An Intranet is a web-based system that can only be viewed by people within your organisation. Intranets are usually password protected and are not accessible to the public. Extranets are defined as a number of inter-connected Intranets that can communicate with each other but are not open to public viewing. Both Intranets and Extranets can be valuable and effective business tools for an organisation. They can be strategic assets that streamline key business processes, improve efficiency and assist staff perform their roles.

Beyond a common use of HTML and other programming languages, intranets and corporate websites differ in many respects. These differences are usually reflected in the design of the intranet and in the various management processes the intranet adopts. Differences include aspects such as business goals, the target audience, site appearance, frequency of updates, integration with other systems and legal liability.

Well-designed and managed intranets can support many of the activities undertaken by the organisation and enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of these activities. An intranet reflects the unique culture, structure, processes, staff and resources of the organisation that it serves. Instead of there being a single 'best' intranet design, each intranet must be tailored to fit the organisation's needs and challenges. KDG have the experience and technical know-how to transform your intranet vision into a reality.

The volume of information managed on an intranet demands that policies and processes are put in place to ensure that content and tools remain effective. The intranet must also be positioned to meet the needs of staff and be integrated into the business processes it supports. An intranet must be useful for staff if it is to be successful and the information and services it provides must match staff and business needs. KDG conduct extensive research prior to undertaking any Intranet/Extranet development. Our team will interview stakeholders, issue surveys, hold focus group sessions and undertake workplace observation. Usability testing is performed throughout the development process to ensure the Intranet/Extranet matches the way your staff usage style.

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Designing and developing a custom web-based Intranet/Extranet for your organisation can offer many substantial benefits. These may include:

Based on the needs of your identified users, KDG would identify and document a set of goals. These may impact the design and development of the Intranet/Extranet, form the basis for the internal marketing and communications activities and outline the strategic direction for your Intranet/Extranet into the future. Effective Intranet/Extranet goals generally focus on business outcomes or on other activity-based measures. Business-focused goals will help ensure that the system is valuable to the organisation and may be easier to measure and track.

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Developing a successful and effective Intranet/Extranet solution can not be done by just any web development company. There are a number of important factors which need to be taken into consideration when developing an Intranet/Extranet:

An intranet should be easy and efficient to use for all users, regardless of their level of IT literacy. For this reason, KDG invest a lot of time and resources during the design phase to ensure the interface, structure and content will contribute to the development of an effective tool for users.

Services or applications that are used frequently and particularly valued by staff generate greater use and awareness of the Intranet/Extranet and other resources. Examples of these applications may include Staff Directories (Phone Books) and access to the Employee Leave System. By providing facilities such as Online Forms, Custom Applications and Calculators, an Intranet/Extranet can be a 'place for doing things'. By integrating directly into core business processes, the Intranet/Extranet can become a tool that can deliver concrete and measurable business benefits.

The primary purpose of most Intranets/Extranets is to provide staff with the information they need for their roles. Unless the information provided is consistent, accurate, comprehensive and appropriate, staff will seek the information from alternative sources. Intranets/Extranets should be also be accessible by disabled users and users of assistive technology. KDG ensures that all Intranet/Extranet systems follow the requirements outlined by the W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) (www.w3.org/WAI/).

A customised Content Management System (CMS) can support the ongoing development and maintenance of Intranets/Extranets and will also support the use of a decentralised authoring model. It can even be integrated with the external corporate website to streamline website updating procedures.

For more information on how an Intranet/Extranet developed by KDG can improve the operation of your business, contact us and arrange for one of our Consultants to meet with you to discuss your requirements.