Intranet requirements
Published on:
April 05, 2022
Reading time:
minutes
The intranet often does not enjoy the very best reputation. In many places, the underlying system is considered outdated and obsolete. In order to fulfill its purpose and function properly, the intranet must meet some important requirements. This article will address some of these requirements.
In the beginning was the objective
In order to meet the requirements of a good intranet, it is first crucial to know what the intranet's objectives are in the first place. While some companies primarily want to improve internal communication through their intranet, others want employees to be able to access and work with it from mobile devices at any time. To begin with, it is crucial to define the objectives for the intranet. In particular, questions such as:
- Which functions do users use?
- What content activates employees?
- Do we also need to reach employees who do not have a PC?
- Do we store documents in the intranet system or do they stay where they currently are, e.g. SharePoint?
- What metrics do we base the intranet on so we can measure the success of the rollout?
After clarifying these and possible further questions, a clear picture should emerge of what requirements are placed on the intranet. The next step is to determine how these requirements can be implemented.
What is important when it comes to data protection?
Data protection is an important topic that is applied in many areas. Legal regulations and standards must be strictly adhered to, otherwise drastic penalties may be imposed - not to mention immaterial damage such as loss of image among employees or outsiders. For this reason, the works council and the data protection officer should always be brought "on board" for the project and asked for advice and suggestions. In this way, complications can be avoided in the further course of the project. However, the following applies in particular to social intranets: Employees should and must decide for themselves which of their personal data they wish to disclose.
Testing first
Have all requirements and goals been taken into account in the project? Before the intranet goes live, one important step should not be omitted: an extensive test phase. For this, employees should first be selected who can walk through the company with their eyes open and look at things critically. They can give good and detailed feedback. This means that changes or adjustments can still be made before the official release. The user interface should also meet the wishes and expectations of the employees. In this way, employees can directly test whether information is presented clearly and can be found easily when needed. Of course, this depends heavily on the individual company. If the test is successful, the intranet can be made available to all employees. However, the project does not end there: the intranet must be continuously maintained and developed so that it remains a useful tool for employees in the future.
Conclusion
The requirements for the intranet are diverse and depend heavily on the individual company. For this reason, the first step should be for those responsible to consider what goals are to be achieved with the intranet. Then it's a matter of implementation. Data protection is and remains an issue that should not be underestimated. Before the official release, a test phase ensures that subsequent use runs smoothly. If the intranet is also developed further after publication, it can fulfill the specific requirements optimally.
All articles of the blog series about Social Intranet can be found here:
Checklist for a good social intranet
June 07, 2022
Increase employee engagement with social intranet
May 10, 2022
The social intranet and its special features
May 03, 2022
