LUMINARE. Caitlin Curtin President and CEO. Jeffrey Schneider Vice President, Technology. Using Intranets for Training and Performance Support

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1 LUMINARE Using Intranets for Training and Performance Support Caitlin Curtin President and CEO Jeffrey Schneider Vice President, Technology

2 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.

3 Common Intranet and Internet Protocols and Services PROTOCOLS TCP/IP transaction control protocol, internet protocol DNS domain name service FTP file transfer protocol SERVICES WWW (World Wide Web) Newsgroups

4 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

5 Intranet Compared to Traditional Networked Training & Performance Support Simple HTML development is easy Many traditional training tools also available For example: Authorware, Icon Author Web servers paired with databases provide student and course administration Applications exist along side other network applications

6 Intranet Compared to Traditional Networked Training & Performance Support 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

7 Design & Development Considerations 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 and capabilities 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.

8 Design & Development Considerations 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

9 Design & Development Considerations Content Design for the Intranet 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 - 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

10 Design & Development Considerations Content Design for the Intranet 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.

11 How much security are you responsible for? Security Methods: Design & Development Considerations Simple security available in Web Servers Database security Firewall between departments, others

12 Design & Development Considerations What does it take to build a site? 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

13 Design & Development Considerations 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.

14 Tools You ll Use Authoring WYSIWIG -Adobe Pagemill, MS Internet Assistant, Claris Home Page, Hotmetl, etc. Word Processing converters -HTML transit Text Editor -code your own

15 Tools You ll Use Serving Serving is multi-platform. Netscape- Unix, NT Microsoft- NT Webstar- Mac West- Mac NCSA- Unix Oracle- Unix, NT And many, many others

16 Tools You ll Use Middleware Middleware applications are programs which translate database queries into HTML pages. Major database manufacturers Other off-the-shelf tools Next Web Objects 4D/web Web FM And many, many others

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18 Tools You ll Use Site Administration You will manage the following items: Link validation Document Control Content Version Control User Management Site Stats Some emerging middleware tools: Site Mill Backstage

19 Tools You ll Use Graphics 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.

20 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.

21 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

22 Selecting the Best Project: Getting a Project Funded 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

23 Summary Intranet provides major benefits if you design your site in consideration of the constraints!

24 The forseeable near future Many current network applications will adopt or integrate Internet standard protocols and services. Separate 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.