“Do you have any tips for a successful intranet?” is probably the most frequently asked question I am asked. Understandably everyone is keen to avoid mistakes in their intranet; it is also highly likely that the potential pitfalls and errors that you might encounter have at some point been faced by someone else. It was Oscar Wilde who said “Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes,” and whilst it can be character building to learn from your own experience wouldn’t it be better if you were able to learn from the experiences of other people too? Taking a shortcut to knowledge is preferable to finding your own way through the maze, so in this blog I will share with you the key things that I have learnt from both my own experiences as well as what I have learned from the experiences of others.
When developing an Intranet, whether it is a new build or refurbishing an existing one there are some key points to consider; bear these in mind and you won’t go far wrong.
Set some goals - Consider what the Intranet will be used for and then define a clear set of objectives. Seek representation across functions; there could be many stakeholders with different expectations and wish-lists. Try to distil these into clearly stated objectives, and wherever possible devise an objective measurement that will help you judge success. Spend time on discussing the ‘core’ and the balance between the Intranet as a means of information exchange, communication & colleague collaboration and access to business critical tools. Whilst looking at the past and present also have a long-term view in mind and don’t just think of the next 12 months.
Do some research - Consider who will use it; the intranet should be designed and delivered with the audience in mind; the end-user. It has to have usability, as Paul Coby, CIO of British Airways says of their intranet, “It works because it contains vital services, is easily accessible and above all, is easy to use. So, guess what? People use it.” This successful end result can be enhanced if you consult with users. Don’t just guess what they do now; spend some time researching what they actually do and how they do it. If an intranet already exists then conduct an evaluation of what is there; measure the time taken and success rate of a defined set of tasks. If there is no intranet, then pick a representative sample of users and find out what daily tasks they do and what information they seek out.
Build a team – the audience of end users aren’t the only people to consider, the ‘cast and crew’ of your Intranet are just as important. You’ll only get the ‘bums on seats’ of frequent hits and ‘rave reviews’ if the content is fresh and relevant. Once the production starts to look tired and dated then interest will fade. Therefore the selection, support, training and development of content editors is a key element in delivering a successful intranet, as it will maintain both the enthusiasm and desire of content editors to continually deliver high quality content.
Keep it simple - there may be a point at which one person has to make a decision, but that judgment should be based on the consideration of what users want. If a user has to second guess a navigation system or engage in a frenzy of clicks to get to what they want, their enthusiasm and the likelihood of future visits will be reduced. A cornerstone of the design should be the minimising of clutter and the presentation of a clear, consistent navigation system that is adopted across the Intranet. A search function that delivers ‘findability’ is also key - as engaging a user and establishing their trust in the Intranet only comes about through them finding the information that they want with the minimum of fuss.
Remember to evaluate – the time and effort that went into planning will be wasted if your Intranet veers off course just after leaving the launch pad. Maintain an overview and check all is well, don’t neglect the Intranet as it is just starting out on its journey in the real world. Ask yourself questions, some of these questions will be the same ones you posed when you were thinking about the Intranet, others will be new ones. Seek out and listen to user feedback, remembering that if they don’t like it they probably won’t use it. A dissatisfied user might revert to old habits; becoming dependent on colleagues for information, storing and not sharing knowledge. Measure usage; what sections are being visited, what sections aren’t getting hits? What is contributing to the popularity of the most visited and what can the rarely viewed content learn from its more popular friend? Share the success and promote best practice. Make the benefits known and publicise the gains achieved.
When developing an Intranet, whether it is a new build or refurbishing an existing one there are some key points to consider; bear these in mind and you won’t go far wrong.
Set some goals - Consider what the Intranet will be used for and then define a clear set of objectives. Seek representation across functions; there could be many stakeholders with different expectations and wish-lists. Try to distil these into clearly stated objectives, and wherever possible devise an objective measurement that will help you judge success. Spend time on discussing the ‘core’ and the balance between the Intranet as a means of information exchange, communication & colleague collaboration and access to business critical tools. Whilst looking at the past and present also have a long-term view in mind and don’t just think of the next 12 months.
Do some research - Consider who will use it; the intranet should be designed and delivered with the audience in mind; the end-user. It has to have usability, as Paul Coby, CIO of British Airways says of their intranet, “It works because it contains vital services, is easily accessible and above all, is easy to use. So, guess what? People use it.” This successful end result can be enhanced if you consult with users. Don’t just guess what they do now; spend some time researching what they actually do and how they do it. If an intranet already exists then conduct an evaluation of what is there; measure the time taken and success rate of a defined set of tasks. If there is no intranet, then pick a representative sample of users and find out what daily tasks they do and what information they seek out.
Build a team – the audience of end users aren’t the only people to consider, the ‘cast and crew’ of your Intranet are just as important. You’ll only get the ‘bums on seats’ of frequent hits and ‘rave reviews’ if the content is fresh and relevant. Once the production starts to look tired and dated then interest will fade. Therefore the selection, support, training and development of content editors is a key element in delivering a successful intranet, as it will maintain both the enthusiasm and desire of content editors to continually deliver high quality content.
Keep it simple - there may be a point at which one person has to make a decision, but that judgment should be based on the consideration of what users want. If a user has to second guess a navigation system or engage in a frenzy of clicks to get to what they want, their enthusiasm and the likelihood of future visits will be reduced. A cornerstone of the design should be the minimising of clutter and the presentation of a clear, consistent navigation system that is adopted across the Intranet. A search function that delivers ‘findability’ is also key - as engaging a user and establishing their trust in the Intranet only comes about through them finding the information that they want with the minimum of fuss.
Remember to evaluate – the time and effort that went into planning will be wasted if your Intranet veers off course just after leaving the launch pad. Maintain an overview and check all is well, don’t neglect the Intranet as it is just starting out on its journey in the real world. Ask yourself questions, some of these questions will be the same ones you posed when you were thinking about the Intranet, others will be new ones. Seek out and listen to user feedback, remembering that if they don’t like it they probably won’t use it. A dissatisfied user might revert to old habits; becoming dependent on colleagues for information, storing and not sharing knowledge. Measure usage; what sections are being visited, what sections aren’t getting hits? What is contributing to the popularity of the most visited and what can the rarely viewed content learn from its more popular friend? Share the success and promote best practice. Make the benefits known and publicise the gains achieved.
2 comments:
At last!! Tips and advice that is not on comprehensive, but also actually very useful. Thank you Steven.
Interesting ideas.
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