Modern Internet phenomena
Generating an intranet is exhilarating and demanding and as
such we have to break a new ground, making efforts for new things, and carry
out research work with a new-fangled request. Managing the intranet is the
creation of an amazing process in whatever way some one will motivate us. If
one way of thinking about the intranet is not motivating, we change tactics. We
need to do whatever it takes to get the job done. We do not limit a few
strategies or stick with one strategy when it obviously is not working. Make a
list of strategies. If one strategy is not working, switch to a new one. If we
do not have a new one, create a new one. The strategy we use can be very basic.
A great strategy to start with is to plan to work on the project every day
until it is completed. In addition to this strategy, we should add planning to
involve both management and users in the development process. The degree of
participation for management and users might need to be adjusted throughout the
development process. Our role in the project should be a part of our strategy.
Initially, we might want to work closely with the development team. Later, we
might discover that our best role is to manage the development at a higher
level. Or if we are the top programmer or network administrator, we might find
that we need to work on application design rather than the actual programming.
Adapting our role as necessary can help the project flourishing.
When we
start working on the intranet design and creation process, one of the first
things we should do is develop goals. Our goals should take into consideration
the complexities and nuances of the intranet we plan to develop for our
organization. Goals should be clear and relevant to the problem at hand. Set
major goals relevant to the purpose, scope, and audience of the intranet. Also,
set minor goals or milestones for the stages of the intranet development and
its applications. Goals and milestones help define the intranet development
process as a series of steps or achievements. One major goal could be to
complete the planning of the intranet; another major goal could be to complete
the design of the intranet. The series of steps necessary to complete the major
goals are the minor goals or milestones. Our first milestone will be to start
work on the intranet. Another milestone might be to select and purchase the
necessary intranet software, such as Web server software, browser software, and
a Java Development environment. Our goals are to complete the major steps of the
development process, such as planning and design. In designing a constructive
intranet system, the intranet designer may create or provide rules that pertain
specifically to the intranet''s law or scope of control, such as the Information
Systems department that will have overall responsibility for the intranet after
completion.
As we start to create the intranet, these rules might seem
perfectly acceptable. However, as we conduct planning for the intranet and its
applications, we might find that the overall responsibility of the intranet
should be divided amongst the departments that will set up intranet servers. If
these early rules cannot be modified to fit the current situation, we will have
problems. We might encounter delays due to loss of efficiency or the final
product might not be what was expected.
No rule
should ever be considered absolutely and even the best of rules should be
interpreted as guidelines that can vary depending on the situation. Rules for a
complex project like our intranet should be flexible and make sense. A rule
that conflicts with something we are trying to do should be reexamined. The
rule might be inappropriate for the situation we are trying to apply it and as
such our intranet will never be put into action if we avoid working on it.
Putting off work until something is due is a poor practice. Relinquish when
things do not go our way or when we seem to have a block is another poor
practice. Even if we flourish on cut-off date, sketch to work toward intranet''s
goals and milestones regularly-every day if necessary and possible. We should
also plan to work on the intranet and its applications during those times when
our thoughts are not flowing. Everyone has bad days and good days. Some days we
take more breaks. Some days we work straight through the day and into the
night. We might tend toward other destructive behavior besides avoiding or
putting off work. Sometimes programmers go to the opposite extreme. They tear
things apart impulsively before letting the work cool off so they can look at
it objectively. Never hack our code just because a few users didn''t like our
application''s interface. Managing the aspects of the intranet''s design and
creation is only the beginning. The next step is to determine the best
organization for our intranet. Over the years, three models have developed for
information systems like our intranet: centralized, decentralized, and a
combination of centralized and decentralized. The three computing models are
really driven by the types of computers in use at an organization.