"Our goal is to drive an efficient, transaction-based online system that is interactive and easy to use," says Bob Kaplan, a Field Services Manager for Microsoft in Redmond, Wash.

Microsoft's FM and IT departments collaborate to develop and maintain the various online applications that make this level of connectivity possible--and successful. The intranet-based work-order system, officially released to the company in April 2000 after beta testing with a limited group of users, now handles more than 1,000 requests per week, accounting for about 55 percent of the company's Puget Sound work orders (just five weeks after being implemented) and is still growing by about five percent per week.

Know Your Customer

One of the main elements in the success of Microsoft's online management system has been extensive user testing and system analysis. Application designers are constantly working to improve e-tool efficiency by looking closely at who uses which tools how often, information captured as an employee logs on to the network. The designers conduct detailed user acceptance testing to learn how customers will use the tools, and they do extensive product testing with small control groups before rolling out new systems company-wide.

"We are trying to make things as simple as possible for the end user," says Kaplan. "One thing we've found is that different users have different needs and unique ways of interacting with the tools. So we have developed one set of tools for building residents, which they can use to order products and services, and a separate set of lease/property administration and project management tools for facilities staff and vendors."

According to Kaplan, the key is to cut through separate corporate divisions and organize information into categories that make sense to the user.

"Customers should be able to accomplish what they need with as few mouse clicks as possible, regardless of organizational boundaries," he says. "If they want to order catered food, get a PC, or a piece of furniture, it doesn't matter to them what group within Microsoft is doing that. They would rather not know and don't need to know."

MS designers make it easy to click through forms by pre-populating data fields whenever possible. Users are automatically recognized by their network logon, so pages already contain specific information, such as the individual's name, office location, and phone number, when they open.

Another element of the MS intranet that has evolved out of user analysis is the "I Need To" list: a pull-down menu that features the most commonly used tools. System designers look at what requests are made most often, and anything that is used frequently enough is added to the list.

"We've also added 'Quick Tickets' for the most frequently requested items like hot and cold calls. For these items customers can just click an icon on the front page of the request tool and they get a fully populated request form. All they have to do is click Submit," Kaplan says.

High-Tech Tools for High-Tech Clients

Since the applications are all based on Microsoft's own technology, the design team is spared the problem of dealing with platform conflicts, but the corporation's high level of technological sophistication creates an entirely different set of challenges.

"At Microsoft, people already expect that everything will be on the Internet," says Kaplan. "We don't have to convince them to go online to find services, but there are disadvantages that come along with that. One drawback is that our customers have very high expectations, and they'll do things like critique Web page source code and offer up better code.

"Another difficulty is that we have to support every new beta version of Internet Explorer (IE) or Windows 2000 as soon as it comes out," he says, observing, "these are broadly used as Microsoft tests new products before releasing them."

The FM group has been developing its own online tools for more than a decade and has learned a number of lessons in the process, the most significant of which is the importance of making tools easy for customers to find and use.

For example, one of the company's first interactive tools was a carpool application. Initially, the program, which matches employees up with other workers who live in the same area, was a free-standing page not associated with any other commuting tools on the MS network. Although it was a highly beneficial application, it was difficult for employees to find.

In order to make the company's e-business systems more customer focused, Microsoft's Corporate Services IT group (which develops all the tools used for the Procurement, Employee Services, and Real Estate and Facilities businesses) engaged in an initiative to gather the different tools deployed on the intranet for transportation services on to a single Commute portal. As a result, the once-isolated carpool finder is now integrated with other transportation utilities in one location where employees can conveniently access a host of related services--acquire taxi vouchers, check bus schedules and parking information, and receive traffic updates, for example.

More broadly, the Microsoft Library group has created a portal where employees can access a wide variety of corporate information known as MS Web. Featuring elements such as drop-down menus and navigation bars, this intranet portal organizes a wide variety of e-tools into logical categories that are easy to navigate.

"We've learned that it is important to have a consistent look and feel on forms and Web pages so the customers can easily find what they're looking for," says Kaplan.

Evolution of the Web site has also shown designers that available information quickly mushrooms and that it's important not to overload users with too much data in one place.

"It's not wise to try and cram everything onto one page," Kaplan advises. "Eventually there's so much information that it's hard to find what you're looking for, even on a well-designed Web page."

Facility Management in the Virtual Age

While MS Web provides information about a variety of company-wide services, Microsoft has also created a transaction-oriented portal called MS Market. This high-level application contains multiple tools for requesting goods and services. An employee can do things like make flight reservations, order a PC, initiate group moves, request facilities services, and so on. Microsoft stipulates that any vendor wishing to participate in MS Market must also handle all invoicing and service interactions electronically. These electronic invoices are also processed through MS Market.

"We have an external Web site where our vendors go to handle billing. When an invoice comes from a vendor through MS Market, the relevant manager receives an email saying there is an invoice waiting for approval. That manager can click the URL and approve it, or pass it on to his or her manager for review (if required), and it all works right through the online system," Kaplan explains.

Because MS Market has also started becoming crowded with too much information, a next-generation tool is being developed that will allow users to customize their portal to the types of requests they complete most often.

"This next-generation tool will enhance elements such as the 'I Need To' function to give users quick access to the most frequently requested service items like catering, copying, dining, travel, and shipping," Kaplan says. "There will also be 'Go To' buttons at the bottom of the page that represent the most frequent work order requests--for instance, an office that's too cold. When users click one of these buttons, they get a fully populated form. All they have to do is click Submit and that request is in.

"When someone makes a request using these tools, it goes directly to the service provider," he continues. "There are a number of different ways this happens because we have several different types of providers. We give them the option to receive orders by fax, email, or through a work-order request program, depending on their needs."

Kaplan explains that compatibility with electronic service orders is not usually a problem at the larger Microsoft-owned campuses, which have their own internal service provider. Getting landlords and property managers at leased facilities to comply with electronic request systems can be more of a challenge.

"Our property management team negotiates with all the landlords to make sure that they will accept electronically generated work orders by email or fax," he says.

Secure Interactivity and Global Applicability

Security is another significant issue that a company must deal with when creating a user-friendly interactive network. If a security camera or door lock needs to be fixed, it isn't prudent to put that information on the network where anyone can view it, Kaplan points out. In order to avoid security compromises while still maintaining customer usability, Microsoft created a Confidential button that limits visibility to the person who placed the request and the specific service provider.

Among the company's other notable digital facility tools are MS Buildings, an interactive database that contains floor plans, lease abstracts, and other details for every leased or owned MS facility; and the Project Knowledge Center, which holds a running archive of all relevant data, meeting notes, drawings, and scheduling for Microsoft projects worldwide. While MS Buildings is a broad tool designed for access by everyone, the Project Knowledge Center contains a security function so that only authorized project personnel can view project data.

In light of the fact that Microsoft has added roughly one million sf of space every year for the past five years, these specialized facility applications have proven to be critical.

"When developing electronic tools for a global organization, the most important thing is to clearly define your user base and understand how they will use the tools," says Kaplan. "Then it's just a matter of learning how to make things easier for each user type. In order to do this, you have to dissolve the borders between various corporate entities and focus on creating tools that make sense to the end user," he concludes.

By Johnathon Allen

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ISSN: 1096-4894