Intranet Guidelines

Despite the foregoing, many organizations initially put staff offers and some fun items on the intranet as a way of encouraging staff to use the facility and learn about the technology. Such distractions are seen as valuable concessions, as they keep the user within the confines of the intranet, helping it to flourish as a trusted medium of communication within the organization.

Overall Management

Like every other system or process, it is important that someone in an organization has ownership of the overall development, rules and guidelines for the intranet. However, in a large organization, it is not possible or desirable for the central owner of an intranet to be responsible for the management of its entire contents.

This is not to say that there should not be a central control and support function, but such a function needs to ensure that they do not become a blockage in the content production and management processes.

Many leading organizations in this field recommend a ‘franchise’ type of management system. This can provide the right balance of power by allowing for local control, balanced by some overall guidelines. A ‘franchise system’ establishes a group of business owners who will take responsibility for particular sections of the intranet and ensure that the content that appears in their part of the site meets an overarching set of guidelines. Any changes to the guidelines would probably be agreed with the whole group before introduction.

Suggested Intranet Guidelines

The following are suggested issues to be considered when developing intranet use within an organization:

Intranet Navigation Principles

• The user should never be led down blind alleys.
• Organizational navigational elements (e.g. a home page button and brand mark) should be in a common space that people can easily distinguish from content. This will avoid confusion and reduce the effort required to find what is needed.
• Never make the user scroll to locate important navigation buttons or the focal point of a page.
• There should be minimal clicking for users to access the information they want (you lose 30% of users with every click).
• Use meaningful and consistent names to label buttons, sections and content areas. Do not use cryptic words or icons as this may confuse the reader. Clarity on all levels is crucial.
• Do not use right-hand navigation. English is read left to right from top corner.
• Limit the number of navigation options. Too many choices will confuse your users. For instance, it is generally felt that the optimal number of choices for left-hand navigation is 7 and the maximum 10.
• The use of templates can ensure that key navigational elements will appear in the same position on all pages.
• One way of arranging the navigation is for the top navigation to include the main organizational elements, such as the home page and search facilities. Use side navigation to lead users through different sections and text navigation at the foot of the site as an additional navigation aid.

Site Structure

• Websites must be structured to allow the user, with the help of well-designed navigational aids, to maneuver between different sections of the site and their interconnecting pages.
• At no point should the user feel lost.
• The structure will contain a home page, but thereafter what else is needed will depend on the organizational requirements what else is needed. It is worth spending time at the beginning of the process designing the structure carefully. Otherwise, there can be a large amount of wasted effort if changes are required later.
• The structure of the site should not necessarily mimic the organizational structure, but rather one that will be most useful to the users.
• Finally, it is also worth creating a naming policy for the Uniform Resource Locator (URL), or address of a page, as part of the site structure. The main aim is to create a level of consistency and simplicity for users. Where possible, it should be kept as short and simple as possible. URLs comprise your intranet address plus the directory and page you are referencing, e.g. //goodpractice.com/resources/newsletters.

Writing for the Web

People generally scan web pages rather than read them word for word. So, when writing text for the intranet, make it easy to read and easy to use. For example:

• highlight key words
• make subheadings meaningful
• use bullet points where appropriate
• stick to one idea per paragraph
• keep the number of words down to a minimum
• avoid making users scroll over page after page of text. Use a maximum of two or three pages per subject, and less, if possible
• keep it relevant and concise

Style

The actual style of writing will depend on the organizational requirements and culture. The following is an example of guidance on writing style:

• write in a newsy style – but not downmarket tabloid
• avoid lengthy, unwieldy headlines
• keep the language straightforward and easy to understand
• write in present tense/active voice
• keep it as jargon-free as possible
• use short paragraphs and sentences where possible
• maintain credibility and do not over-hype
• make it entertaining and interesting but do not go overboard on the humor

Page Structure and Word Count

The ultimate aim is to present to the user as clearly as possible the information contained within a page. Reading speeds are generally 25% slower from screen than from paper and the nature of browsing on the Web results in shorter reading attention spans.

Text

Guidelines should be provided on the style and use of text. For example:

• do not use text under 9pt in images
• for all text, use a font that is clear and easy for the eye to follow, such as Arial
• structure text in paragraphs as this helps split up a document
• use standard styles (plain, bold, italics)
• be sure to standardize indentation and alignment
• flow text around images, it adds style and gives a documents impact
• do not use blinking text
• do not mix more than 3 font styles
• avoid columns unless they are used consistently
• standardize font sizes and styles, and keep their uses consistent

Page Size

It is worth agreeing a standard page size. The most common guideline today is that all information must fit on an 800 x 600 screen without having to scroll right/left. Anything larger makes it difficult for the user to read and follow.

Information Page Length

As a general rule, the amount of text within a screen should not exceed more than two to three 800 x 600 screens worth of information. Users do not like excessive scrolling. The use of multiple short pages is generally preferable to the use of a few very long pages. Again, avoid scrolling left or right.

Hypertext Links

Use contrasting colors that are easy to spot and help color-blind users. The use of hypertext links within bodies of text should be carefully considered. If a user instinctively follows a hypertext link found near the top of a page, they may miss potentially valuable information further down the page.

Frames

The main problem associated with using frames is that they break the original concept of web navigation. You should therefore only use frames where they are the only solution, e.g. newsletters, magazines and procedure manuals.

Backgrounds

Background images should be used with caution. They rarely add value to a web page as users can be distracted and cannot view the content text on the screen or on print properly. If you must use background images, do not use dark patterns or colors for the background.

Color Contrast

Create a suitable level of contrast between text and the background. Light colored text on a light colored background and dark colored text on a dark colored background will be difficult to read. Dark text on a light screen is easier on the eye than light text on a dark screen, which is more prone to flicker. So, unless there is a definite need, the main bulk of text should be black on white.

Graphics/Images

• Graphics, images and text should all complement each other and should be small and balanced across a page, with a maximum number of six per page.
• Avoid repeating graphics on multiple pages.
• Care should be taken to provide guidelines on limiting the size and number of graphics, depending on the technology system and bandwidth that is available.
• GIF format (a file-naming format such as .doc on this Word file) should be used for all true graphic images, e.g. logos and icons.
• JPEG format (another file-naming format) is most appropriate for photographic images.
• All graphics require ALT tags. This allows navigation when images are turned off. (ALT tags are the text boxes that appear when a user pauses their cursor over an image on a website. These have a number of uses. For example, they provide descriptions of images for those who have opted not to view images on their web browsers. ALT tag information is also used by browsers for the visually impaired, which read out the text contained within them).
• Avoid the use of complex technologies such as ‘Shockwave’ and ‘Flash’, which do not usually add value to an intranet and can slow down the speed of access to information.

Corporate Identity

• Care should be taken to ensure that an organization’s corporate identity and brand are protected.
• Use icons/metaphors from existing brands to promote your brands and your investment in them.
• Never invent a new brand for the intranet.
• Ensure that all developers are aware of regulations for brand use.

Content Ownership

Best practice would suggest that every intranet page should carry:

• the page owner’s full name and telephone number/extension number
• the page creation and expiry dates

This helps the overall management of content, and if the information can be captured by a web content management system (an automated system of managing the content on a website), then that makes the management of content even easier.