Using Intranets for Training and Performance Support

Caitlin Curtin President and CEO

Jeffrey SchneiderVice President, Technology

LUMINARE

What is an Intranet?

• An enterprise’s private network of computers

• Connected together with internet protocols and providing common services • Different platforms (OS/2, Windows, Mac, Unix etc.) and operating systems can be linked and provided with similar services.

Common Intranet and Internet Protocols and Services

PROTOCOLSTCP/IP transaction control protocol,

internet protocolDNS domain name serviceFTP file transfer protocol

SERVICESWWW (World Wide Web)E-mailNewsgroups

How is an Intranet different than the Internet?

• All users come from one enterprise’s network• It is a separate, proprietary network not available to the general public. • Frequently has speedier access times• It is separated from the Internet by some or all of these methods:

- Firewall- Physical disconnect- Service provided by internal IS – not Internet ISP- Password Control of Access- Internet security features may be used between departments

Intranet Compared to Traditional Networked Training

& Performance Support

• Simple HTML development is easy

• Many traditional training tools also availableFor example: Authorware, Icon Author

• Web servers paired with databases provide student and course administration

• Applications exist along side other network applications

• Course content published on the server; quickly updateable parts and whole

• Requires no investment in printing, CD-ROM, or other publishing devices

• Network bandwidth is the key limiting factor

Intranet Compared to Traditional Networked Training

& Performance Support

Design & DevelopmentConsiderations

In a multiplatform environment, the user’s browser determines the user’s capabilities.

The current “browser war” means that there is no uniform standard of higher end functions andcapabilities across different browsers.

HTML is a standard, but animation, graphics, video,audio, and other “multimedia” capabilities are added via user desktop plug-ins. Plug-ins (or lack thereof ) can be limiting factors.

User experience is very influenced by speed of access time.Factors to consider:

• Data Size• Network Bandwidth• Network Usage Patterns• Data Type• Text• Large Graphics–are they worth the wait?• Audio possible, both downloaded and streaming• Downloaded video – is it worth the wait?• Streaming video not available for most

Design & DevelopmentConsiderations

Certain types of content designs work well; others don’t.• Designs for training are more like good CBT than print- Know your user’s access time- Think carefully about creating early mental models to anchor learning points- Build mental content maps at site, module and topic levels- Use small, simple graphics to reinforce ideas- Make sure complex graphics are worth the wait

Content Design for the Intranet

- Make sure that pages aren’t overloaded with too many topics or content bites- Use interactivity to reinforce learning points; make interactivity worth the wait

Design & DevelopmentConsiderations

• Design for performance support is neither similar to or analogous to CBT and print–it is its own medium

- Task-appropriate chunking and layering is critical- “Drilling down” and “drilling up” should be equally easy- Less is more with regard to interface- Interface similar to user’s most favored browser/net applications preferred

We have written a book on information design for performance support.

Design & DevelopmentConsiderations

Content Design for the Intranet

How much security are you responsible for?

Security Methods:

• Simple security available in Web Servers• Database security• Firewall between departments, others

Design & DevelopmentConsiderations

• Authoring of HTML• Authoring with interactive applications (Authorware)• Database construction• Web serving• Connection of database to web page middleware (optional)• CGI Programming (optional)• Site administration

What does it take to build a site?

Design & DevelopmentConsiderations

Decide what you need to accomplish–then look for the appropriate tools.

Determine which creation and maintenance skill sets are appropriate to have in house; which are more appropriately outsourced.

Design & DevelopmentConsiderations

Tools You’ll Use

• WYSIWIG -Adobe Pagemill, MS Internet Assistant, Claris Home Page, Hotmetl, etc.• Word Processing converters -HTML transit• Text Editor -code your own

Authoring

Serving

Serving is multi-platform.

Netscape- Unix, NTMicrosoft- NTWebstar- MacWest- MacNCSA- UnixOracle- Unix, NT

And many, many others…

Tools You’ll Use

Middleware

Middleware applications are programs which translatedatabase queries into HTML pages.

Major database manufacturersOther off-the-shelf toolsNext Web Objects4D/webWeb FM

And many, many others…

Tools You’ll Use

You will manage the following items:

• Link validation• Document Control• Content Version Control• User Management• Site Stats

Some emerging middleware tools:

• Site Mill• Backstage

Site Administration

Tools You’ll Use

You’ll need to convert graphics to GIF’s, JPEG, or GIF 89.

You can use small single purpose applications such as GIF Converter.

Or high end graphics tools such as Debabelizer, an industry standard for cross-platform multimedia.

Most major graphics applications also provide plug-ins.

Graphics

Tools You’ll Use

Skill Sets Needed to Create and Maintain a Quality Site

You’ll need the following skills to create and maintain your site:

• Instructional and/or information designer skilled in interactive design• Interface designer• Graphic designer skilled in electronic publishing design• Programmers and authors• Network support and administration

Many of these basic skills are commonly found among the employee and consulting/vendor population

in major metropolitan areas.

Selecting the Best Project:Getting a Project Funded

Not much different than other performance support projects–maybe even easier!

• Finance -Pick a project that meets an identified strategic goal as defined

by executive management-Calculate a ROI for this solution to the business problem; be prepared to show that other solutions would not provide as great an ROI

• Politics & Culture-Pick a do-able project with a definable, organizationally valuable goal-Provide a solution to current information gaps-Determine groups/individuals who may percieve a threat from the project; then neutralize, co-opt, and over-rule them-Get IS support and work with IS standards-Clarify expectations and roles-Use or neutralize the internet hype factor-Plan for maintenance and support

Selecting the Best Project:Getting a Project Funded

Summary

Intranet provides major benefits–

if you design your site

in consideration of the constraints!

The forseeable near future…

Many current network applications will adopt or integrate Internet standard protocols and services.

Separate e-mail will disappear.

Microsoft and Apple are incorporating web browsing into the desktop.

Microsoft moves to HTML for help…

Bandwidth will increase; allowing for faster access time and larger files.

Video delivery will become possible as compression slowly improves.