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Other Added - Intranet Portals - Personalisation and Customisation
As you enter the job market, (for the first time or after a while) you might find that there are a lot of buzzwords thrown around, including the terms career and job. You might be looking for a career, but you aren’t going to enter the career market! Decide if you are looking for a job or a career today, and how to get the position you want.According to the Oxford English Dictionary, a job is a piece of work that you do because of your occupation. A job also describes paid employment. A career, according to the OED, is a “person’s course or progress through life.” This article defines job as the place where you are employed, and career as the field in which you work.Even though you might have lost your job, you may still have a career. For instance, if you are an x-ray technician who has been laid off, chances are that you will be able to find new work in the field. Your job might change slightly: you might become a dental x-
Many portal vendors have undertaken research with their existing customer base to explore (a) how many customers have made extensive use of personalisation and (b) how many surface key business applications via their portal. The results do not make encouraging reading (with less than 20% achieving much beyond what Plumtree call "the empty portal").
This prompts an obvious question. If the benefits to the user of personalisation are so obvious, why have companies not taken advantage of them? In fact, based on my experience, there are multiple reasons not to personalise, which I group in
You improve your chances of getting coverage if you understand the lead times of the various media when pitching story ideas.Newspapers, for instance, often work with no lead time. Online, radio and TV, too, are known for their immediacy. Newspaper special sections, such as a holiday gift guide, might want material one to two months in advance. Weekly newspapers, like the , have their special editions planned months in advance and begin reviewing story ideas for those as much as two to three months out. So, they might be thinking about their February 17 corporate philanthropy section in December.Magazines - particularly those aimed at consumers - often have lead times of as much as six months. Some of those include women’s books like Ladies’ Home Journal and Redbook, as well as men’s magazines like Maxim. In December, those editors are already thinking about Easter, taxes, Mother’s Day and baseball season.Even newswires like t
What typifies a modern intranet portal is that there is a standardised user interface (“UI”) with a built in system for user authentication. In other words, the user signs in to the portal rather than simply accessing it. This brings us to the key difference; an intranet portal knows who you are, whilst with an old-fashioned intranet, the user is anonymous.
If the user authentication is properly linked to your employee data, then the portal will know things like (a) what grade the person is, (b) which department they work in, (c) what location they work at and (d) what job they do.
If the portal authentication is also liked to a metadirectory (along with the authentication for all the other systems the user needs to use in their job) then the portal will additionally know (e) which applications the user needs to do their job and (f) the rights the user has (from their security profile) to access different application functionality.
Finally, if an infocube-based web statistics package has been installed, the portal will know (a) which areas of the portal are accessed by the user and (b) the frequency and depth of that access.
The opportunity to personalise the portal experience
Clearly, given the knowledge above, it is possible to personalise the UI for each individual user. For example, if the user works in the sales function, then the homepage that greets them upon logon could be the Sales team homepage. If they work in Leeds, the facilities link on their homepage could be to maps, traffic, fire orders, etc. about the Leeds office (rather than anywhere else). If their specific job is as a field sales manager, then field sales performance graphs and management dashboard could be displayed on the homepage.
If the user is of a grade that places them on the company insider dealing list, then additional (price sensitive) real-time data might be displayed on the screen (which other users would not see). If statistics tell us that they are not reading important communications, then messages could be served to them that draw their attention to what they are missing. Finally, if they use functionality from three different (legacy) systems to do their job, then these could be brought together and surfaced via a portlet application on the portal page.
The prize is clearly a smoother and more integrated user experience, with key information “pushed” at the user in a way they can’t ignore and always no more than a single click away.
The depressing truth about personalisation today
Many portal vendors have undertaken research with their existing customer base to explore (a) how many customers have made extensive use of personalisation and (b) how many surface key business applications via their portal. The results do not make encouraging reading (with less than 20% achieving much beyond what Plumtree call "the empty portal").
This prompts an obvious question. If the benefits to the user of personalisation are so obvious, why have companies not taken advantage of them? In fact, based on my experience, there are multiple reasons not to personalise, which I group int
It's a very tempting thing to simply download a ready-made resume and plug in your details. What's the harm? That's what a template is for, after all: to make things easier.This is both true and not.There are distinct advantages to using a resume template, just as there are distinct disadvantages. Here, we will outline them so you may decide what is best for you.Advantages:To begin, a resume template is--above all things--simple. Whether you find them online or in a book, you can easily see how to create a resume. By copying it down, you can just put in your details and fill in the blanks. This can cut down on the confusion often associated with creating a resume, and make the focus less about learning the rules and more about completing the project.Also, resume templates offer a variety of choices and styles. Typically, the Chronological or the Functional format are used; however, templates can cover a broader range and give you more selec
If the portal authentication is also liked to a metadirectory (along with the authentication for all the other systems the user needs to use in their job) then the portal will additionally know (e) which applications the user needs to do their job and (f) the rights the user has (from their security profile) to access different application functionality.
Finally, if an infocube-based web statistics package has been installed, the portal will know (a) which areas of the portal are accessed by the user and (b) the frequency and depth of that access.
The opportunity to personalise the portal experience
Clearly, given the knowledge above, it is possible to personalise the UI for each individual user. For example, if the user works in the sales function, then the homepage that greets them upon logon could be the Sales team homepage. If they work in Leeds, the facilities link on their homepage could be to maps, traffic, fire orders, etc. about the Leeds office (rather than anywhere else). If their specific job is as a field sales manager, then field sales performance graphs and management dashboard could be displayed on the homepage.
If the user is of a grade that places them on the company insider dealing list, then additional (price sensitive) real-time data might be displayed on the screen (which other users would not see). If statistics tell us that they are not reading important communications, then messages could be served to them that draw their attention to what they are missing. Finally, if they use functionality from three different (legacy) systems to do their job, then these could be brought together and surfaced via a portlet application on the portal page.
The prize is clearly a smoother and more integrated user experience, with key information “pushed” at the user in a way they can’t ignore and always no more than a single click away.
The depressing truth about personalisation today
Many portal vendors have undertaken research with their existing customer base to explore (a) how many customers have made extensive use of personalisation and (b) how many surface key business applications via their portal. The results do not make encouraging reading (with less than 20% achieving much beyond what Plumtree call "the empty portal").
This prompts an obvious question. If the benefits to the user of personalisation are so obvious, why have companies not taken advantage of them? In fact, based on my experience, there are multiple reasons not to personalise, which I group in
When you think about it, toll free numbers have really gone far. Today, there are literally hundreds of toll free providers and companies out there that can give you similar basic features.Each year it seems that the prices and services of these toll free number services keep going down. That’s due to the fact that the long distance companies have been fighting each other for the longest time regarding who has the lowest rates. In the end, it is the consumer that wins as we benefit from this.Toll free numbers have really lost their importance over the last few years. Don’t get me wrong, if you can get a toll free number today and can afford it, by all means do so. It will raise your credibility with your customers and clients and give your company a larger image, even if you are a one man show. As I mentioned above, long distance companies are in the ever long battle to provide you, the consumer, with the lowest rates and packages. Therefore long distance is in
Clearly, given the knowledge above, it is possible to personalise the UI for each individual user. For example, if the user works in the sales function, then the homepage that greets them upon logon could be the Sales team homepage. If they work in Leeds, the facilities link on their homepage could be to maps, traffic, fire orders, etc. about the Leeds office (rather than anywhere else). If their specific job is as a field sales manager, then field sales performance graphs and management dashboard could be displayed on the homepage.
If the user is of a grade that places them on the company insider dealing list, then additional (price sensitive) real-time data might be displayed on the screen (which other users would not see). If statistics tell us that they are not reading important communications, then messages could be served to them that draw their attention to what they are missing. Finally, if they use functionality from three different (legacy) systems to do their job, then these could be brought together and surfaced via a portlet application on the portal page.
The prize is clearly a smoother and more integrated user experience, with key information “pushed” at the user in a way they can’t ignore and always no more than a single click away.
The depressing truth about personalisation today
Many portal vendors have undertaken research with their existing customer base to explore (a) how many customers have made extensive use of personalisation and (b) how many surface key business applications via their portal. The results do not make encouraging reading (with less than 20% achieving much beyond what Plumtree call "the empty portal").
This prompts an obvious question. If the benefits to the user of personalisation are so obvious, why have companies not taken advantage of them? In fact, based on my experience, there are multiple reasons not to personalise, which I group in
Scene 1. A quick-serve restaurant, Anywhere, USA. Cashier (no eye contact with guest): For here or to go? Guest: Here. I’ll have a Burger Deal #1. [Wow. What a nice greeting.] Cashier: Okay. What kind of drink? Guest: Diet cola. [Why don’t they just let me do this myself? The cashier isn’t doing anything but pressing buttons.] Cashier: Want dessert? Guest: No thanks. [I don’t even know what they serve for dessert.] Cashier: $4.29 Guest: Thanks. [For letting me give you my money.]Scene 2. A quick-serve restaurant, Anywhere, USA. Cashier (smiling and looking guest in the eye): Welcome! Have you ever been here before? Guest: Every week! Cashier (pointing to a countertop mat): Thanks for coming back! So you know about our new Deluxe special? Guest: No, I don’t. I’ll try one of those. Cashier: The meals come in two sizes--regular and value-sized. Which do you prefer? Guest: I’ll try the value-sized.
The prize is clearly a smoother and more integrated user experience, with key information “pushed” at the user in a way they can’t ignore and always no more than a single click away.
The depressing truth about personalisation today
Many portal vendors have undertaken research with their existing customer base to explore (a) how many customers have made extensive use of personalisation and (b) how many surface key business applications via their portal. The results do not make encouraging reading (with less than 20% achieving much beyond what Plumtree call "the empty portal").
This prompts an obvious question. If the benefits to the user of personalisation are so obvious, why have companies not taken advantage of them? In fact, based on my experience, there are multiple reasons not to personalise, which I group in
Many network marketing companies make it very easy to be trained and learn what you have to do to succeed in the business. Today there are so many opportunities out there, anyone can be a millionaire if they really want it. If you are willing to take the time and be trained for a certain network marketing company that's just the first step. Once you learn what you need to do in order to succeed then you can begin making money on your own.A popular way that many MLM businesses are doing their training now is by conference calls. With a conference call they give you a phone number and a pin code to dial onto. Most companies have conference calls on a daily basis and anywhere from 2 to 150 people can access the call at the same time. It can be on many different subjects depending on the company. Usually at the end of each conference call the speaker gives the networkers a chance to ask anything they want. For example they can ask about a problem they are having with thei
Many portal vendors have undertaken research with their existing customer base to explore (a) how many customers have made extensive use of personalisation and (b) how many surface key business applications via their portal. The results do not make encouraging reading (with less than 20% achieving much beyond what Plumtree call "the empty portal").
This prompts an obvious question. If the benefits to the user of personalisation are so obvious, why have companies not taken advantage of them? In fact, based on my experience, there are multiple reasons not to personalise, which I group into “bad” and “good” reasons.
Bad reasons not to personalise
There are a number of typical failings that tend to stem from a lack of courage, poor understanding or personal prejudice:
1) Failure to link through to employee data and/or a metadirectory
This can be due to a number of factors, including (a) the costs of software seen as too expensive, (b) a perception that implementation will be too difficult or prone to failure, (c) a lack of confidence in the quality of employee data and (d) realising too late that this work is important and having failed therefore to include in project scope or business case costs
2) Failure of vision and/or lack of confidence in personalisation benefits
Typical problems include (a) a lack of experience of using portals and thus a lack of awareness of the possibilities, (b) a nostalgia for the old-fashioned style of intranet navigation, (c) an unhealthy focus on the intranet simply as a communication channel, rather than as a business tool and – perhaps most interestingly - (d) a perception that personalisation is synonymous with (or otherwise encourages) individuals failing to observe and comply with single, enterprise-wide processes and policy.
Good reasons not to personalise
There are actually several valid objections to personalisation, which you would ignore at your peril. The two most notable are:
3) The whole is more than the sum of the parts
Many portal projects are built on the concepts of (a) increased knowledge sharing between teams, (b) better awareness of the “big picture” of what is happening in the company and (c) a sense of belonging to a single, enterprise-wide community. By personalising teams and individuals into “ghettos” where they only see information and applications directly relevant to them, the opportunity is lost to have them explore the intranet presence of other colleagues.
4) Log-in as a barrier to user adoption
A (valid) concern that requiring people to log-in each time they access the portal will act as a deterrent to them doing so, thereby reducing the portal benefits through a reduction in intranet usage. This has lead to some customers disabling the log-in feature! Of course, such problems can be overcome through the implementation of a single sign-on application, where rights to access the portal (without a separate log-on procedure) are granted when the user logs onto the network. However, companies often fail to plan or budget for such changes.
So is personalisation the right thing
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