Topic: Whats on your intranet?

[Mike]

I'm being asked to redo our division's intranet page.  The problem is that currently it is being used as a data dump basically.  It has very little structure to it so it needs to rework.

So what type of information do you guys have on your intranet pages and how is it organized?

[hans]

We have a wiki. Mostly just developer notes and sample code sections. We're looking to add more content someday. Now most of our stuff is in network shares.

[charlie]

• Dilbert comic strip
• Employee Directory/ Phone List
• Human Resource Information
• -- Links to Providers
• -- Summary of Benefits
• -- Forms
• -- Holiday Calendar
• Product List and Information
• Product Documentation
• Marketing Reports and Information
• Sales Information
• MIS Information
• -- How to Report a problem to IT
• -- How to install anti-virus
• -- IT FAQ

We have a separate wiki for development stuff that includes specs and procedures and stuff.

[ober]

Where to begin... and also depends on what you're talking about.

We have Sharepoint (ick) for sharing various things, which also links to our Change Control Processes, Billing Tools, Time Tracking Tools, etc, etc.  Beyond that we have a few other areas that could be considered intranet including our Helpdesk area which tracks all kinds of information, a workgroup within our software product that tracks everything from client contacts to annoucements.

I'm actually in charge of bringing a lot of this stuff into a more centralized location (not Sharepoint).  It's not an easy job.

[Mike]

Great you guys are of no help :P

I'm working for the Division of Design's HQ group for Caltrans (California's DOT).  So they aren't doing CS work but instead things dealing with Highway design.

Looking at the Org Chart there are 13ish offices in the division and each one will have a subpage from the division's page.  Seems like 90% of the stuff on the intranet is guidance.

I wonder if I could convince the the Chief Engineer to start blogging :P

[Mike]

Um yeah.  See I think there might be a few state laws against us doing that.

But the wiki idea is something to consider.  I'd have to really look at the docs they have and see if that'd work or not.  Some stuff won't work, like the Highway Design Manual which fills a 5 inch binder, but for some stuff it might work.