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Comprehensive corporate information via intranet system

Queensland's Caboolture Shire Council has developed an intranet system for its internal communications. This follows a determination to introduce electronic Quality Assurance based on ISO 9001.

Quality Assurance Officer Janet Kirkwood said the aim is to ultimately develop an electronic QA system to educate new employees, increase corporate communication and maintain the corporate culture. After observing similar systems in use elsewhere, Caboolture's QA officers developed a simple intranet system that operates across the whole of Council.

"Intranets are attractive because they can lower the administrative costs of maintaining an internal network and, at the same time, improve worker productivity by giving users more efficient access to the information and services they need," Janet Kirkwood said. "In addition, they deliver real value in the form of improved information sharing with relatively low set up and administrative costs."

To deliver a system which would run as efficiently as possible, staff views were sought as to what functions a system might provide in making their jobs simpler, more efficient and satisfying. Now, as units complete their documentation for Quality Assurance, this is published on the Intranet to enable full searching capabilities by all staff. This includes general information released via the Customer Service Unit.

Janet said accuracy, currency and availability of the documentation needs to be guaranteed. Therefore, a management strategy has been drafted including a review and revision plan, together with details on who did the work, when it was done and who authorised it. The system includes a table of contents. A site map is also available as the easiest form of navigation together with a 'what's new' page.

"The Intranet has been extended beyond the scope of Quality Assurance and is now used as a comprehensive corporate information system with further expansions planned in the near future," Janet Kirkwood said.

Other information on the system include Council Minutes and Policies, Project Status Reports, Caboolture History, Telephone Lists, Job Vacancies and Queensland Local Government contacts.

For further information contact Janet Kirkwood, telephone (07) 5495 0157.

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