An intranet is not a website. When properly executed, it’s a business system – a microcosm of the entire organization. Technology is only a supporting component. The success of an intranet has more to do with people in process.
Understanding the role of people and the employees begins at the top of the organization. In Leading an intranet redesign I espoused the importance of having an executive champion. Like a political campaign, an intranet redesign requires the support and vote of those that count – particularly senior management.
Truth be known, when it comes to execution of the site information architecture, layout and site design, your target audience is far more important. Employees determine the ultimate success of your intranet.
If you build it they will not come. It’s not enough just to build it; you must build a system that is engaging, intuitive and bestows tangible value for the employee. If it is not enticing and easy to use, then your intranet is doomed to die a slow death until the next redesign.
EMPLOYEE REQUIREMENTS
Employee requirements and input must be built into the blueprint of the intranet long before any attempt at redesign an intranet or portal’s ‘look-and-feel.’
Engaging employees for feedback on their opinions and feedback can be simple to complex; qualitative to quantitative. My personal preference is a combination of user survey and focus groups. However, one-on-one interviews, usability testing, and feedback tracking all have their own value.
Below is a table I constructed some months ago for comparing the pros and cons and differences of using different research tools:
In short, there are both qualitative and quantitative tools for engaging employee users. If it is in fact a full redesign, then usability testing serves limited value. Usability testing is best employed when testing a working prototype prior to going live. A combination of survey and focus groups allows both quantitative and qualitative measurement.
For a complete comparison of employee research techniques please read When to use what research tools.
BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS
Not to be forgotten in the process of building a business case and a blueprint for your redesign is the needs and requirements of the business itself.
To be continued…
READ PART I: Leading an intranet redesign
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