Best Practices for SharePoint Intranet Design
Introduction
SharePoint is a powerful platform that allows organizations to create and manage their intranet sites. With its wide range of features and capabilities, SharePoint provides a flexible and customizable solution for building intranet portals. However, designing an effective SharePoint intranet requires careful planning and consideration of best practices.
1. Define Your Objectives
Before starting the design process, it is important to clearly define your objectives for the SharePoint intranet. What are the main goals you want to achieve with the intranet? Are you looking to improve communication and collaboration among employees? Do you want to streamline business processes and workflows? Understanding your objectives will help guide the design and development process.
2. Consider User Experience
User experience is a critical aspect of intranet design. The intranet should be intuitive and easy to navigate, with a clear and consistent layout. Consider the needs and preferences of your users when designing the intranet. Conduct user research and gather feedback to ensure that the design meets the needs of your employees.
3. Customize the Look and Feel
SharePoint provides a range of customization options to tailor the look and feel of your intranet. Use your organization’s branding guidelines to create a consistent and professional design. Customize the colors, fonts, and layout to match your organization’s visual identity. This will help create a sense of familiarity and reinforce your organization’s brand.
4. Optimize for Mobile
In today’s mobile-first world, it is essential to design your SharePoint intranet with mobile devices in mind. Ensure that the intranet is responsive and can be accessed and used effectively on smartphones and tablets. Consider the limitations of mobile devices, such as smaller screens and touch-based navigation, when designing the intranet.
5. Streamline Navigation
Navigation is a key component of intranet design. A well-organized and intuitive navigation structure will help users quickly find the information they need. Use clear and descriptive labels for navigation links, and consider implementing a search functionality to further enhance navigation and information retrieval.
6. Provide Relevant and Engaging Content
Content is the heart of any intranet. Ensure that the content on your SharePoint intranet is relevant, up-to-date, and engaging. Provide a mix of informative and interactive content, such as news articles, employee profiles, and discussion forums. Encourage employees to contribute their own content and foster a sense of community and collaboration.
Conclusion
Designing an effective SharePoint intranet requires careful planning and consideration of best practices. By defining your objectives, considering user experience, customizing the look and feel, optimizing for mobile, streamlining navigation, and providing relevant and engaging content, you can create a successful intranet that meets the needs of your organization and employees.