Using Intranet Email Effectively (Part 2)

Email technology can help an organization to communicate more quickly and effectively. Yet, as with many other technologies, the potential for individuals to misuse or abuse intranet email must also be acknowledged.

In many cases, difficulty in using intranet email arises from simple accidents and not malicious behavior. Horror stories abound even though one might suspect that especially problematic incidents within intranets fail to become public knowledge.

One article published on this subject in 1999 [source: www.cnet.com/Content/Reports/Features/Disasters/?st.cn.EmailTC.cnt4.gp" (offline)] featured twelve specific incidents of email trouble. A quick analysis reveals that eight of these -- a full two-thirds of the total -- involved intranets! And identifying the root cause of these accidents seemingly does not require much deep thought. People make mistakes all the time, and many of today's graphic user interfaces could provide more assistance than they do for simple tasks such as double-checking one's email distribution list.

But beyond these superficial observations, consider some of the more elusive yet more insightful reasons behind intranet email disasters. First, realize that intranets exist to maintain privacy and at the same time allow individuals to share this private information amongst themselves. Any mistakes made in handling these private data will naturally tend to be more costly than in free and open conversation amongst friends, for example.