An honorable mention for iD in The Australian:

In a roll-out that began last year, Shell installed Intranet DASHBOARD, a Microsoft .NET-based product developed in by software firm The ADWEB Agency.

Intranet DASHBOARD allowed Shell to cut its web server databases from 140 to a single Microsoft SQL Server database. Deployment was swift, with the product rolled out to 8000 employees in 20 countries in a single day, and 30,000 staff in a week.

The Shell IT Communications Director says one of the key attractions for Shell was that the product needed no add-ons. “Often you get the engine but not the body or the wheels,” he says. “This product came with a suite of ready-to-use applications, as well as lots of templates and wizard-driven stuff.”

The simplification of internet content creation allowed Shell to cut back on the use of third-party contractors, which together with cuts in infrastructure, hosting and support delivered an estimated saving of 50 per cent.