The 21st Century Intranet

The thrust of the book is on enhancing communication, starting with persuading upper management to implement intranets wisely and support them appropriately. Although Gonzalez discusses the fundamentals of intranet design and management, she does not refer to them for technical matters but for issues of how organizations communicate and learn. She devotes considerable space to determining which features are most valuable on an intranet, getting senior management involved, coordinating the sites of diverse groups, and encouraging employees to use the intranet as their primary communication tool within the organization--including allaying fears that may arise from the organizational change an intranet may represent.

Gonzalez also addresses the professional development of those who manage intranets. She discusses concerns such as how to determine the real success of your intranet development efforts, how to make the success apparent to senior management, and how to develop intranet creation and management as a career opportunity.

Product Description
Intranets are every bit as important as the hypesters say, but they are a lot more difficult to implement. Now, top consultant Jennifer Stone Gonzalez has written the book on maximizing the business impact of your intranet. With profound insight into the cultural, business and technical issues involved, she demonstrates how to:

- Chose among four divergent models of intranet design

- Align web technology with your business goals

- Build intranets that strengthen your company as a community.

Packaged with a CD-ROM which includes state-of-the-art intranet demos from Durand Communications, IntraNetics, Netscape Communication Corporation and RadNet WebShare.

Having been a contractor for over five years, dealing primarily on the e-commerce and marketing side of the Internet, I needed a tool that would quickly give me a broad perspective in the Intranet realm. I was able to complete this book in four days and walk into my new position at State Farm Insurance as the California Web Coordinator with an excellent understanding of what needed to be done. Three weeks after starting my new job, myself and my counterparts from the other areas in the state were able to prepare and submit a proposal based primarily on what I learned from this book. Try that with any other book and you'll still be trying to peice it together. This is an excellent book that's very easy to read and very informative.

Thanks Jennifer for a job well done.


Intranet development should start here!   February 8, 2000
John Leo Mencias (Belize)
18 out of 20 found this review helpful

This interesting and well-written (style) book discusses the whys, whos, whats and even the whens of successful intranet development. Yes, it also discusses the hows - not the actual software development 'how', but rather the oft forgotten yet crucial part that comes before anything else: finding out what users want. It makes a strong case for designing intranets around its users, their need for information and the inherent potential of the underlying internet technology for information exchange. In fact, it would appear that Ms. Gonzalez's rendition of the history of the evolution of the internet is made for the sole purpose of reminding us that its raison d'etre was communal information exchange and hence this is what we should be using it for. More importantly, Ms. Gonzalez presents a realistic framework - at the same time making a strong case - for bottom-up intranet development: evolving from diverse, distributed informal groups of information-seekers within the same enterprise, then nurtured by intranet champions and finally "sold" to top management as a clear economic choice to other means of information and knowledge sharing. She even goes through the pains of preparing generic proposals for selling intranet projects to top management. This book is an essential starting point for top management and intranet champions in undertaking any IT project (period)! Heeding Ms. Gonzalez's words is sure to save many IT-itchy companies much time, effort and money!


An Excellent Book; a techno business perspective   March 12, 1999
6 out of 6 found this review helpful

While many books focus on plain technology, this one integrates the business aspects of an intranet as well. An absolute MUST read. Hat's off to the author for such an interesting job. If only....we stopped assuming that Intranets run in vaccumm...the author confronts that fact and provides a detailed discussion on how you can make your company buy into the idea...and support it till the end(of it's implementation!)


Thought provoking and insightful.   September 21, 1999
mitchellg@mayville.com
7 out of 8 found this review helpful

By far the best book I've read on the "why" of intranet development. This goes directly to the heart of business success and how an intranet can complement and enhance that success. I've dogeared, bookmarked, highlighted or reread countless sections.


Fantastic work!   July 2, 1998
7 out of 8 found this review helpful

I read an article adapted from this book called "Intranet Development Roadmap", I immediately decided the reviewers might be right that this is a must read. I read it in a week and I now know that it IS a must read! I'll probably be skimming it a bunch to help me champion improved intranet development in my organization, and I'll definitely make use of many of the models, lists and how-tos. Check out the article and you'll know quick if this book is for you.