🌐 Cigma.app Intranet

This user guide is for members and officers, to help improve communications and to help modernise the RAFA 381 Club website and intranet (secure digital office).

It is designed for officers of the club to help share and improve communications and workload.

Created: 10 Jan 26 by John Parsons

Intranet

What is an intranet

An intranet is a private, secure network used by an organisation to facilitate internal communication, collaboration, and information sharing. Think of it as a "private internet" accessible only to employees or authorised members of a specific company.

Core Functions

Centralised Hub: It serves as the "single source of truth" for company news, policies, and employee directories.

Collaboration: Provides tools for teams to share files, manage projects, and communicate across different departments.

Operational Efficiency: Streamlines workflows by hosting digital forms (like holiday requests or expense reports) and training materials.

Culture Building: Offers a space for internal announcements, recognition programs, and social engagement to keep staff connected.

Created: 10 Jan 26 by John Parsons

Security

The RAFA 381 Secure Intranet

This is the secure location for all the business requirements for running the RAFA 381 club affairs.

Security features include:

🛡️ Automatic SSL encryption

🛡️ Protection against DDoS attacks

🛡️ Seamless integration with Google Account security (including two-factor authentication)

Because it is a fully managed service, it eliminates the risks associated with manual software updates or third-party plugins, while offering granular access controls that allow you to manage visitor permissions.

Created: 10 Jan 26 by John Parsons

Devices

Works on any smart device and platform

A modern universal application utilises a single codebase to deliver a high-performance experience across iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, and Linux, as well as smart TVs and wearables.

Platform Agnostic: It eliminates the need for device-specific versions, running seamlessly in any modern browser or as a lightweight installed app.

Adaptive Intelligence: Using on-device AI, these apps now provide personalized, real-time responses without relying entirely on the cloud, ensuring speed and privacy.

Unified Ecosystem: For smart homes, these apps often leverage standards like Matter, allowing a single interface to control devices from Apple, Google, Amazon, and Samsung simultaneously.

Lower Friction: Users can access the app via a simple URL or a "mini-app" within a larger platform, bypassing the storage and data hurdles of traditional app stores.

Created: 10 Jan 26 by John Parsons

Objectives

Safe, fit for purpose, accessible, resilient and effective
To make admin easy, intuitive and fun
Efficient creation, storage and retrieval
Flexible workspace
Any device, any platform
3 clicks and you're out!
Easy collaboration and sharing

Created: 10 Jan 26 by John Parsons

TRICs

A key design criterion is to get you where you want in 3 click or less.

Anything less is just not acceptable!

It's a challenge but we'll keep trying!

Created: 10 Jan 26 by John Parsons

SMART working

SMART working is a modern management approach that prioritises results over physical presence or fixed hours.

The Core Pillars of SMART Working

Space - employees choose the best environment for the task (e.g., quiet home office for focus, a café for creativity, or the main office for team collaboration).

Time - shifting from a "9-to-5" mindset to working during peak productivity hours, provided deadlines and team needs are met.

Technology - utilising digital tools (cloud storage, video conferencing, and collaboration software) to ensure the "network is the office."

Trust - management moves from "clock-watching" to "outcome-monitoring," trusting employees to manage their own time and output.

Created: 10 Jan 26 by John Parsons

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a field of computer science dedicated to creating systems capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence. This includes things like reasoning, learning from experience, understanding language, and making decisions.

Unlike traditional software that follows a rigid, "if-this-then-that" set of rules, AI is designed to process massive amounts of data, recognize patterns, and adapt its behavior to achieve specific goals.

The Core Concepts

Machine Learning (ML): The engine of modern AI. Instead of being programmed with every rule, the system "learns" by analysing examples. If you show a model a million photos of cats, it eventually learns the features that define a "cat" without being told.

Neural Networks: These are inspired by the human brain's structure. They consist of layers of interconnected "nodes" that process information in steps, becoming more accurate as they receive more data.

Deep Learning: A more advanced version of neural networks with many layers (hence "deep"). This is what enables complex tasks like real-time language translation or self-driving cars.

Created: 10 Jan 26 by John Parsons

PARS