When it comes to intranets, ‘governance’ is a word that people recognise, and a concept they are pretty sure they need, but often they aren’t sure exactly what it means.

The essence of governance is having a framework in place that enables the decision-making and planning processes for the intranet. This provides support for the intranet team and assists with the smooth running of the intranet.

The following lists some elements that are present in any governance model.

Strategy

Every intranet needs a strategy that underpins its governance model. It can be as simple as a one-page document, explaining where the intranet is currently at, where it is heading and what will be delivered along the way. Most importantly, the intranet strategy must be closely aligned with the organisation’s overall strategy, supporting the organisation’s direction.

Ownership

Ownership is about building and defining the relationships that are essential in running an intranet. Knowing who has the authority to make decisions and where the points of escalation are when disagreements arise is crucial to the decision-making process.

{CM Briefing 2008-19 by Amanda Broomhall, read the full article]