Given the trend of companies downsizing (what a charming euphemism for laying-off employees), corporate survivors have a lot more than survivor guilt to deal with. Despite limited resources, department heads face an ever-increasing demand for intellectual capital. Enter the intranet, which was supposed to be an inward-facing microcosm of what the Internet has accomplished for communication worldwide: an exponential increase in information availability and the facilitation of communication. Yet, like so many attempts at translating the organic information explosion of the Internet into managed business processes, it's taking more than a few tries to get it right.

And, compounding the situation for many technology-based information initiatives, the individuals with expertise in managing content were among the first to be downsized right out of the equation. Thus, what was once the domain of knowledge managers and information professionals (with much needed support from the swamped IT department), now falls on the over-burdened shoulders of department managers. The problem is that compelling content seems to be the single most in-demand item for the intranets and portals that actually get used. Unfortunately, the backgrounds of those left struggling with intranets these days are not likely those of technology or information professionals.

So emerges a new demographic of intranet professionals: marketing and human resources professionals, department heads, VPs, and the occasional harried Info Pro or CIO. Thus we have relaunched Intranet Professional: Managing Knowledge Ecosystems as Intranets: Enterprise Strategies and Solutions. We will strive to provide articles, columns, news, tools, and resources that offer hands-on expertise to help the broad group of professionals called upon today to participate in an intranet or related initiative.

I believe that the need has never been greater for effective management of knowledge, human, and intellectual resources. As such, we will strive to provide practical guidance to help organizations make the most of what they've got as well as to make decisions about new technological investments in these areas. Welcome to the first issue of Intranets.