Better connected intranets: emerging good practice in driving internal efficiency

Produced by: Socitm Insight

Type: Reports

Investment in websites for local public services has to date been targeted on the public-facing website, leaving intranets relatively under-developed.

Section 1 Introduction

Intranets have been a neglected area for development compared with public websites, but now the demand for service transformation is putting much greater emphasis on the requirement for employees to have easy access to information that they need for their work. Using ideas, experiences and lessons shared at a series of workshops in 2006, we have investigated what good practice in developing intranets involves.

Section 2 Process of development

The key to a successful intranet is user engagement. The measure of success is that it is used regularly every day and trusted by all employees as the essential source of information about the organisation. The process by which the intranet is developed, reviewed and improved should build in user engagement from the outset, or else the intranet will ultimately fail. Here we examine the key elements for success.

Section 3 Framework for your intranet: 'useful, usable and used'

As with all websites, there are many facets to the intranet that must be balanced in its development and review. Here we adapt the 'useful, usable and used' framework from the annual Better connected reports for public websites so that it can used to guide the content and design of the intranet. At the same time we reflect on the main differences between intranets and public-facing websites.

Section 4 Examples of good practice



Here we feature four examples of good practice where intranets have been developed over the past two years in ways that illustrate the advice in the rest of this document. The case studies come from a shire district (Chorley BC), a shire county (Lincolnshire CC), a unitary (Borough of Poole) and a London borough (RB of Kensington & Chelsea).

Last modified: 19th January 2010