Gilbert + Tobin Intranet Interface

Client Introduction

Gilbert + Tobin is fundamentally different from other law firms. Established in 1988, a concentration on values and capability have attracted to the firm some of the brightest lawyers in Australia. Best known for their work in 'digital economy' sectors, Gilbert + Tobin also rank in the 'Top 10' of Asia-Pacific firms for mergers and acquisitions. The firm's 350 strong work force have acted in some of Australia's most high profile, complex cases.

Project Overview

Following the development of a web site for an associated firm in Hong Kong, Gilbert + Tobin approached Switch I.T. to research and define the first generation of their corporate intranet. They required the development of a slick, usable and efficient interface that would seamlessly integrate disparate elements of their current Lotus Notes system into a consistent web-based look-and-feel.

Early analysis led to the development of a revised Hierarchy Site Diagram that mapped a navigable intranet structure. Following this, Abstract Page Designs were developed to establish what elements were required on each page within the system. Once the required elements were defined, Wire Frame layouts were developed to determine the approximate positioning of each element, such as the navigation system, application menus and page content.

Following this detailed analysis, the actual aesthetics were developed. Shades of blue were used to give the overall system a corporate feel, combined with shades of orange to maintain the firms new economy mind-set. The entire design process was focused on ensuring that the interface remained as clean and usable as possible.

Following the design of the interface and coding of the layout in HTML and DHTML, explorative research was undertaken with Gilbert + Tobin staff to gain further feedback and ascertain if any potential usability issues existed.

Each phase of the development process was resolved via the Switch I.T. Client Extranet. Switch I.T. staff would post design revisions, get feedback from Gilbert + Tobin staff, then post a modified version based on this feedback and suggestions. This web-based iterative process allowed Gilbert + Tobin staff to provide feedback in almost real-time, drastically reducing the approval cycle.

The entire project was done under an extremely tight deadline and was completed on budget in less than 20 days.

While the intranet is currently being implemented by the Gilbert + Tobin I.T. department, preliminary user feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.

Technologies
Client Side	HTML, JavaScript
Server Side	JSP