Documentation Intranets

The simplicity of the HTML language discussed in section 2.15.3 has led to the development of a new corporate communication system. This system is called an Intranet. Simply put an Intranet is ‘a company based communications network using Internet formats’, (Greek 1997). If the Internet can be considered to be a global, open access network of computers an Intranet can be considered as a company specific, private network of computers with a limited target audience and limited external access, (LaLonde and Pugh 1997, McCarthy 1996).

In 1996 there were 30 million Internet users world-wide and this was forecasted to rise to 200 million by the millennium. Despite this amazing growth in the Internet, research has been published that shows that in America Intranets are developing 25% faster than the Internet, (Baynton 1996). It has also been shown that 66% of American companies already use or are planning to use an Intranet, (Tabor et al 1997) and that some of these Intranets have as many as 250,000 documents stored on them, (Netscape Communication Corp 1996). Grossman, (1998), warns that British companies need to develop Intranets themselves in order to be able to compete. It would perhaps have been better for this warning to suggest that British companies use electronic publishing media rather than specifically Intranets, however, the message is still clear enough.

It is the simplicity of Intranets that would appear to appeal most to document authors. It has already been mentioned that there are two sides to the use of the internet, authoring and browsing. These tasks can be performed with separate dedicated software tools.

With these two tools the document authors can create documents with the authoring tools, which are easy to use and the readers only need to learn how to use the browsing tools, which are also very easy to use, (Eros 1996). These tools are designed to work under a graphical interface, (for example Microsoft Windows), using a mouse to ‘point and click’ on-screen at the hypertext links that are to be followed. The look and feel of these ‘browsers’ are similar to other systems commonly running on PC’s, (Hogan 1996). Other benefits of Intranets are that the most popular browsers run on many operating systems and can be acquired for minimal cost or for free, (Eros 1996).

According to Knowles, (1995), the hardware and software elements of an Intranet are only one of the factors necessary for success. Perhaps a more important consideration is that this technology must be carefully applied to ensure a satisfactory system.

There are three main uses of Intranets, (Tabor et al 1997):

1. Internal bulletin boards, (distribution of corporate news and discussion groups); 2. Information distribution, (documentation and graphical files);

3. Support for business functions, (developing communication between departments).

As already mentioned in point 2 above the documentation that can be distributed using an Intranet does not need to be textural, it can be graphical also. Tian et al, (1997), show four types of document that can be distributed on the Internet or an Intranet: 1. Simple textural information;

2. Multimedia documents, (documents with graphical, audio and animated content); 3. Applications that require reader interaction, (i.e. online forms);

It is essential that Intranets are implemented to meet the current and future requirements of the authors and users. One example of this is graphics files. Anyone who has used the Internet will be used to the waiting involved in downloading pages, (called ‘webpages’, which are accessed in a particular application by following hypertext links from the documentation author’s ‘homepage’). The delay comes from the physical transmission capacity of the equipment being used. One way to speed up this information download is to instruct the browser software not to download graphics files and just to download text. There is a lesson in this for documentation authors. Graphics should be used where necessary and not simply because it is possible.

Many authors have written about Intranet implementation. Knowles, (1995), suggests that Intranets should be implemented as a company wide system but that a modular approach should be used to enable a learning process to be followed. Implementers are also advised that in anything other than a simple implementation an established design methodology should be followed for two reasons, (Rosman et al 1996):

1. Experience gained from previous implementations can be used to develop tested and proven methods to assist with the implementation;

2. A design methodology will ensure a standard Intranet format is used across the organisation reducing the chance of user confusion when faced with different looking systems.

Rosman et al, (1996), go on to suggest that much of the equipment and software for an Intranet, (or any other documentation system), will be purchased rather than being developed in-house. Based on this suggestion they illustrate an implementation path.

The implementation path suggested is, (Rosman et al 1996): 1. Situation analysis and definition study;

2. Preselection of software packages; 3. Invitation to tender a quote;

4. Selection of package and contract negotiations; 5. Installation, testing and use.

The same path can also be followed for the hardware issues involved in implementing documentation systems. Sirisawat and Duffill, (1997), have proposed a methodology for the software implementation, which they call a decision support tool. The methodology starts in the top right hand corner with the identification of a need. Sirisawat and Duffill have defined a circular methodology, illustrating the need for the continuous development of the systems as the successful completion of a project leads into the definition of a new problem situation. This methodology is illustrated in Figure 24 below, (Sirisawat and Duffill 1997).

Figure 24: Framework for Planning, Implementing and Managing an Intranet

Design of the Intranet Information systems successfully operate

Acceptance and adoption of the Intranet

Implementation of the Intranet

Decision making support guide for an Intranet system Problems with the information

systems

Awareness of the need to change

At the start of this section the early development of the Internet was attributed to Tim Berners-Lee. Berners-Lee has published, (on the Internet), a document that attempts to apply rules to the content of Internet and Intranet documents, (Berners-Lee 1998):

• Adopt a hierarchical tree structure after initially consulting the end users;

• Provide internal links to cover all the potential user’s requirements;

• A document should be no longer than five pages;

• Provide links to all referenced material;

• Explain technical abbreviations;

• Test the documents before publishing, with real users;

• Give documents status within the company;

• Sign the documents to attribute ownership.

Software tools for documentation would appear to solve many problems found with traditional, paper based, documentation. It has just been shown that care must be taken when actually creating documentation systems over the content and appearance of the documentation. The next section, section 2.17.3, will illustrate other problems found by users and developers of these systems.