Using an Intranet for Effective Communication
Lígia M. Ribeiro and Gabriel David
Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto
Abstract
The paper describes how an information system based on a database, and accessed by standard Web browsers, became an effective support for communication due to an integrated approach to modelling information coupled with some specific modules offering communication services.
0 Introduction
The Intranet of the Engineering Faculty of the University of Porto, called SiFEUP, is under development since 1996 (see [1]). One of the goals stated in the study [2] that launched the project was "to increase internal communication effectiveness one-to-many (diffusion), many-to-one (recovery), one-to-one (transfer)".
This was one among several other goals, at the time deemed more important, which inherited from the view of the system as a record of information on the school's activity and as a provider of easy access to it. According to this view, the highest priority has been assigned to the modules organising the information on the degrees offered, student enrolments, academic results, department organisation, personnel, research projects and groups, and scientific publications. This information is recognised as useful both to the students and teachers inside the Faculty and as a way of promoting the image of the Faculty among companies, prospective students, and the scientific community.
However, the actual use of the system stresses the communication facilities built around it. From the viewpoint of the frequent user, already acquainted with most of the information in the system, its most valuable facet turns out to be the enhanced communication channels it offers. These include, among others, a flexible mailing list facility and a generalised set of Web pages.
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