Don’tMakeUsThink:GettingSharePointtobeUseful,Usable,andUsedKevinParker,CIPSr.EnterpriseInformationArchitectatNEOSTEK

@JKevinParker

@JKevinParker

IntroductionDon’tMakeUsThink:GettingSharePointtobeUseful,Usable,andUsed

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Inthissession,we’llexplorehowto:• Planusefulsitetypesthatmeetyourbusinessneeds

• Planusablecontent,navigation,andsearch• Promoteuseradoptionwithcommunication,learning,andsupport

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UserAdoptioninContextStrategy Whatarewe

tryingtoaccomplish?WhataretheCriticalSuccessFactors?

Archite

cture Howdowe

organizeandstructurethings?

Governan

ce Howdowegetpeopletouseitinthewaysweintend?

Implem

entatio

n Howdowebuilditoutandgetusersstarted? O

peratio

n Howdowesupportusersanddriveadoption?

Security,Privacy,Management,BusinessContinuity,Retention,Compliance,Etc.

UserAdoption

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Success=Adoption

Makeit Useful

Meetbusinessneedswith

goodarchitecture

MakeitUsable

Designforusabilityandaccessibility

GetitUsed

Promoteuseradoptionwithcommunication,learning,and

support

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MakeitUseful:PlansiteandlisttypesthatmeetyourbusinessneedsDon’tMakeUsThink:GettingSharePointtobeUseful,Usable,andUsed

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WhatMakesaSolutionUseful?• Meetsrealbusinessneeds• Simplifiesworkprocesses• Improvesefficiency• Improvesquality• Improvesaccountability• Letsstaffandleadershipdotheirjobs!

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FirstThingsFirst:NameIt• Don’tcallit“SharePoint”.Comeupwithanon-product-specificname.

• Makeitsimpleandeasyforpeopletoremember.• Examples:– InsideAcme(inside.acme.tld)– AcmeConnect(connect.acme.tld)– AcmeHub(hub.acme.tld)– AcmeCentral(central.acme.tld)

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IdentifyBusinessNeedsBusinessNeed Description ScopeIntranet Communication andknowledge

managementfortheorganizationOrganization

Collaboration Collaborationspaces forunitsandteams Units&Teams

Content&CaseManagement

Document andcontentmanagementforspecificbusinessprocesses

BusinessProcess

RecordsManagement

Recordsrepository withappropriatecontrolsandretentionmanagement

Organization

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PlanSiteTypesbyBusinessNeedBusinessNeed SiteTypes

Intranet Enterprisewiki(orotherpublishingsitetype)Blogsite

Collaboration Teamsites(preconfiguredforyourteams)Projectsites(preconfiguredforyourprojects)

Content&CaseManagement

DocumentcentersitecollectionsCasesites(specialpreconfigured subsites)

RecordsManagement Recordscentersite collections

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WhenYouDon’tPlan:AdHocSprawl

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WhenYouDon’tPlan:AdHocSprawl

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PlanSiteCollectionsSharePoint

Farm

MainWebApp

WebApplication

IntranetSiteCollection

SearchCenterSiteCollection

/teams/ManagedPath

ExecutiveOfficeSiteCollection

LineofBusinessXSiteCollection

LineofBusinessYSiteCollection

AccountingSiteCollection

LegalSiteCollection

HumanResourcesSiteCollection

IM&ITSiteCollection

Cross-OrgTeamsSiteCollection

/sites/ManagedPath

ContentTypeHubSiteCollection

DocumentCenterXSiteCollection

DocumentCenterYSiteCollection

RecordsCenterWebApplication

RecordsCenter1SiteCollection

RecordsCenter2SiteCollection

MySitesWebApplication

Collaboration:Eachtop-levelorganizationalunitgetsateamsitecollectionwithitsowncontentdatabase:• Ensureinformationisolation

bygroup• Provideforgrowthand

maintenance• Allowsmallerteamstohave

subsiteswithuniquepermissions

• Createsubsitesinaspecialsitecollectionforcross-orgteams

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SomeWaystoOrganizeSites• OrganizebyUnit:

– SiteCollectionforeachdepartmentordivision– Subsitesforteamsandprojects

• OrganizebySiteType:– SiteCollectionsforspecificsitetypes– Subsitesforspecificinstancesofsitetypes

• OrganizebyProgram:– SiteCollectionforeachprogram– Subsitesforteamsandprojects

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UseaContentTypeHub• Centrallymanagecontenttypesandsitecolumns.

• Centrallymanageinformationpoliciestiedtocontenttypes.

• Publishchangesacrossallsitecollectionsthatusethesecontenttypes.

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CreateReusableListTypes• Leveragecontenttypesandsitecolumnsinthecontenttypehubtocreatereusablelists.

• Keepmetadatacolumnsconsistentacrossallsites.

• Keepinformationmanagementpoliciesconsistent.

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DetermineWhatGoesWhereInformationfor

everyone

Goesontheintranet orunit-ownedintranetsubsite

Informationjustforourteam

Goesintheteam’ssitecollectionor

subsite

Informationrelatedtoaprocess

Goesinthecaseor

documentmanagement

site

Informationtobekeptasrecords

Goesintheappropriate

recordscenter

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MakeitUsable:Planusablecontent,navigation,andsearchDon’tMakeUsThink:GettingSharePointtobeUseful,Usable,andUsed

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SomeBasicRulesofUsabilityKrug’sfirstlawofusability:• “Don’tmakemethink.”Moreprinciples:• Makeandkeeponlytheinformationyouneed,andeliminateROT(Redundant,Obsolete,Trivial).• MakeiteasytoputinformationintherightSPOT(SinglePointOfTruth).• Makeinformationfindable.• Makeitallaccessible. CheckoutDon’tMakeMe

Think bySteveKrug

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MakeUsableContentandPages• Useclearpagetitlesandheadings(h1,h2,h3).• Omitunnecessary words.• Useclearlinksandlabels(includingnavigation).• Maketextreadable(highcontrast,nottoosmall,columnsnottoowide).

• Learntolovewhitespace(youdon’tpaybythepixel).

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MakeitClearWhatGoesWhereInformationfor

everyone?

Putitontheintranet orunit-ownedintranetsubsite

Informationjustforourteam?

Putitintheteam’ssitecollectionor

subsite

Informationrelatedtoaprocess?

Putitinthecaseor

documentmanagement

site

Informationtobekeptasrecords?

Putitintheappropriate

recordscenter(Betteryet,

automatethis!)

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PlanUsableNavigation• Makethelogo linkbacktotheintranethomepageacross

allsitetypesandsitecollections(inthemasterpage).• Maketop-level (global)navigationconsistentacross

intranetpagesandsubsites.• Context (quicklaunch)navigationcanvarybasedon

location.• Makeiteasytogetfromateam’scollaborationsitetotheir

intranetsite.• Createaclearsitemapand/orindex forsitecollectionsand

subsites.

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ImproveSearch• Usesearchanalyticstodeterminewhatpeoplearesearchingforandfinding(ornot).

• LeverageSharePointsearchfeatures:– ResultsTypes– DisplayTemplates– ResultsRefiners– QuerySuggestions

• Planoncontinuousimprovementforsearch.

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GetitUsed:PromoteadoptionbysupportingyourusercommunityDon’tMakeUsThink:GettingSharePointtobeUseful,Usable,andUsed

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PromoteUserAdoption• Communication• LearningResources• Support• ChangeManagement

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Communicate• Leverageexistingcorporatecommunicationschannelstomarketthesolution,bothbeforeandafterimplementation.

• Usetheintranettocommunicatetousersabouthowtousethesolution,wherethingsgo,howtogethelp,etc.

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ProvideLearningResources• Createsimplewikitutorialpagesineachsitetoexplainhowtodothingsonthatsite—andkeepthesecurrent.

• Provideliveand/orvideotutorialsspecifictohowtodothingsonyoursites.

• Hostusergroupmeetings.• Createa“centerofexcellence”siteforknowledgemanagement.

• DONOTprovidegenericSharePointtrainingtousers.

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ProvideSupport• Thehelpdeskmustbecapableofsupportingthesolution(orroutingtothosewhocan).

• Providetypesofsupport:– Siteplanningandsetup(initialandimprovements)– Recordsandinformationmanagementguidance– Accessandpermissionlevels(on/offboarding)– Incidentresponse

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ManageChange• Whenfirstimplementing,planmigrationforinformation,processes,ANDpeople.

• Monitoranalyticsandreportstoimprovecapacity,performance,serviceapplications,search,navigation,etc.

• Communicateandcoordinatemaintenancewindowsandanyservicechanges.

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LeverageaCenterofExcellenceSite

ConnectCentralBlog§ News§ Updates

§ Announcements

Wiki§ How-toguides§ Learningresources

§ Standards

§ Policies

Forum§ Support

§ Asktheexperts

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FinalThought:“Buildit,andtheywillcome?”Thatonlyworksinmovies.Instead,makeyoursolutionthe“pathofleastresistance.”Makeitsosimplethattheydon’thavetothinkabouthow thingswork.Theyjustwork.Makeituseful,usable,andused.

KevinParker,CIPwww.neostek.com

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