Preparing for a Portal

An article in EnterpriseAppsPipeline cites a recent Forrester study that indicates that the success of an enterprise portal deployment hinges on, amongst other things:

• a clear linkage between business processes and the technology
• Well defined budgetary requirements
• Identifying which areas will not receive significant benefit from the launch of the portal and tabling them to a future phase.

The first point seems very clear to those working in the IT industry, and has almost become meaningless.  However, developing a process early on in a portal project to systematically link portal development efforts to business processes will improve the efficiencies gained by the portal dramatically.  I would also add that by doing this early and often in the portal project allows the teams who are recipients of the portal solutions to have a better understanding of how the portal can impact their business.  This clear example, tied to their business, will serve to spark their imagination and empower them to design and suggest future ways that the portal can help them.

The second point is one that I have noticed companies struggling with six months or so after deploying a portal.  Often there is a staffing strain after a portal launch because of the frenzy of ideas that come out from the various business units and IT's willingness to help.  This is good, but it strains the IT staff when they have to continue to respond to their “normal” tasks.  Often a company is still skeptical of the benefits of a portal project right up until they are overwhelmed with the success and do not have time to react with staffing adjustments.  A clear roadmap for staffing adjustments early on in the project I could see as being beneficial.