According to Mike Cathie, Marketing Director at Microsoft SA, Intervate`s intranet solution IntraCS has had a substantial impact on reducing paper based workflow processes and facilitating effective communication within the company.
"Microsoft began implementing IntraCS in June 2000 and there is now a noticeable return on investment," says Cathie. "IntraCS has enabled us to effectively share knowledge, automate processes and streamline administration."
Migal van As, MD of Intervate, says IntraCS` success at Microsoft can be attributed solely to its out-of-the-box functionality and framework architecture. "The bundled intranet application suite allows customers to be up and running and experiencing benefits in a very short space of time, while the framework and development tools allow custom requirements to be developed in a comparatively short amount of time," states van As.
Most organisations implementing intranets spend a large amount of time and resources on developing the base functionality for that system, however with IntraCS that functionality is available as a packaged solution. For Microsoft it was virtually a plug and play exercise for initial requirements, while subsequent custom development was reduced from an anticipated 5000 man hours to approximately 1500 man hours.
IntraCS has been designed to evolve and develop in accordance with an organisation`s changing needs, in a relatively simple and effortless manner. At Microsoft, Steve Bassler was appointed as the IntraCS champion, and he and his team have to date developed 11 custom modules for the 397 users of this intranet. The time saving realised in creating these modules can be directly attributed to the ease with which IntraCS can be developed and the flexibility of the architecture.
The installation at Microsoft is quite unique in that resources generally have a very high level of technical competence (this is not so with most other organisations using IntraCS) and there are a number of other systems used in the organisation that form part of its daily work. IntraCS therefore evolved naturally as a communication tool and focussed on specific areas where value could be added.
The first of these was general communication. On the IntraCS home page, or user portal, news items are posted on a daily basis to keep employees informed on company news, issues and developments. This has been successful in terms of communicating with the entire staff complement in a single action, and requires no specific email addresses or paper. In terms of information distribution, IntraCS has had a major impact on streamlining the communication process.
Another area where Microsoft has had great success with IntraCS is that of staff information. The system makes all relevant staff information freely available, and allows users to find out the personal particulars of one another without having to physically go through HR records. It also has the added functionality of being able to identify where individual users are located in the building, as well as their own personal goals and objectives.
Events play a major part in Microsoft`s daily activities and the ability to keep a watch on what is happening in the IT industry is a major advantage to the company. To this end, Microsoft has used IntraCS to develop a marketing module that allows users to post both Microsoft and wider industry events directly onto a calendar. Users are then able to access information on specific events. According to Bassler, this has been extremely helpful in terms of planning and resource management.
The administration of training is another function that has benefited from IntraCS. By posting training event information onto the intranet, and enabling electronic communication between an individual, his or her manager and the training department, approvals, dates, times, venues and bookings can all be done electronically.
Other modules developed for IntraCS include an internal auction site, which assists with selling off of used goods with proceeds going to Microsoft`s Community Investment activities, and a fun 4x4 module for off-road enthusiasts.
IntraCS allows users to develop their own themes, therefore each user, team, department or intranet module can have its own unique look and feel and branding can easily be controlled and modified. At Microsoft, these themes have been aesthetically designed to support its image and culture and can be frequently changed at a very low cost to promote events. "At first glance it may seem strange for Microsoft to adopt a vendor`s product for its own use, however the decision becomes easily understandable when considering the IntraCS architecture," says Steve Bassler, Web manager at Microsoft SA. "IntraCS leverages key Microsoft technologies and platforms to provide a customer focused solution that maximises existing Microsoft infrastructure".
As with most applications, Microsoft has had to go through a number of learning processes, and according to Bassler, it is very happy with what has been achieved thus far. "We have learned some valuable lessons and believe we have developed a great application for Microsoft employees. We definitely intend passing this knowledge on to our clients," he says.
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Intervate focuses on the development of strategic Internet products targeting the areas of knowledge management and collaboration. With a strong commitment to the Microsoft platform, Intervate as Microsoft Certified Gold Partner focuses development on leveraging platforms and products to build value on existing infrastructure, rather than creating bespoke developments for every client.
The core focus of Intervate is the development of the intranet and extranet knowledge management framework called IntraCS. Companies successfully using the IntraCS solution include MedScheme, Microsoft, Dimension Data, Anglo Platinum, Unisys, Deloitte & Touche, Prism, Hollard, AFA Systems, Software Futures and Alexander Forbes.
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