Revelation and Trials:
that's what it's all about.
Joseph Campbell (1904-1987)

In Joseph Campell's famous analysis of "The Hero's Journey", he identified a common pattern in all the great myths of the world.

In the first part of the story, the Hero receives a Call to Adventure (a quest, challenge or problem he must face). Typically, the Hero initially expresses fear and is reluctant or refuses the Call.

At this point, the Hero meets with a mentor, who provides encouragement, wisdom, or magical gifts to push the Hero past fear and doubt.

The wisdom and gifts are, of course, vital later on, when the Hero faces the Ordeal (confronting his greatest fear and tasting death).

So what magical gifts would I confer on you at the very start of your journey? Well, I suppose there are a number of key qualities you will need to have, or acquire, in order to stay the course (see centre panel). You will need to be a tough cookie to make the case, lead
and execute your intranet portal project.

So what is an intranet portal anyway?  Well, the simple description might be 'an intranet that knows who you are' and can target content and applications at you, based on your role and user profile.

As such, the portal improves on a traditional intranet by 'bringing together in one place all the information and tools

you need to do your job, readily accessible and easy to use'.

From the links panel (see right), you can access a full glossary of the terms (both business and technical) that you are likely to encounter in your voyage of discovery. Take your time to get familiar with some of the key concepts, before you begin.

Hard Hat

The hard hat symbolises the most important personal quality you will need to lead an Intranet Portal project:

Resilience – It is perhaps surprising - but nonetheless true - that an intranet project has a very high profile across the organisation. One will need to be thick skinned to survive the inevitable political missiles!

Thermos Flask

The thermos flask is symbolic of a quality particularly important in the early (pre-project stages) of the effort:

Patience – It will take much longer than you think to lay out the vision, gather the sponsorship and make the business case for an Intranet Portal. Be prepared for a long haul, just to reach the starting line!

Tool Box

The tool box symbolises the most important quality for the project phase itself and the immediate aftermath:

Resourcefulness – Learn from others and avoid their mistakes. Be nimble enough to cope with your scope being stretched, whilst defending it's substance. Ruthlessly execute your plans, but be prepared to try a different approach when things aren't working.