Create attractive, easy-to-read intranet content with Noodle software’s intra editor.

Watch this video to see how to use the intra editor’s text formatting tools:

 
If you don’t have Noodle intranet software yet, click the button below to start your free, fully-functional 30-day trial (no credit card required):


 

Enterprise 2.0 Collaboration

Social intranets benefit the enterprise by facilitating communication. The ability to connect with others through the intranet reduces our reliance on email which tends to be slower and less effective than tools like instant messaging and microblogs. Besides, we lose a significant amount of time and productivity every day, because we have to process so much email.

In this post, I’m going to show how many of the things you are currently accomplishing with email can easily be replaced by internal social networking applications.

These apps often do an even better job than emails, especially if you want immediate response or better archiving.

1. Task:  Follow up on a report.

Instead of sending email: Send an instant message.

Your message will pop into your co-worker’s screen and get their attention even without them checking their email. Plus, they can respond much more quickly through IM than through email. And you’re not taking up additional memory in your company servers.

2. Task: Get comments on a draft document.

Instead of emailing the draft document: Upload it in a folder.

Emailing drafts back and forth gets confusing very quickly. Soon, nobody knows which document is the most updated version. Or you all work on the draft at the same time and somebody has to merge everyone’s revisions into one document.

Instead of all that nonsense, upload the draft in your intranet. Each person takes turns checking out the document and revising it. A good intranet platform will keep track of different versions of a document, so you know when changes are made and by whom, and can revert to a previous version if needed.

3. Task: Get a comp design approved.

Instead of emailing it: Upload the compre images in an intranet photo album.

Colleagues can post their comments on compre studies. Supervisors can click on an approve or disapprove button, and you can keep track of who has reviewed the compre or not.

4. Task: Brainstorm on a product or strategy.

Instead of emailing ideas back and forth: Start a discussion forum.

Capture everybody’s inputs in one forum thread. Got a photo, video or slideshow to share? Post it there as well.

5. Task: Collaborate on a presentation.

Instead of emailing contributions: Create a wiki.

Everyone involved can type their inputs directly onto one document. Embed rich media for a more engaging presentation.

6. Task: Get your team members’ vote on possible conference venues.

Instead of sending email: Create an intranet poll.

It’s hard to keep track of votes via email. Instead, make it as easy as clicking a button, and see and share results in real time.

7. Task: Find a common free time for a team building activity.

Instead of asking for everyone’s available dates by email: Use the intranet calendar.

If those involved use a common calendar, finding a common free time takes only a quick glance. If you’re using separate calendars, you can merge them into one master calendar.

8. Task: Share a set of links to websites your team members should be reading regularly.

Instead of emailing the links: Create a links page on the intranet.

No more hunting around for important links. The links page is always accessible in the intranet, and they’re hyperlinked, too, so your team members can easily go to the relevant websites.

9. Task: Share a slideshow presentation.

Instead of emailing it as an attachment: Upload your slideshow in Slideshare, then use the HTML code to embed it in your intranet status update.

Your colleagues can view the entire slideshow right in your status, and post their comments there as well. Another option is to embed the slideshow in your intranet profile page, so it’s always available and searchable.

10. Task: Document and share your thoughts on an industry event.

Instead of writing an email about the event: Publish your experience in an internal blog. If you emailed your content, people can easily delete it, or leave it to read later — until it gets buried by other emails and is soon forgotten. If you publish it in your intranet blog, your colleagues can post their own comments. It will come up in relevant searches. It’s archived in the intranet for future reference and discussion.

These are just 10 ways you can reduce internal email by using internal social media, such as Noodle. Can you think of other ways to get your work done better without using email? Share your ideas below.

PS: Did you like this post? Type your email address in the form below to get new posts straight to your email inbox.

Noodle is the social intranet software that improves communication, enhances collaboration, and encourages innovation in the enterprise. It brings microblogging, wikis, document sharing, instant messaging and other social business tools in a single portal. Click here to schedule a custom demo.

Enterprise 2.0 Collaboration

If you need to collect and share contacts information in your intranet, Noodle comes with a ready-to-use address book. Watch this video to see how to add and use the address book application:

See Noodle In Action

Click here to request a custom demo of Noodle intranet software.

Or click here to download your free 30-day trial (no credit card required).

Enterprise 2.0 Collaboration

When installing an intranet platform for your company, you have two choices: install it locally in your own server, or have it hosted in the cloud.

We’ll look at the pros and cons of each one in this post.

Local Intranet Installation

Pros

• More control of your intranet, including security, back-ups etc

• One-time payment for the software

Cons

• Requires dedicated IT staff

• May require the purchase of a dedicated server and/or additional memory

• Upgrades and after-sales support usually entail additional costs

Cloud Hosted Intranet (or SaaS)

Pros

• Small monthly fees for continued access to intranet software

• Worry-free security and data backups

• No need to purchase new equipment such as a dedicated server or additional memory

• Nobody in your organization needs to maintain the intranet on the tech side

• Upgrades, trouble-shooting and tech support are included in monthly fees

Cons

• Total dependence on the vendor for security and backups

• Need to make continuous payments for as long as you use the intranet

• Limited ability to customize the intranet software

As you can see, either of these options is the best one — depending on the resources you have and are willing to devote to your intranet. Which type of intranet deployment do you think would work best in your company?

PS: Noodle intranet software can be deployed either as a local installation or hosted in the Cloud (SaaS). Click here to learn more.

PPS: Did you like this post? Type your email address in the form below to get new posts straight to your email inbox.

Noodle is the social intranet software that improves communication, enhances collaboration, and encourages innovation in the enterprise. It brings microblogging, wikis, document sharing, instant messaging and other social business tools in a single portal. Click here to see what’s possible with Noodle.

Enterprise 2.0 Collaboration

Intranet calendars let you keep track of important dates. At the same time, by sharing them with others or merging them with other calendars, it’s easy to find common dates and times for appointments and meetings.

Watch this video to see how to add an event in your Noodle intranet calendar:

You may also be interested in this video: How to Merge Calendars in Noodle Intranet

If you don’t have Noodle intranet software yet, click the button below to start your free, fully-functional 30-day trial (no credit card required):

Enterprise 2.0 Collaboration

For intranet managers, metrics are important to show user adoption and, to a certain extent, intranet value. Numbers don’t tell the whole story, but they’re a good starting point for keeping tabs on your company intranet. Metrics can also raise red flags, alerting you to areas that need changing or additional work.

Below is a list of things intranet managers can measure and monitor:

Usage

The first place intranet managers — and management — usually start is by looking at numbers that indicate how much the intranet is being used. These metrics could include:

• unique logins per day – The closer this number is to the number of registered users, the higher intranet usage is.

• peak times – When are users most likely to be using your intranet? This knowledge is useful for timing announcements, instant messages, and notifications.

• number of profiles created and filled in – If you allow users to fill in their own user profiles, this is a good indicator of intranet adoption. If users are logging into the intranet but leaving their profiles empty, what can you do to compel them to complete their profiles?

Content

Aside from actual usage, it’s helpful to know which parts of the intranet are most and least popular. What pages receive the highest amount of traffic? Which pages get the highest engagement (in terms of comments and sharing)? And what types of content do your intranet users tend to create and upload on the intranet?

Page views

Specific pages or content that are most used give you a clue as to how users are actually using the intranet to get their work done (or not). If certain pages aren’t getting many visits, ask yourself: Is it because users don’t need that content? Or is it because they don’t know it exists? Or is it because they can’t find it?

Applications

Aside from intranet pages, the usage of intranet applications or widgets also tell you a lot about how relevant your intranet is, and for what. Maybe the file sharing folder application is popular, but not the more engaging apps like discussion forum. Why is that? Is it because the users don’t know how to use the app? Or don’t know how the app can facilitate their work?

User satisfaction

Hard numbers aren’t the only way to measure and monitor your intranet. Periodically carry out a survey (whether formal or informal) to gauge user satisfaction. Do the over-the-shoulder technique to identify usage hiccups and training opportunities.

You’ll also want to look at frequently asked questions about the intranet, as well as anecdotal “reports” you get through email or in hallways. Every little bit of information can be an important clue to your intranet’s performance.

Champion users

Metrics of specific intranet users can help you identify champions and those who need extra help with the intranet. Heavy intranet users can be tapped to encourage other employees to use the intranet more. You could even pair them up with less active users to address gaps in knowledge and skill.

If your intranet provides it, look also at users’ engagement scores. Reward high participation, and encourage those who aren’t yet engaging on the intranet. The tips here and here can help.

How Do You Do It?

How do you measure the success of your intranet? What intranet statistics do you currently track? How useful are these numbers for getting buy-in from management and employees?

I’d love to read about your experiences in the comments below.

Image by Victor1558

PS: Did you like this post? Type your email address in the form below to get new posts straight to your email inbox.

Noodle is the social intranet software that improves communication, enhances collaboration, and encourages innovation in the enterprise. It brings microblogging, wikis, document sharing, instant messaging and other social business tools in a single portal. Click here to see what’s possible with Noodle.

Enterprise 2.0 Collaboration

Search is one of the most important features of an intranet. Users should easily find the content they need by using a robust search engine.

Watch this video to see how Noodle intranet software’s search works, and to get 3 top tips for improving search in Noodle or any other intranet.

If you don’t have Noodle intranet software yet, click the button below to start your free, fully-functional 30-day trial (no credit card required):

Enterprise 2.0 Collaboration

If your office intranet allows you to create a profile, I suggest you fill it in as as well as you can.

Just like in social networks like Facebook and LinkedIn, profiles are usually the starting point of connections in an intranet.

This blog post explores why.

Your intranet profile shows others what you look like

Displaying user photos is usually a matter for debate on intranets. Some organizations don’t like them, because photos display your gender and ethnic background, among others. There are those who argue that this can lead to different types of discrimination. If this is the case in your organization, then you’ve got bigger problems than your intranet!

If you are allowed to post a profile photo, it’s actually a good opportunity to let your colleagues know what you look like. This means they’ll recognize you even before they ever meet you face to face, something that could be handy in big organizations, or those with remote offices. Showing your face eliminates anonymity. Plus, if you use a pleasant photo of you, which I hope you do, it will help break the ice with other employees you haven’t met yet.

Your profile lets others know how to contact you

At the very least, intranet user profiles provide contact information. Aside from telephone numbers, email address, and snail mail address, you may want to let other users know how to connect with you outside the office, such as in social networking sites. If you only connect with real-life friends on Facebook, there’s nothing wrong with sharing the link to your LinkedIn profile.

Your intranet profile lets others know what you’re good at

Some intranets allow users to post something like a resume on their profile. This is great, if you’re open to collaborating with others in your company. Upload slideshows you’ve made, video clips of your speeches, and other work-related things you’re most proud of. Seeing you in action is much more effective than writing a list of your accomplishments.

Your intranet profile shows your human side

If you’re able, post some personal stuff on your intranet profile — as much as you’re comfortable. You may not want to tell everyone where you live, or show them pictures of your vacation (or maybe you do, depending on the culture in your company). But you can talk about your hobbies, favorite movies and music, and other passions you have outside the office. This is a good way for others to find areas of common interest with you, which would make interacting with them much easier.

Your intranet profile allows other users to find you

Intranet profiles are searchable, so a well filled-in profile will help your colleagues find you. Maybe there’s a job opening in another department that you don’t know about yet, and they’re looking for in-house talent to fill the vacancy, wouldn’t you want your name to pop up when they search the intranet for specific skills and expertise?

How’s Your Profile?

These are only some of the reasons your intranet user profile should be as complete as possible. Can you think of any more?

How does your current profile measure up? Which elements have you left out? Why?

PS: Did you like this post? Type your email address in the form below to get new posts straight to your email inbox.

PPS: Looking for an intranet software that allows users to create media-rich profiles? Check out Noodle’s Profile Page application here.

Noodle is the social intranet software that improves communication, enhances collaboration, and encourages innovation in the enterprise. It brings microblogging, wikis, document sharing, instant messaging and other social business tools in a single portal. Click here to see what’s possible with Noodle.

Enterprise 2.0 Collaboration

The intra editor is the tool you use to create pages, wikis, blog posts, and other content within Noodle intranet.

Watch this video to have an overview of the intra editor, and to learn how to create different kinds of links: external website; anchor in text; email; and internal links within the intranet.

If you don’t have Noodle intranet software yet, click the button below to start your free, fully-functional 30-day trial (no credit card required):

Got questions about Noodle? Post them below.

Enterprise 2.0 Collaboration

The wiki is one of the most useful applications in an intranet. It’s certainly one of the most popular applications among Noodle users. And why not? It’s easy, it’s fast, it’s accessible anywhere. Wikis can be edited on the fly, and the more users are given access to create and edit them, the more collaboration can occur.

Organizations are using intranet wikis to document and share knowledge, promote collaboration, and even enhance learning. Below are 25 specific ways you can use wikis in your intranet:

1. Project Management

Create a wiki for a project or special event, and put everything in it: timeline, tasks, notes, progress reports, lists of vendors, images, videos, and everything else that will be needed for it. Those who are involved in the project need to go to just one place on the intranet to find whatever is relevant to that project.

2. Collaborative Documents

Working on an article or report together? Create a wiki where the different authors can directly input their contributions. This eliminates the email ping-pong of drafts that people eventually lose track of anyway.

3. Brainstorming

Need ideas to cut down on the use of paper in the office? Create a wiki where everyone can post their suggestions. Make it judgement-free, so everyone will feel safe to contribute.

4. FAQs

Capture frequently-asked-questions in a wiki. Employees can add, develop, and expand on the answers.

5. Glossary

If you use many acronyms and technical terms at work, a glossary wiki is a good way to put all definitions in a centralized place. Employees can contribute their own definitions. You never know which version will resonate best with each employee.

6. Client Notes

Keep an active file on each client, complete with notes, media resources, and links to files and external sites.

7. Client Collaboration

If you use your intranet as an extranet, allowing people outside your organization access to some parts of the intranet, you can use wikis to collaborate with clients. Post drafts and ideas on the wiki, and allow clients to add their comments and suggestions.

8. Debates

Stimulate discussion on a work-related issue by creating a wiki where employees from either side can argue their points.

9. Conference Journal

Document the goings-on in a conference, so those who aren’t able to attend can learn from it as well. Post session summaries, videos, and photos.

10. Dynamic Documents

A wiki is the perfect publishing platform for company documents that are changing all the time. This could include operations manuals, guidelines, and policies.

11. Best Practices

Let intranet users compile best practices in a wiki.

12. Checklists and Other References

Use a wiki for reference materials that are needed frequently, such as checklists, instructions, templates, codes, and scripts. Think of it as your enterprise playbook.

13. Goals Tracking

Keep staff motivated on corporate goals by publishing them on a wiki. Include sub-goals, action steps, deadlines, milestones, and progress tracking.

14. Contacts

A wiki can be an easy way to compile contacts, especially when they’re few and are constantly changing.

15. Research

Preparing for a presentation? Need to draft a report? Capture notes, ideas, links, photos, and everything else in a wiki. Ask co-workers to contribute to your draft easily by posting resources you may not have known about.

16. Personal Work Space

Who says you have to share a wiki? You can keep it all to yourself, if that’s what you want. Use it as a virtual desktop, capturing whatever you may need in your job.

17. Presentations

If you suspect your colleagues are suffering from death by Powerpoint, try creating a presentation in the form of a wiki instead of slides. Embed different types of media to keep it interesting, and encourage your audience to add their questions and thoughts straight into the wiki.

18. Virtual Field Trip

Let intranet users take a virtual trip to your remote locations, client offices, retail stores, or other interesting places, by building a wiki around each one.

19. Problem Solving

Collaborate on a problem, discuss and debate options, and brainstorm solutions in a problem-solving wiki.

20. Employee or Department Portfolio

Show off staff member’s or departments’ best work.

21. Staff Association Events

Document staff association events, office parties, and other events to help employees relive happy moments.

22. Staff Hall of Fame

Showcase employee achievements in a hall of fame wiki.

23. Reviews

Let intranet users share their opinions and experiences with vendors, software, gadgets and other resources you use at work.

24. Employee Newsletter

Make employee newsletters dynamic and collaborative by publishing them in the form of a wiki.

25. Training

Use a wiki to organize and present a self-directed training course

How do you use wikis in your organization? Are you currently using wikis in a way that isn’t included in this list? Let us know by posting a comment below.

PS: Did you like this post? Type your email address in the form below to get new posts straight to your email inbox.

Noodle is the social intranet software that improves communication, enhances collaboration, and encourages innovation in the enterprise. It brings microblogging, wikis, document sharing, instant messaging and other social business tools in a single portal. Click here to see what’s possible with Noodle.

Enterprise 2.0 Collaboration