Last month, Jane McConnell launched the fourth edition of the annual Global Intranet Study!
Why is 2009 a good year to participate?
Four reasons come to mind, namely:
- More organizations pre-enrolled than ever before!
- Nine real intranet managers and two intranet consultants tested the survey before it went live. Pilot feedback enabled some quick tuning to enhance the value of the survey.
- Pilot testers also commented that the survey only took about an hour to complete – as past participants most expressed this is time well spent.
- Intranet managers who participate in the survey will receive a free copy of the “Global Intranet Trends for 2010” Report in late October (valued at ~ GBP 400/$US 600).
What is the focus of this fourth generation survey?
Among the key themes for this year’s edition include:
- The workplace: Are intranets catching up with what people need to do their jobs?
- Collaboration: How does the online workplace support virtual teams and communities of practice?
- Social media: To what extent is social media being used internally and for what purposes?
- Search: Is enterprise search still a perennial problem? What strategies and resources are being put into place to optimize it?
- Ownership, governance and strategy: Who owns the intranet and what operating models and strategies are in place to drive business value?
- Measuring value: What indicators are being used to measure the value the intranet brings to an organisation: adoption, usage, satisfaction, workforce coverage, reduction of risk, business value?
The survey is also investigating four open-ended topics; they include:
- How will the role of the intranet manager evolve over the next 3 to 4 years?
- How do you, or don't you, brand your intranet? Is it a utility? Or is it a special place with a special name?
- How is user-generated information being integrated with information coming from traditional publishing tools?
- And, last but not least, SharePoint: an invitation to share your experiences, pains and joys.
What are some early trends based on the first 50 responses?
Earlier this week, Jane shared a preview of the survey results with me based on the first 50 responses.
- Customized home pages are not yet the norm. Fewer than one third of the organizations who have a single entry point into the intranet have customized content on that entry point page. Well over half show the same content to all employees.
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Community spaces are on the upswing. One third of the organizations provide online tools and places for Communities of Practice or other groups of people who share a common interest. Another third say they are in the planning stages.
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Over half of the organizations have internal blogs, for which the primary purpose is distribution of news. Less than half regulate who has the right to set up a blog, but well over half have blogging policies in place.
This exclusive peak sparked a lot of questions, so I asked Jane to join the October 6th episode of Intranets Live for a more expansive view of the survey results. She graciously agreed!
How can you participate?
To join the 2009 survey, e-mail Jane McConnell at jane@netjmc.com. Include your name, title, number of employees, organization’s name, and the link to your public web site. The survey takes place on line and closes at the end on 31 August 2009. You will receive your personalized link within 24 hours of applying.
Oh…and, mark your calendars. Jane McConnell will join the October 6th episode of Intranets Live to share an early look at the survey results. As a reminder, IBF members receive 25 seats to Intranets Live as part of their annual membership. Subscriptions are available for purchase for non-member organizations. Additional details, including a link to register for a complimentary guest pass, can be found on www.intranetslive.com.
Where can you go to learn more about Jane McConnell?
Visit her website or blog.
