java was going to replace the desktop office applications, and this would all run on "thin clients". Instead, Microsoft Office, and others, are still the mainstay productivity tools for most desktops.

Browsers tend not to handle complex forms well, and navigation around a screen is not as slick as in a pure Windows application. HTML as a design medium has significant limitations and restricts the flexibility for layout and functionality. Ensure users are aware of these limitations so that consequently their expectations are managed.

What are the processes required when developing an Intranet?

As with any software or systems development it requires initially:

• Objectives
• Analysis
• Design
• Project Plan

Unlike other software development it may incorporate:

• The need to plan a hierarchical structure, plus more emphasis on graphic design elements.
• Installation of Web-server hosting.
• Setting up the end-user environment either live or replicated.
• Identifying user representatives for collaboration, testing and feed-back.

During the project:

• Ensure it is meeting the original objectives.
• Manage the users’ expectations.
• Put the onus on the users to supply all content.
• Thoroughly test, and test again, at each stage. Obtain user sign-off at each completed stage.
• Test the technical and server hosting systems.
• Test the web pages, links, graphics, documents, CGI and performance in the real environment.

After the project has been completed:

• Ensure user-sign-off.
• Document the system to include:
  • Physical structure of the Web site HTML pages.
  • Content Management procedures and system.
  • Description of any scripting, with associated links on the client-side (Web pages) and on the server. Also any client-side javascript.
  • Description of how the web code is constructed, including any special elements which have been used to overcome HTML and Web page limitations. List all CSS used and their functions.
• Carry out training at two levels:
  • Those who will be using the site. Show them the benefits and how to make the best out of the Intranet.
  • Those who will be maintaining the structure and content.

What next?

• Sit back and watch the gradual change in organisational culture.
• Ensure the Intranet is kept up-to-date; it’s a living beast!

Howard Gerlis, MBCS, MIMS
Tel: 020-8343 7830
Fax: 020-8922 0740
howard@gerlis.com

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