Step Two Designs

Intranet governance can be a daunting subject, so daunting that it is rarely addressed comprehensively, and often even the core aspects shied away from. This can leave intranets and their teams dangerously adrift. To be sure, complete governance is far from trivial, embracing design, architecture, visual aesthetics, function, roles, responsibilities, content types, training, resources, stakeholder [...]

Categorised under: Intranets

Also tagged: governance, homepages, Intranets2011, policies, teams

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I have often said that intranets hold up a mirror to the organisations they serve. Their purpose, content, structure and navigation must all reflect the unique contexts that they sit in. This can be seen in the top-level menu items of intranets. If there was one “right” answer, we’d see the same menu items across [...]

Categorised under: Intranets, Usability & user-centered design

Also tagged: best practices, design, homepages, Information architecture, Intranets, menus, navigation

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Intranet homepages are always contentious. In most organisations, every stakeholder would like a piece of this valuable real estate, and debates rage around the overall purpose and design. Within the intranet industry, the homepage also inflames passionate debate. This is particularly true on the question of how long the intranet homepage should be. In the [...]

Categorised under: Intranets, James' articles

Also tagged: homepages, Information architecture, Intranets, usability

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The design of intranets has been in the forefront of my thinking recently. I’ve been writing hard on our next book, which is specifically on intranet design (180 pages done, just three chapters to go!). This week’s Intranet Leadership Forum workshop in Melbourne also had a session on the design of the intranet homepage (always [...]

Categorised under: Intranets, Usability & user-centered design

Also tagged: communications, design, homepages, Intranets, news

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There is no more contested or challenging page on the intranet than the homepage. As it is the most visible page on the site, everyone wants their piece of the homepage. There is also contention about the role of the intranet homepage: Should the homepage be mostly about news? Is navigation the key element? What [...]

Categorised under: Intranets, James' articles, Usability & user-centered design

Also tagged: design, homepages, Intranets, usability

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