An authoring process is needed to help people with access to the tools to be effective communicators. An approvals process is needed to ensure that top management, who are also learning during this process, are kept informed about what's happening. An acculturation process is needed, to introduce the new concepts and working styles that will evolve. Communicators can make a great contribution to their organizations by finding ways to make processes orderly and effective. Communicators of the future will rarely serve in traditional editorial functions.
Intranets democratize information.
Information is no longer the domain of top management and the communications department, and can no longer be controlled. Communicators function more as mediators to build consensus, to facilitate process, to moderate dialogues and to identify and reinforce credible sources of information. They need to develop new expectations, and communicators fill a very important role in defining those expectations and providing a process by which they can be fulfilled. The first step is to identify the people in the organization who are genuinely excited about the new technology. Learn enough of their jargon and technical language to be comfortable in group discussions.