Acing Custom Intranet Development: A How-To Guide

Introduction

Custom intranet development is a crucial aspect of modern businesses. Intranets provide a centralized platform for employees to access information, collaborate, and streamline workflows. SharePoint, a popular intranet platform, offers a wide range of features and customization options for businesses. This guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to acing custom intranet development using SharePoint.

Understanding SharePoint Development

SharePoint development involves creating and customizing intranet websites using the SharePoint platform. SharePoint offers both on-premise and online solutions, allowing businesses to choose the deployment option that best suits their needs. SharePoint provides a wide range of features, including document management, collaboration tools, workflow automation, and integration with other Microsoft products.

Intranet Design Best Practices

When designing a custom intranet, it is important to follow best practices to ensure a user-friendly and efficient platform. Here are some key considerations:

• User-Centric Design: Design the intranet with the end-users in mind. Consider their needs, preferences, and workflows to create a seamless user experience.
• Intuitive Navigation: Ensure easy navigation by organizing content into logical categories and providing clear menus and search functionality.
• Responsive Design: Optimize the intranet for different devices, including desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones, to ensure accessibility for all employees.
• Branding and Customization: Customize the intranet to reflect your company’s branding and culture. Use colors, logos, and fonts that align with your brand identity.
• Engaging Content: Create and curate content that is relevant, informative, and engaging for employees. Regularly update the intranet with news, announcements, and resources.

Outsourcing SharePoint Development

Outsourcing SharePoint development can be a cost-effective and efficient solution for businesses. By partnering with a SharePoint development agency, you can leverage their expertise and experience to create a customized intranet that meets your specific requirements. Outsourcing SharePoint development offers several benefits:

• Expertise: SharePoint development agencies have a team of experienced developers who specialize in creating intranets using SharePoint. They have in-depth knowledge of the platform and can provide valuable insights and recommendations.
• Time and Cost Savings: Outsourcing SharePoint development allows you to focus on your core business activities while the agency takes care of the technical aspects. This saves time and reduces costs associated with hiring and training an in-house development team.
• Customization: SharePoint development agencies can customize the intranet to align with your business processes and requirements. They can integrate third-party tools, create custom workflows, and design unique features tailored to your needs.
• Ongoing Support and Maintenance: SharePoint development agencies provide ongoing support and maintenance services to ensure the smooth functioning of your intranet. They can handle updates, troubleshooting, and security enhancements.

Custom SharePoint Development Process

When embarking on a custom SharePoint development project, it is important to follow a systematic process to ensure successful implementation. Here is a step-by-step guide:

1. Define Requirements: Clearly define your business requirements and objectives for the intranet. Identify the key features, functionalities, and integrations you need.
2. Design and Wireframing: Create a visual representation of the intranet’s layout, structure, and user interface. Use wireframing tools to map out the navigation, content placement, and interactions.
3. Development and Customization: Develop the intranet using SharePoint’s customization options. Customize the look and feel, create workflows, and integrate third-party tools as needed.
4. Testing and Quality Assurance: Thoroughly test the intranet for functionality, usability, and compatibility. Identify and fix any bugs or issues before deployment.
5. Deployment and Training: Deploy the intranet to your organization’s servers or choose SharePoint Online for cloud-based deployment. Provide training and resources to employees to ensure smooth adoption and usage.
6. Ongoing Support and Maintenance: Regularly monitor and maintain the intranet to ensure optimal performance. Provide ongoing support to address any user queries or technical issues.

Managed SharePoint Services

Managed SharePoint services offer comprehensive support and maintenance for your intranet. By partnering with a managed services provider, you can ensure the smooth functioning and continuous improvement of your intranet. Managed SharePoint services include:

• 24/7 Monitoring: Constant monitoring of the intranet to identify and resolve any issues or performance bottlenecks.
• Regular Updates and Patches: Applying updates, patches, and security enhancements to keep the intranet up-to-date and secure.
• Performance Optimization: Optimizing the intranet’s performance by analyzing usage patterns, identifying bottlenecks, and implementing improvements.
• User Support: Providing user support and training to address any queries or issues faced by employees.
• Backup and Disaster Recovery: Implementing backup and disaster recovery measures to ensure data integrity and business continuity.

Conclusion

Acing custom intranet development requires careful planning, design, and implementation. By following best practices, considering outsourcing options, and leveraging managed SharePoint services, businesses can create a customized intranet that enhances collaboration, improves productivity, and streamlines workflows. SharePoint’s flexibility and customization options make it an ideal platform for building intranets that meet the unique needs of modern businesses.