Design Thinking
As we approach Enterprise 2.0, it is becoming more and more transparent what exact role corporate intranets have in the ‘innovational’ sector. There is quite a bit of discussion about intranets being able to innovate, but I would argue the opposite.
Programming and development is nothing more than a series of inputs and outputs. If you input ‘A’ the system knows to output ‘B.’ This can be fudged a bit by employing keywords and database calls, but the same holds true no matter how intricate the system is.
Generally, the inputs are run through an algorithm, or a procedure that outputs a result. Hence, the innovation being the algorithm.
Algorithms are generally not something that is arbitrarily put together by a computer. Mathematicians, developers, designers, and professionals all put effort into coming up with exactly what is needed for the application to do. Then, the algorithm is coded into the software and off they go.
In order to get to the point of establishing an algorithm, an organization must first learn proper design. They need to learn ‘Design Thinking.” This includes everything from picking the algorithm team to the final design of the algorithm itself. Indeed, it is a challenging process, but it is a necessity for the future of enterprise intranets (and Enterprise 2.0 as a whole).
90% of all software (web or otherwise) are design related. 10% is coding. Put together a great design and the system can be as diverse as you want, now and for years to come.
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Sadly, this is a largely semantic argument. As with many bits of techno-babble, the word intranet is overburdened with meaning. In the recent vernacular, it is often used to mean, not only the technology, but the entire environment of the internal corporate network including the people who tap into and use the network. In this context, the notion of the intranet innovating is not at all invalid. Information technology can provide an infrastructure which either supports its users in their efforts to innovate or fights its users. An environment that provides for the free flow of captured corporate wisdom and lessons learned can help people to find and vet useful ideas more rapidly.
The technology of an intranet does not innovate. But the intranet, viewed as a rich and living community of users empower by technology and data access, can be a powerful engine of innovation. Perhaps, if the effort spent castigating those who speak of the larger view of the intranet were put in to considering how to empower innovation with technology, we might see some more capable innovation networks.
Jason, quite an interesting post. It depends on the definition of Intranet itself as James pointed out, but I agree with you that when it comes down to innovation and having a real impact upon productivity than we need to talk about design and not programming.
Actually could coding and programming become a commodity in the near future? That is a topic for antoher post.