Office365 brings the promise of creating a Digital workplace solution, in this presentation we look at how to approach the planning for an Intranet with SharePoint online which is part of Office365.
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Dynamic Intranet with SharePoint Online
1. Building a dynamic intranet
with SharePoint online –
the planning process
+ Intranet content
Chandima Kulathilake
2. Chandima Kulathilake – Solution Architect
Over 15 years in the IT/SharePoint space in planning, architecture,
deployment and operational models.
From Wellington, New Zealand, now based in Amsterdam & A
Coruña, Galicia for this year.
3. What we will talk about..
An Intranet on SharePoint online
Intranet evolutions
What is the planning process?
– What are the options?
– What can be done?
Content management and ongoing operations
– Published content
– Dynamic content
4. Intranet – we all know what it is?
An internal website that helps employees to
get work done
8. What has actually changed?
We are told by strategists, consultants and
intranet experts that intranet’s now must be:
Work on any device and have a responsive
design
Have social tools
Be part of a Digital workplace or is replaced by
one?
9. The Digital Workplace concept
It’s another trend that we have to all be
aware of
Or is it just what we already have?
10. From Jane McConnell - http://www.digital-workplace-
trends.com/the-digital-workplace-framework/digital-workplace-
a-new-definition/
11. SharePoint online is a digital
workplace
Delve
Yammer
Team Sites
Published
Pages (Intranet)
12. Let’s look at some stats
Average Years Spent Creating Intranets: 2001–2015. Since 2001, intranet teams have spent an
average of 3.2 years (38.3 months) creating their winning designs. Like last year, this year’s
winners took less than 1.5 years (17.3 months) to create their designs. – Nielsen Norman
Group
Average of 3.2 years
overall
Last year 1.5
years
13. Common Intranet issues…
Access only to some information
Uneven ‘ownership’ of content or why,
when, how these are updated.
Low user engagement and ownership
Not able to find/discover information which
is needed by users
Out of date information resulting in users
not using the Intranet
14. When I grow up I want to be..
Information is open and freely available to users
unless genuine reasons of confidentiality or
commercial sensitivity are identified for limiting
access.
All users can create, store and share information so
that it can be found by other users as quickly as
possible, and at any time in the future, therefore
taking advantage of the expertise, experience and
knowledge gained by past and current users of the
company
15. Typical themes
Empower staff
Distributed content contribution
Access to communities of conversations
Capture and build ideas
Engage internally and externally
16. Or simply say..
“Our intranet is the gateway to access
information, contribute, share ideas
and interact with each other”
18. How do we plan for an Intranet
on SharePoint online?
Technical team
The Foundation
Pilot, review, advise
Business team
Requirements, stakeholder engagement
Content planning
Your end users They are the key to
success…
19. The Big Picture
SharePoint Infrastructure
SharePoint Features & Functions
Web Publish
Templates &
Widgets
UX
Information Architecture & Visual Design
Custom Brand Layer
Search
UX
Document
Publishing
UX
Calendar, tasks,
etc
UX
Operations
Governance
Governance &
Operations
Organisational
Capability
Style & Brand
Management
Style & Content
Guidelines
Training & Support
Framework
Guidelines &
Operational Model
Guidelines &
Operational Model
Business owners education
& support
Content audit planning &
support
Content Migration planning
& support
Comms & adoption planning
& support
INTRANET
Business ownership &
collaboration
Design agency collaboration &
branding
Common branding and visual
elements
Common web
publishing elements
Solution Spec,
Wireframes,
Annotated Sitemap,
Project Plan, …
20. Simple view
Information
Architecture
Interaction/Visual
Design
1. Discover
Initial Setup and Build
Working Solution
Weekly Releases
Functional
Testing
Technical
Testing
Deployment and
Operations Plan
Review
Metrics
Ongoing Improvements
Training
Identify Content Owners & Requirements
Training & Operations Planning
Discuss Governance & Operational Process
Content Creation and Migration
Review Content Ownership
2. Implement 3. Test 4. Deploy 5. Adoption
21. The Foundation for Office365
Intranet is about your users
How will they access it?
22. SharePoint online (Office365)
Pick the right Plan
Be aware of the release roadmap when
planning to use features
http://roadmap.office.com/
23. Pick the right option
https://products.office.com/en-us/business/compare-more-office-365-for-business-plans
24. Release road map
Compared to previous times releases to
SharePoint (online) is rapid
2007 > 2010 > 2013 was predictable and was a
few years between each cycle
With Office365 which includes SharePoint
online it’s much more frequent
28. What options do we have?
Weigh the cost of custom vs what can be
achieved with what’s provided
Chances are most of the requirements can
be met – but will need special attention
(configuration and or development)
Go see : “Deep dive into safe SharePoint
Server/Online branding using repeatable
patterns and practices” @ 3:15pm
29. Custom Look and Feel
Branding – Design Heavy Intranet
Use a Composed Look/theme/alternate CSS file
for look and feel
JavaScript injection to add custom page
components/controls
Remote provisioning
http://dev.office.com/patterns-and-practices
33. Recap
An Intranet on SharePoint online
What is the planning process?
– What are the options?
– What can be done?
Content management and ongoing operations
– Published content
– Dynamic content
34. Managing content
Published vs dynamic content
Lead – don’t manage
Educate > Monitor > Assist
Video is more effective than tutorials
35. Pitfalls
Move old content to new structure
Start the content plan midway through your
implementation
Start early – learn what works what doesn’t
Include the people who create/edit content
from day 0
80% of intranet release delays are due to
content not being ready!
36. Social Content
Yammer – groups and discussions
Delve – insights and connections
This is still an area we are not 100%
sure what to do with.. It’s an evolving
concept, don’t try to put restrictions
on users if they want to use these
features
37. Summary
Evaluate requirements
• Identify SharePoint online plan (E2 vs E3)
• Establish Identity integration project > process
• Establish proof of concept tenant or site collection
• Establish a release schedule/show and tell
Identify core requirements
• Create functional wireframes - discuss function over design
• Branding guidelines and requirements/approach
• Setup IA structure (sub sites etc)
• Test content creation within structure
Start content audit and ownership requirements early
(Establish clear rules for dynamic vs periodic content)
• Publishing guidelines
• Update schedules
Point out that this may be a dynamic session with both sessions being blended
When intranets were first introduced during the 1990's, the original problem they were to solve was to make corporate information such as process descriptions, instructions, organizational information, and corporate news available and more accessible to employees.
Before information was digitalized, it used to be put in binders and on bulletin boards. It had to be physically copied and placed at every location where it was to be used, and the people who needed it had to go to that location. The intranet helped to make this information much more available and accessible, less redundant, as well as easier to update and distribute for those whose task it was to produce and distribute the information.
Digital workplace – four variations
•Model A is where most organizations are today: three distinct worlds, each providing value in different ways.
•Model B is a big step forward, and often the trigger for senior management interest when collaboration becomes part of the intranet. That often marks the arrival of business support as one of the intranet strategy drivers.
•Model C has re-positioned the “ex-intranet” as part of the overall digital workplace. Here, the networked collaboration of discovering and discussing, along with the structured, project-driven collaboration live side by side with the managed content and applications of the “ex-intranet”.
•Model D is the most future-oriented. It considers the digital workplace to encompass not just the internal world but parts of the external world as well. This makes the “new intranet” a blend of managed, collaborative and social content. The digital workplace itself has become a platform for the extended enterprise.
Digital workplace – four variations
•Model A is where most organizations are today: three distinct worlds, each providing value in different ways.
•Model B is a big step forward, and often the trigger for senior management interest when collaboration becomes part of the intranet. That often marks the arrival of business support as one of the intranet strategy drivers.
•Model C has re-positioned the “ex-intranet” as part of the overall digital workplace. Here, the networked collaboration of discovering and discussing, along with the structured, project-driven collaboration live side by side with the managed content and applications of the “ex-intranet”.
•Model D is the most future-oriented. It considers the digital workplace to encompass not just the internal world but parts of the external world as well. This makes the “new intranet” a blend of managed, collaborative and social content. The digital workplace itself has become a platform for the extended enterprise.
We will look at these each and the approach on what these technologies mean to each of the scenarios
The planning process includes a number of key decision points – be aware of where you want to be in 12 months’ time. Because….
As you can see typical Intranet projects – have quite a lengthy timeframe from idea to realisation – this is not just about the technology part. It’s about the holistic approach of having a content rich intranet.
Note that these are based on findings from NN group – in general I would agree on 1-2years for an intranet project for an organisation of 500+ users
Aims & objectives—what is its purpose?
Design—what will it look like?
Processes—how will content be developed and maintained?
Standards—how will content be managed?
Technology—what hardware and software is needed and what can you afford?
ROI—how can you measure Return on Investment?
The overall success is a partnership, it’s about the art of the possible not what doesn’t work
This is one of the key points that will and must be foremost in early discussions if you are thinking of using SharePoint online, although down the line this can change, it is something that needs to be understood well. From experience most organisations are in the middle – meaning It’s a Office365 federated identity mode.
Sample of what happens with rapid changes being rolled out..
This is essentially a trade off – where your organisation is looking to use a highly branded look and feel then you will need to consider that if you make copies that you may not automatically get the “latest” updates as and when released by Microsoft.
Microsoft will provide the updates as they are released, this is because Office365 it is a commoditized offering.
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/vesku/archive/2014/03/02/sharepoint-online-solution-pack-for-branding-and-provisioning-released.aspx
http://dev.office.com/patterns-and-practices-resources?filters=Scenarios