If you're wondering what the next intranet employee directory should look like just hop over to Ning. They're a consumer oriented social networking service that allows anyone to setup a social network within a matter of seconds. Highlighted by Techcrunch as a startup with lots of potential, their service has all the ingredients to make a successful department or team centric employee directory.
Sure, one will need to find a way to integrate a solution like this with the LDAP servers and all the databases running out of HR, but the concept for employees (and potentially business partners) is powerful. Intranets needs employee directories that in a sense are what you get when Linkedin meets MySpace. Ning has a few ideas that can take the employee directories in that direction.
But best of all is the fact that anyone create a social network and invite people to join, share information and collaboration. That's what companies need - mechanisms for employees to form their own adhoc teams and intraprenurial environments that aren't bound by corporate mandates or centralized intranet managers.
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