Top intranets pay off with cost savings

Simple improvements could boost staff productivity

Many companies could increase staff productivity and save thousands of pounds by improving their intranets and making them easier to use, according to a new report released last week by user-experience research firm Nielsen Norman Group (NNG).

Some of the best intranets have adapted features that are popular on the public internet – such as web logs, multimedia and video – according to the NNG report Intranet Design Annual 2006: The Year’s Best Intranets.

Video is being used on some intranets for training and internal communications, according to NNG co-founder Jakob Nielsen. He added that firms should also look at consumer systems such as shopping carts on e-trade sites, which might provide a convenient system for ordering office supplies via intranets.

However, most intranet sites are still badly structured and confusing for users, he added. For example, many are structured according to department rather than job type, making it difficult for employees to find information relevant to their role.

“You can typically save $1,000 per employee per year if the intranet is more efficient to use, but most are unsupportive of user productivity,” said Nielsen.

He said intranet managers should oversee user testing to identify areas for improvement, and address accessibility problems that might otherwise exclude disabled people and older employees.

“There is no one technology where if you use it you will get a good intranet,” he added. “You need to understand employees’ needs and adapt accordingly.”