The IT department gets involved when the intranet discussions become technical. Here's a simple example. The choice of web browsers would seem to be a no-brainer. Unfortunately, the two browsers have several incompatibilities, particularly in how they implement, or display, advanced HTML features and Java scripts. That requires sticking with generalized HTML coding and Java scripts, and not implementing the latest browser versions.
Technology is just one of the intranet challenges facing management.
Cultural challenges must also be overcome. In many enterprises, desktop buys are a distributed function, the participants of which might be loath to following a technology standard from on high. The same holds true with software applications. Enterprises consisting of multiple internal divisions or acquisitions have to integrate different messaging applications, such as e-mail. This often involves converting one system to the other, and throwing away the former.