Post-conference workshops
In addition to the main program, we are offering a number of superb full-day post-conference workshops.
Where: main conference venue (Amora Hotel)
When: Friday May 18, 9:00am – 5:00pm
How much: see conference prices
Workshop A: Practical intranet governance (Rebecca Rodgers)
Effective intranet governance is the foundation for a successful intranet. The best design and technology in the world will lead to little if there isn’t clarity on how the intranet will be managed and kept up-to-date. Good governance is also crucial for gaining (and sustaining) senior management support.
Creating intranet policies, guidelines and other governance documents can be daunting. Starting from a blank sheet of paper, there is so much to cover. The importance of the intranet is also its biggest challenge: every area of the business is a stakeholder, with needs and priorities to consider.
This workshop demystifies intranet governance, providing a practical framework for managing the policies, people and politics involved. Through hands-on activities and many real-world examples of actual governance documents, participants will step through creating their own intranet governance model.
Key topics covered by the workshop:
- what is intranet governance and what it means to your organisation
- creating a one page strategy document for your intranet
- intranet guidelines, policies and standards
- creating a homepage policy
- system governance
- five key intranet policies
- ownership and getting executive buy-in
- creating a roles and responsibilities chart
Rebecca Rodgers is a senior consultant at Step Two Designs. Having been an intranet manager before joining Step Two, Rebecca has a wealth of real-world knowledge on how to make intranets succeed, even within highly political environments. She has helped many high-profile clients to deliver intranet strategies and designs, and is currently running intranet governance workshops throughout Australia and internationally.
Workshop B: Designing intranets that work (James Robertson)
Intranets are of no use if staff can’t quickly and confidently find what they need. As intranets grow in size, this becomes harder to achieve, particularly in complex organisations. When designing (or redesigning) an intranet, we therefore need to put staff first, following a “user-centred design” approach.
Taking a user-centred design approach to the intranet gives teams a range of practical usability techniques that get beyond opinions and arguments. Hands-on activities with a number of these key techniques, such as card sorting, ensure you will walk away with practical skills that can be immediately put into practice.
Key topics covered by the workshop:
- practical design methodology that will deliver a site that works for staff
- fundamental design principles and concepts
- practical techniques, including card sorting, tree testing and usability testing
- designing the intranet homepage
- personalisation and targeting
- examples and screenshots from many intranets
James Robertson is the author of Designing intranets: creating sites that work, the first textbook for intranet teams, along with What every intranet team should know and almost a hundred articles. As managing director of Step Two Designs, James has worked with many high-profile organisations, both within Australia and internationally, and has keynoted events in a dozen countries.
