Content strategy: rewrite instead of transfer
Posted: Sun Dec 22, 2024 7:03 am
The trend of previous years, where the development time of a new intranet is getting shorter, is still continuing. Last year the average development time was 18 months , now it is 14 months. From 2001 to 2011 it was much longer, namely about 4 years.
The main reason for this trend is the use of faster development methods, such as agile . It is also becoming more common to see a new intranet not as a final product, but as a starting point for continuous monitoring and optimization.
The trend among winners: think simple
Simplification is the overarching theme for this year’s winning intranets, the report says. The secret? Cutting out the clutter and focusing on user goals and needs. Teams simplified their processes, content and tools.
This year's entries faced many similar challenges, and often came to similar outcomes. I've made a selection from these:
1. Provide a template that everyone can work with
It is important that all employees and departments can create pages and content so that they can share information with each other. If this is not easily possible via the intranet, they will look for other collaboration tools (which will cause them to disappear from the intranet). And that can be at the expense of the knowledge they want to share.
The solution? Make it possible for everyone in the organization to create pages that are both part of the intranet and part of the taxonomy, information architecture (IA), and search.
2. The cloud has become indispensable
Intranet teams are using the cloud more than in years past, due to reasons including automatic system updates, elimination of physical servers and drives, security, accessibility of data from any location, and fast response times.
3. Make sure the design fits an 'intranet-in-a-box' tool or platform
Organizations all face the choice between building an intranet from scratch or using an intranet platform. Some teams found a platform that offered many of the benefits they were looking for. Other teams had to adapt some of their plans and design to fit their chosen platform.
For example, Capital Power had developed an information architecture (IA) but then had to redo it and adapt the navigation to the required format of Bonsai, the intranet-in-a-box solution it chose. Maple Leaf Foods initially designed independently of its tool (Office 365) but then had to redesign when implementation issues arose.
4. 'Mobile-second'
Organizations know that mobile is important to their employees. All winners have or are in the process of implementing mobile intranet access. However, most winners have taken a realistic, australia whatsapp number practical approach to mobile design, and are aware that they have to work within constraints.
Mobile security can also be a challenge. For example, Capital Power’s responsive intranet works across all devices. However, because mobile users have to go through two-factor authentication, mobile usage was lower than expected. The team is now looking for an easier security solution.
When creating a new intranet, the question is always how to deal with existing content. Many teams think about design, IA and tools, but don’t do content audits, inventory and strategy.
This year’s winning designs dug into the often-abundant amount of existing content. They then evaluated the needs and goals of the design, the employees, and the organization. From there, they carefully determined what content to keep, edit, remove, add, or further explore.
Many teams think about design, IA, and tools, but fail to do content audits, inventory, and strategy.
The main reason for this trend is the use of faster development methods, such as agile . It is also becoming more common to see a new intranet not as a final product, but as a starting point for continuous monitoring and optimization.
The trend among winners: think simple
Simplification is the overarching theme for this year’s winning intranets, the report says. The secret? Cutting out the clutter and focusing on user goals and needs. Teams simplified their processes, content and tools.
This year's entries faced many similar challenges, and often came to similar outcomes. I've made a selection from these:
1. Provide a template that everyone can work with
It is important that all employees and departments can create pages and content so that they can share information with each other. If this is not easily possible via the intranet, they will look for other collaboration tools (which will cause them to disappear from the intranet). And that can be at the expense of the knowledge they want to share.
The solution? Make it possible for everyone in the organization to create pages that are both part of the intranet and part of the taxonomy, information architecture (IA), and search.
2. The cloud has become indispensable
Intranet teams are using the cloud more than in years past, due to reasons including automatic system updates, elimination of physical servers and drives, security, accessibility of data from any location, and fast response times.
3. Make sure the design fits an 'intranet-in-a-box' tool or platform
Organizations all face the choice between building an intranet from scratch or using an intranet platform. Some teams found a platform that offered many of the benefits they were looking for. Other teams had to adapt some of their plans and design to fit their chosen platform.
For example, Capital Power had developed an information architecture (IA) but then had to redo it and adapt the navigation to the required format of Bonsai, the intranet-in-a-box solution it chose. Maple Leaf Foods initially designed independently of its tool (Office 365) but then had to redesign when implementation issues arose.
4. 'Mobile-second'
Organizations know that mobile is important to their employees. All winners have or are in the process of implementing mobile intranet access. However, most winners have taken a realistic, australia whatsapp number practical approach to mobile design, and are aware that they have to work within constraints.
Mobile security can also be a challenge. For example, Capital Power’s responsive intranet works across all devices. However, because mobile users have to go through two-factor authentication, mobile usage was lower than expected. The team is now looking for an easier security solution.
When creating a new intranet, the question is always how to deal with existing content. Many teams think about design, IA and tools, but don’t do content audits, inventory and strategy.
This year’s winning designs dug into the often-abundant amount of existing content. They then evaluated the needs and goals of the design, the employees, and the organization. From there, they carefully determined what content to keep, edit, remove, add, or further explore.
Many teams think about design, IA, and tools, but fail to do content audits, inventory, and strategy.