Internet Implementation Tips Implementation covers how the organization integrates the Internet into its activities. Simply getting an Internet connection, and dumping Netscape onto workstations is a recipe for disaster. Too many companies focus strictly on the technical challenges, and overlook the impact Internet will have on their existing business processes.

Many organizations focus strictly on the corporate level technical issues of Network connectivity. Unfortunately, it is the employee and the employee workstation that are often neglected in this planning.

Do not give the employee just a Web Browser with a generic home page A robust suite of tools should be bundled with every employee’s Internet connection These tools will reside on User’s PCs and Intranet servers

Employee PC :

• Home page = an internal Launch page
• Pre-loaded bookmarks/folders, includes link to bookmark.html
• Pre-configured with helper Applications (Acrobat, zip, PowerPoint, real player, quicktime, shockwave, and any organization-specific apps )

Intranet Servers:

• Corporate knowledge databases
• Site license information resources
• Archived information from Internet

Training is more critical for the Internet than almost any other application. The Internet is different from other applications, in that it includes an interactive component. You would not travel to Japan to negotiate a contract without first learning about their culture. Yet how many of your employees wander around cyberspace, without any indoctrination? The investment made in Internet training will pay handsomely as your employees learn how to take advantage of this valuable tool to support your organization's goals. (Be sure to look at my own course offerings.

Why Internet training is important: Untrained users WILL waste a lot of time Users unable to find useful sites Users could embarrass the organization

Essential skills to include in the training:

• How to use the software (obvious, simple part)
• How to find things on the internet (Also obvious)
• An introduction to the Internet’s structure (or lack of)
• Netiquette (Network Etiquette) - The Do’s and Don’ts of cyberspace
• Organization’s Access policy - Help them avoid getting in trouble
• How to get a personal home connection - Employees with a home connection will not be tempted to visit personal sites at work, and they become more proficient online users.

Consider linking the users’ getting access with their completion of training (No training? --> No access through Firewall )

Specialized Internet skills for employees . Additional internet training should be offered to match the employee's job function. For Example:

• Internet for Account Managers - This session includes many strategies to stay well-informed about clients, competitors and entire industries. It is amazing how much valuable marketing information, and leads are flying around the Internet -IF you know where to look ;-) Customized news filters that keep you automatically informed about your customer / competitor / industry. Use of Internet to strengthen your contacts

Define an “Internet Access Policy” to include:

• why company has Internet access proper uses of the Internet ( for work)
• improper uses of the Internet (pornography, hacking)
• protecting proprietary information
• Notify them that when using the Internet at work, they are consenting to monitoring by the company
• this may help protect the company if it takes action against an employee based on monitoring
• Remind employees of public nature the Internet, and how their emails will reflect upon the company image.
• Download/shareware policy, and re-iterate any anti-virus policy
• Internet Usage policy template - very detailed, but has some good ideas.

The whole point of having a policy, is to help prevent employees from getting into trouble in the first place