Making intranets work (for communicators) James Robertson, Step Two Designs (jamesr@steptwo.com.au)

Structure of the workshop The workshop will be highly interactive Please share your experiences and ideas Ask questions at any point! The goal of the workshop is to ‘problem solve’ It is up to you to chase up interesting topics with the other workshop participants There has been a lot packed into the session, so we’ll all be tired by the end!

The workshop will be highly interactive

Please share your experiences and ideas

Ask questions at any point!

The goal of the workshop is to ‘problem solve’

It is up to you to chase up interesting topics with the other workshop participants

There has been a lot packed into the session, so we’ll all be tired by the end!

About Step Two Designs We provide vendor-neutral consulting, coaching and mentoring, in the areas of: Identify intranet needs Developing an intranet strategy Improving the structure and design of intranets Selecting a content management system Applying knowledge management in practice Our focus is on providing organisations with the knowledge and skills they need

We provide vendor-neutral consulting, coaching and mentoring, in the areas of:

Identify intranet needs

Developing an intranet strategy

Improving the structure and design of intranets

Selecting a content management system

Applying knowledge management in practice

Our focus is on providing organisations with the knowledge and skills they need

Intranet Innovations 2007 115-page report shares the results of the inaugural Intranet Innovation Awards Winners across four categories, with commended entries Provides screenshots and examples

115-page report shares the results of the inaugural Intranet Innovation Awards

Winners across four categories, with commended entries

Provides screenshots and examples

6x2 methodology for intranets 95 page report providing an entirely new methodology for managing intranets Focuses on delivering intranet improvements that will also help the intranet team gain greater resources

95 page report providing an entirely new methodology for managing intranets

Focuses on delivering intranet improvements that will also help the intranet team gain greater resources

Improving Intranet Search 115 page report providing a practical and comprehensive approach for improving the effectiveness of search Screenshots and tips throughout

115 page report providing a practical and comprehensive approach for improving the effectiveness of search

Screenshots and tips throughout

Staff Directories report 91 page report containing best-practice approaches for designing an online staff (phone) directory Contains many screenshots, as well as the results of a global survey

91 page report containing best-practice approaches for designing an online staff (phone) directory

Contains many screenshots, as well as the results of a global survey

Intranet Review Toolkit Comprehensive set of heuristics for conducting an intranet expert review Free (Creative Commons) www.IntranetReviewToolkit.org

Comprehensive set of heuristics for conducting an intranet expert review

Free (Creative Commons)

Professional community for intranet teams: discover best practice, keep current with trends and share experiences Yearly subscription includes four workshops, members-only website, how-to guides, access to international experts and much more Full-time dedicated forum manager, Catherine Grenfell Full details & current members at: www.intranetleadership.com.au

Professional community for intranet teams: discover best practice, keep current with trends and share experiences

Yearly subscription includes four workshops, members-only website, how-to guides, access to international experts and much more

Full-time dedicated forum manager, Catherine Grenfell

Full details & current members at: www.intranetleadership.com.au

Topics covered The ideal intranet? Intranet evolution Four key purposes of an intranet Intranets for communicators Delivering a better intranet?

The ideal intranet?

Intranet evolution

Four key purposes of an intranet

Intranets for communicators

Delivering a better intranet?

The ideal intranet

Ideal intranet? Activity At your tables, select the ten cards out of the Microsoft Product Reaction Cards that best describe the “perfect” intranet.

Activity At your tables, select the ten cards out of the Microsoft Product Reaction Cards that best describe the “perfect” intranet.

The evolution of intranets

The evolution of intranets There has been an (ongoing) evolution of intranets: Phase 1: intranet is born! Phase 2: rapid organic growth Phase 3: repeated redesigns Phase 4: usability & IA Phase 5: useful, not just usable Phase 6: intranet as a business tool

There has been an (ongoing) evolution of intranets:

Phase 1: intranet is born!

Phase 2: rapid organic growth

Phase 3: repeated redesigns

Phase 4: usability & IA

Phase 5: useful, not just usable

Phase 6: intranet as a business tool

Phase 1: the intranet is born!

Phase 2: rapid organic growth

Common problems emerge…

Phase 3: repeated redesigns

Phase 4: usability & IA

Phase 5: useful, not just usable

Phase 6: intranet as a business tool

The evolution of intranets Phase 1: intranet is born! Phase 2: rapid organic growth Phase 3: repeated redesigns Phase 4: usability & IA Phase 5: useful, not just usable Phase 6: intranet as a business tool

Phase 1: intranet is born!

Phase 2: rapid organic growth

Phase 3: repeated redesigns

Phase 4: usability & IA

Phase 5: useful, not just usable

Phase 6: intranet as a business tool

Four key purposes of an intranet

Content…

… communication …

… collaboration …

… activity

Intranets for communicators

Intranets are an important internal communications channel

“ Management Communication” • Communication World • March-April 2005 • pp 18-22

Staff, however, are not coming to the intranet just for news …

… they are looking for a specific piece of information …

… or they want to complete a specific task

An intranet will only be used if it is useful

Start by making the intranet more useful, comms benefits will follow

Delivering a better intranet?

Delivering a better intranet? Discussion What concrete steps can we take to deliver a better intranet (for communicators)?

Discussion What concrete steps can we take to deliver a better intranet (for communicators)?

Further resources

Articles Intranet Innovation Awards winners for 2007 www.steptwo.com.au/papers/kmc_iia2007 Intranets as a news channel www.steptwo.com.au/papers/kmc_intranetnews Creating an "intranet concept" www.steptwo.com.au/papers/kmc_intranetconcept Conducting intranet needs analysis www.steptwo.com.au/papers/kmc_needsanalysis … plus many, many more

Intranet Innovation Awards winners for 2007 www.steptwo.com.au/papers/kmc_iia2007

Intranets as a news channel www.steptwo.com.au/papers/kmc_intranetnews

Creating an "intranet concept" www.steptwo.com.au/papers/kmc_intranetconcept

Conducting intranet needs analysis www.steptwo.com.au/papers/kmc_needsanalysis

… plus many, many more

Questions? James Robertson [email_address] Please fill in the feedback form before leaving Website: www.steptwo.com.au RSS feed: www.steptwo.com.au/columntwo/index.xml Download many more articles off the site, and read my blog to keep up-to-date on news, ideas and useful resources

James Robertson [email_address]

Please fill in the feedback form before leaving

Website: www.steptwo.com.au

RSS feed: www.steptwo.com.au/columntwo/index.xml

Download many more articles off the site, and read my blog to keep up-to-date on news, ideas and useful resources