- West Berkshire Council wanted a new intranet system, to reflect the dynamic website that was created in 2006.
- West Berkshire Council used GOSS iCM (intelligent Content Management) to create the new 'MyIntranet' solution.
- The new platform was created in-house to enable continued development rather than a single solution - which would remain static and quickly go out of date.
- West Berkshire is one of the first local authorities in the country to launch a Web 2.0 style 'drag and drop' intranet home page.
- The intranet is now interactive, engaging staff through using generated content such as tagging, forums, polls, file sharing and social networking.
Background
West Berkshire Council provides services over an area of 272 square miles to around 145,000 people. The council employs around 4,000 staff that provide a variety of different services, from educators to electricians, and planning officers to social services staff. The website and intranet are hosted in-house and content is managed using GOSS iCM (intelligent Content Management) from GOSS Interactive. The intranet has recently seen a complete revamp that was developed and deployed by West Berkshire's Web Development Team.
West Berkshire is one of the first local authorities in the country to launch a Web 2.0 style 'drag and drop' intranet home page. The new intranet, known as MyIntranet, is used regularly by 2,500 staff with everyone effectively becoming a non-technical contributor for some elements, keeping it up-to-date and accurate.
Developing an interactive homepage
West Berkshire Council's website had been developed considerably since the launch of its current incarnation in February 2006, to the detriment of the intranet, which had received very little attention. The Council's Chief Executive identified that internal communications via the intranet needed to be improved and asked Phil Rumens, Web Development Manager at West Berkshire Council to work on a resolution.
The MyIntranet solution was developed using GOSS iCM (intelligent Content Management) and structured as a building block so that new developments could be easily extended and improved in the future. With thanks to inspiration from the BBC and iGoogle, the new customisable, interactive homepage was developed.
The new content rich intranet employs many features associated with Web 2.0, making use of content from many different sources. Not only are users able to customise the look and feel of the intranet, they can now add, minimise and maximise, remove, and re-order content widgets in any combination they wish. In addition, social network style elements encourage cross organisation teambuilding and co-operation in areas of the authority that would otherwise not naturally interact.
Managing content - maximising the use of Web 2.0
The West Berkshire website and intranet have been created, and are maintained, using GOSS iCM. The Web Content Management system supports user generated content such as tagging, forums, polls, file sharing and social networking, plus engaging client side environments including personalised homepages, mapping information, embedding widgets and providing pod and webcasts.
The intranet is a portal, offering widgets like RSS feeds for BBC Travel News, BBC Weather, NHS Berkshire West and Met Office weather warnings and integration into key 3rd party systems. Users also have the ability to customise the look of the intranet to seven choices of colour scheme, including one designed for those with visual impairment.
Information regarding council news, service delivery, and specific service data are published to users via the intranet. Content can be published securely, right down to team level via information managers throughout the organisation, thanks to the integration of GOSS iCM with the Council's HR system. Each team also has its own notice board, which all members can amend and use as they see fit. Based on data taken directly from the HR system, the intranet provides full details of all staff through its "People Finder" search and offers the ability to change details and inform the HR department, online.
Staff use the council-wide message boards for collaborative working, to sell items and organise social events. Polls are used to gain views on a range of topics from internal policies to the choice of sandwiches preferred at meetings.
Phil adds, "It's important to remember that this isn't a fixed set of options; we plan to develop many more widgets into the framework we have created, most suggested by users. It means they can easily access information that is important to them, rather than being bombarded with information that they don't need."
Ensuring consistency
To minimise disruption to staff, users were offered the same content they had on the previous intranet system as a default. The biggest change MyIntranet brings is the ability for staff to tailor and manage the content they see.
Phil comments, "We felt it was important that users did not feel they were losing anything when we switched over to MyIntranet. Though we encourage our staff to use the functionality, we don't force them. If they wish, they can have exactly the same content types as on the old intranet."
Since MyIntranet was introduced, the number of users remains consistent and around 25 per cent have chosen to customise their homepage, choosing different colour schemes, layouts, and widgets. As more widgets and options are added, the number of people customising their MyIntranet homepage is increasing; although the default options will always be the most desired layout for some users.
Rob McCarthy, Managing Director at GOSS Interactive adds, "Whether you're proficient only in basic website design or have a background in creating complex .NET, Java or ColdFusion applications, GOSS iCM creates a platform that can be customised and built upon at many different levels. It is this flexibility that offers the web team at West Berkshire the confidence to try new applications to engage the workforce. Ultimately it will help to make their jobs a little easier - where the user chooses only the content that he or she wants and needs to view.
"We are increasingly finding that organisations are making the most use of Web 2.0 tools within their intranet in addition to their websites. GOSS iCM allows for the full deployment of Web 2.0 functionality from user generated content to sites that deliver content in personal and interactive ways."
Building for the future
Phil comments, "We created the current platform in-house to enable us to continue development rather than to complete a single solution, which would remain static and quickly go out of date. This way we can update, add or change information whenever we need to with little extra expense."
Phil adds, "We have had a great reaction from our user group, which comprises of information managers from throughout the organisation. They are continuing to provide constructive suggestions for development, which is important to keep MyIntranet in touch with the needs of all users and avoid us creating additions that may be technically great but of little use to our staff.
As the council moves to embrace more flexible working practises through its 'Timelord' partnership with Vodafone, MyIntranet will seek to replicate more of the features that staff take for granted in the physical office. We also plan to introduce a great deal more content based on staff location, given that our staff will be more geographically dispersed than before."
