Cloud with a Sunny Outlook

Implementing a SharePoint 2010 Intranet

Jamie McAllister -

 

I was asked to point someone in the direction of a website that had the high level steps for implementing a SharePoint 2010 Intranet recently. After a little digging I found nothing that said what I felt needed to be said at the right level. So, I wrote the bullets myself, and am posting here in the hope they'll be useful.

 

1. Preparation
2. Implementation
3. Training
4. Launch
5. Iteration
6. Support and Monitoring

 

 

1. Preparation

  • Requirements Workshops
  • Formulate Intranet Vision Statement
  • Work on Application Design to meet the Requirements and Vision
  • Design an Information Architecture suitable for the Design
  • Plan Permissions and Security
  • Formulate Architecture for expected operations, loads, and future extensibility
  • Agree and commission Visual Design
  • Validate above steps with the business
  • Use Intranet Vision Statement to formulate a Governance Policy with the business and IT
  • Plan End User Adoption strategy for use from Training phase onwards (this informs training, launch, support and monitoring)

 

2. Implementation

  • Purchase Hardware and Software
  • Install and Configure SharePoint
  • Perform further configuration and Development to meet the user requirements
  • Validate and stress test the install

 

3. Training

  • Common SharePoint training for all Users
  • Administrative training for Admins
  • Power User Training for key individuals
  • Outline roles and responsibilities as per Governance plan
  • Provide online on-demand training resources long term

 

4. Launch

  • Launch the product to a subset of the organisation
  • Provide carrots to encourage use of the new system
  • Promote trust and confidence in the new way of working
  • Put the Governance plan into effect
  • Encourage use of the available functionality whenever it offers benefits over the old way of working.

 

5. Iteration

  • Bring further teams and functionality into the Intranet in bite sized chunks.
  • Allow Power Users to "roll their own" functionality if the Governance Policy allows it.

 

6. Support and Monitoring

 

  • Ensure tiered support is available from knowledgeable power users, user forums and discussion boards, and full on technical support
  • Monitor usage of the Intranet to identify problems / unexpected lack of use
  • Monitor Search terms to tune Search for best effect
  • Promote the new platform for a significant period after launch
  • Send newsletters promoting new functionality / Publicise success stories