How To Create An Intranet

10 HOW TO CREATE AN STEPS INTRANET USER GUIDE Set Up A Project Team Set up a project implementation team with representation from across the organization. 01 It will be responsible for selecting the intranet software, come up with a shortlist of intranet providers, develop a sitemap as well as devise the content, functionality and design of the intranet. Ensuring a broad range of representation from across the organization means that your intranet will be fit for purpose. These members will also act as advocates. Goals And Objectives The project team will need to be clear about what the business's goals and objectives are for the intranet. What is it that you want the intranet to achieve? What difference 02 will it make? For most companies there is a pain point or issue that is driving the adoption of an intranet as the solution: internal communications, information silos, collaboration or joint working. It's also important that the team talks to staff and key stakeholders and undertakes a task analysis. Ownership 03 Address the issues of ownership and governance from the outset. An intranet demands a clear sense of ownership and a strong management structure to function properly. If possible, the intranet should be 'owned' by a key stake- holder so that the project team has sufficient authority and resources. The project team will also need to come up with a policy and procedure for the ongoing management of the intranet. Selection Of Intranet Software There are three basic options open to businesses and 04 these are: Custom build an intranet from scratch to be hosted on the company server. .... Develop an off-the-shelf intranet using software downloaded from the internet and host it on a server connected to your company network. Use a cloud-based hosting service. Under this option, you pay an intranet provider to host the intranet for you. Intranet Demonstration There is no substitute to test driving the software and any good cloud provider would be happy to take you through their product via a screen share tour and a trial period. Actually getting your hands dirty with the intranet software is the best way to determine whether it is a good fit for your business. Involve your project team in any demonstrations or trial runs so that you get broad feedback from within your organization. Developing Content And Design 06 Make the design as intuitive as possible. Keep in mind that the whole purpose of the intranet is to make it easier for staff to find information. Developing a site map at an early stage will help you to visualize the content. A clean, uncluttered look will be fundamental to this. Try to keep the content as clear and concise as possible. Staff will want to identify the key messages quickly and easily. Pilot The Intranet Piloting is useful both in terms of ensuring the functionality of the intranet and its fitness for 07 purpose. Revisit those goals and objectives you identified at the start of the process. Now is your chance to tweak and fine-tune the intranet so that it ticks all the right boxes. Another important aspect of piloting the intranet is to check how it performs on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. Your intranet needs to be optimized for the smaller screens and functionality of mobile devices. Staff Training And Development There's just one more step to consider and thať's a program of staff training. Giving employees the opportunity to get used to the intranet software in advance is an absolute must. 08 The training program doesn't have to be of the traditional classroom-style variety. The online nature of the intranet lends itself to a variety of training media including podcasts, wikis, how-to videos, webinars, quizzes and surveys. Make it interactive and fun and don't forget to utilize your intranet advocates in the shape of the project team members. Go Live! You are ready to launch your intranet! Devote as much fuss and fanfare to the 09 launch of the intranet as you would to a ew product launch. Have a countdown in place to generate some excitement and anticipation. And why not run a staff competition to give the intranet a name? Once you select the launch date, then make it compulsory for staff to use the intranet thereafter. Set it as the web default page and insist that employees use it to complete tasks such as ordering stationery or booking annual leave. Review And Refresh 10 Regular review and revision will be needed to make sure that the intranet is still achieving the goals and objectives that you have set. In fact, the overall vision for the intranet may need to be reviewed from time to time in the light of changing business needs. In addition, setting up mechanisms and processes to regularly review and refresh the intranet's content is essential from the outset. Creating an intranet will be a challenging exercise for any business. Following these steps though will make that process that little bit easier. Welcome to your intranet The secret is having a clear, well-thought- through plan. Welcome 60 Meet the Maketing team 55 to your intranet 50 10 45 15 40 20 35 25 30 Find out more here: M Y HUB www.myhubintranet.com/how-to-create-an-intranet-beginners-guide and www.myhubintranet.com OE 05