Charles Darwin University (CDU) is poised to roll out its new web-based collaboration tool that will provide essential Intranet services to staff.
Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 (MOSS) will be the new tool for internal communications, including news, announcements, document libraries and collaborative projects.
Senior analyst programmer with CDU’s Information Technology Management and Support (ITMS), JC Nou, said the new Intranet environment would improve communication, maximise office productivity, improve information delivery, improve the quality of work and automate functions.
“MOSS utilises the investment we have made in our computing infrastructure to provide a collaborative working environment that is secure and aware of our CDU staff profiles and security groups,” he said.
"Given the number of sites using the previous version, ITMS is very aware of how popular this revamped version of MOSS will be. Key to our MOSS management strategies is the development of support networks to manage and support MOSS expansion and take up.”
JC said that CDU’s ITMS had long been inundated with requests for the provision of collaborative intranet sites.
“Since July 2007, ITMS in conjunction with Corporate Communications and a contract consultant have been developing the new CDU Staff Intranet environment,” he said.
“We have developed a structure for the site, investigated the product’s new features, trained and developed our technical resources, and tested a number of functions planned for use in the Intranet. We are now in a strong position to begin releasing Intranet sites as outlined in the implementation plan outlined further below.”
JC said that to move the MOSS project at a sustainable pace, a support team had received site administration training aimed at building experience and confidence in the new application.
It is proposed that the implementation will be undertaken in three phases which ITMS hopes to have completed by June 2008.