Going inside with the Internet.

It's not a fad. It's a fact. The Internet and growing popularity of online communication has corporate communicators seeking answers to the pros and cons and ins and outs of electronic communication. Most of us are facing the million-dollar question: Where do I, my department and company fit into the electronic revolution?

For the last several months, I've explored the potential and possibilities of electronic employee communication. In an effort to answer questions such as, "What exactly is electronic communication?" "Who takes the lead in company-wide electronic communication?" and "What are the technical requirements and our capabilities?" I went running to my IABC peers. While most of us are in the same pond fighting the same alligators and asking the same questions, I found several of my Dallas/IABC peers pioneering this new world. They provided some excellent, definitive guidance. I'd like to share their insights with you.

First, a common definition of electronic communication: Electronic communication is broadly defined as communication vehicles that are electronic, including electronic mail, video conferencing, two-way interactive video and Web-like systems. They also suggested abiding by these organizational and electronic communication principles:

Organizational communication-electronic or print -must be a strategically important initiative with buy-in and support from executive leadership.

The focus is on the message, not the medium. Good communication remains good communication when you continue to think through the communication process and message, regardless of the distribution system. Avoid the "macro focus" on technology. Make sure that what you're communicating and the standards for your communication remain high.

Communication efforts must add business value to the information needs of employees and/or customers. Electronic communication must be a strategic tool that improves the performance of employees who use the information to better serve the company and its customers.

Communication must promote two-way interaction among employees at all levels of the organization.

Communication, especially electronic communication, must incorporate a corporate approvals process that ensures timeliness and immediacy.

A solid foundation for electronic communication begins with building information repositories. These repositories are big barrels of information fueling the information availability, exchange and interaction.

Implementing electronic communication requires a corporate commitment, plus extensive dialogue between communication and the information systems department. The system should be designed and developed in partnership with communicators (content) and technicians (technical issues).

Issues such as data integrity, design integrity, and who has authority to make decisions about development of a system must be resolved during system design, prior to any implementation.

The system should focus on on-screen readability and usability.

A company-wide technology infrastructure - ideally a local area network - must exist to use electronic communication effectively.

Electronic communication tools are subsets of organizational communication. Such communication is driven by professional communicators.

For international communicators striving to meet the information needs of employees spanning the globe, electronic communication is a virtual nirvana, offering affordable and immediate two-way interaction.

Going electronic - where do you start?

Money and staff are initial considerations, as are the technical capabilities of providing electronic communication. Start here by figuring out your costs and who in the communication department will be the electronic editor. Determine what content you want to share, how often you want to share it, and how you can ensure immediate access to that information.

Of the four companies I interviewed, one used an E-mail approach, while the others preferred a "Web approach." All but one company address a global audience of thousands of employees.

THE E-MAIL APPROACH. Your electronic newsletter may be as simple as a text-only file you distribute via electronic mail. Perot Systems Corporation, based in Dallas, publishes three online newsletters via E-mail. The internal communication department produces one every week and writes the others on an as-needed basis. Perot Systems chose this "low frills" approach for its simplicity and affordability. The department spends 15 hours a week collecting information. Copy approvals are completed within 24 hours and the newsletters are distributed to its 2,400 associates (employees). The newsletters are typically no longer than three pages and include briefs about the latest company news. It's a solution that offers minimal costs, no added technology investment, immediate information and message control.

THE WEB APPROACH. One company with thousands of employees across the world is in the development stage of its World Wide Web-like system. With a customized graphical interface based on Netscape (a standard Web browser), this cross-country electronic information bank works just like a WWW home page. It includes an easy-to-access index and the power of HTML (Hypertext Markup Language, commonly referred to as hypertext). The company is busily building repositories of company information. Repositories are the cornerstones of such systems. They are the sites where all the raw data sits waiting to be accessed. Employees can find the latest press releases, news, business, weekly updates - even newsletters that look like their printed counterparts - by pointing and clicking on the screen. From there, employees can read the information, cut it, paste it and even download it.

Dallas-based Texas Instruments, a worldwide manufacturer of electronics, also is developing a similar system. It's an evolutionary step in making its existing text-based system more user friendly. The system includes corporate news, stock prices, news features, personal employee recognition, employee classified ads, new products, technical societies listings and more. The new system will incorporate graphics, HTML and multimedia.

US WEST Communication, based in Denver, Colo., is a telecommunication provider with 50,000 employees in a 14-state region. Its internal Web site includes The News Stand, a section for late-breaking news; 40 or more internal publications (including graphics and photos); product catalogs; The Big Picture, a section covering the company's mission statements for its different divisions; This Just In... which includes company and national/international headlines of the day; and Let's Talk, an interactive forum for employees to discuss issues.

Why this approach? Communication experts cited three primary reasons: instant information access, reduced costs and increased two-way communication.

"The information is available, easily accessible and ready to use in a variety of ways, from inserting the data into customized reports to pulling text for CEO speeches. You have to make sure when you develop the system that the medium will improve productivity and help employees achieve their business objectives," said one advisor. He also said that an E-mail approach wasn't the preferred approach because it didn't meet the information-sharing and searching capabilities that his company wanted for employees. US WEST chose the Web approach after going with E-mail and experiencing technical problems.

"We were never sure whether our communication would cause a system crash," said Kristina Jonell, US WEST manager of external and internal Web sites. "Employee input was another big factor in the switch. Employees kept saying they were tired of sifting through a multitude of E-mail messages (press releases, a daily communique, plus other announcements from other groups and individuals). Employees wanted a centralized resource that included business-related information and an electronic index and table of contents."

Electronic communication and you

So what's right for you? Start the discussions now! Some suggestions for getting started include:

* Determine your company's position on electronic communication. Determine what technologies your company currently uses and how this might fit into the technology mix.

* Get conceptual and financial buy-in from senior management on electronic communication, short-term and long-term.

* Develop a plan with specific timeframes for such a system. Develop a process that includes timeframes and resources for building information repositories, and digitizing and preparing documents for online availability.

* Specify the departments and personnel that should manage electronic communication. Explicitly define roles, responsibilities and processes for information-gathering, electronic input and information management and maintenance.

* Work with your information systems department to manage the technical aspects; define roles, responsibilities and processes for system stability, management and maintenance.

* Create a "SWAT team" to lead the development, testing and strategic planning of electronic communication. Invite input from all employees. Give real decision-making authority to the SWAT commander.

* Communicate recommendations, actions and progress to employees for short-term and long-term electronic communication.

* Read, read, read! Learn as much about online communication as you can. The more you know about LANs, HTML and the Internet, the more you empower your position and your department in the company.

Roy G. Miller is vice president of internal communication for Dallas/IABC, and an account executive for Byrne Johnson, a Dallas advertising, public relations and marketing firm. Readers can reach him at [e-mail] or via CompuServe at 102625,2477.