Survey Reveals Intranets Are Becoming Backbone of IT Infrastructures

IDC report also shows companies moving from top-down hierarchical information structures towards horizontal collaboration

A recent survey from International Data Corporation (IDC) on intranet uses and intended usage corroborates what IDM readers have known all along: that intranets are increasingly becoming an integral component of an organization's information technology infrastructure, and that the roster of mission-critical intranet applications is expanding.

"The intranet is beginning a critical change in its evolution," said Mike Comiskey, an analyst with IDC's Intranet Strategies research program. "User expectations have risen to a level that eclipses the notion of the intranet as a secondary information resource. Users will expect more from their intranets, especially as new technology allows better information management and business process integration."

The IDC survey revealed that the top four intranet uses remained the same as last year: information sharing, information publishing, email, and document management. However, the survey showed applications such as data conferencing that formerly played less significant roles on intranets are taking on greater significance this year and being used more often.

Other findings from IDC's survey included:

• Most organizations surveyed rely on internal expertise when designing or implementing an intranet.
• More than half the organizations surveyed had a corporate standard for Web browsers.
• Microsoft's Internet Information Server is the most widely used HTTP server among respondents.
• Of the organizations surveyed that did a post-implementation analysis, most said their goals had been met or exceeded.

The survey also revealed the corporate mindset on information is changing. Companies are moving from a top-down hierarchical philosophy to a more open, horizontal, collaborating one.

"Whether or not the intranet is responsible for transforming the insular information-hoarding mentality that has established itself over many years in business, it is clear that intranets enable better information sharing," said Ian Campbell, vice president of IDC's Collaborative Technologies group. "The instant access to real-time information that intranets enable provides a clear competitive advantage."

IDC's report, titled "U.S. Intranet Usage and User Intentions, 1998-1999" (IDC #B19643), explores current and expected intranet use, intranet applications, and intranet spending in the U.S. For further information visit www.idc.com.

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Date: August 31, 1999