A little while ago, I embarked on a project to write and publish a book to help people make a better Intranet with SharePoint. After chatting with a friend last week I thought I’d experiment with generating an AI generated, interview style discussion using my book as the source content.

The result is impressive! Don’t take my word for it, have a listen for yourself!

Building SharePoint Intranets – The Interview

The audio was generated in a few minutes using Google Notebook LLM.

I also used Notebook LLM to generate FAQ’s from my book. Here is the result:

---

1. Why should my organization build an intranet using SharePoint Online?

SharePoint Online offers a robust platform for building modern and engaging intranets. Some key benefits include:

• Improved Communication: Enables streamlined communication through news, announcements, and targeted content delivery.
• Enhanced Collaboration: Facilitates teamwork with shared workspaces, document co-authoring, and integrated communication tools.
• Centralized Knowledge: Provides a central repository for policies, procedures, and company information, improving knowledge access.
• Streamlined Processes: Automates workflows, simplifies forms, and enhances business processes, leading to efficiency gains.
• Increased Productivity: Empowers employees with quick access to resources, information, and tools, boosting productivity.

2. What are the key considerations for planning an intranet project?

Effective planning is crucial for a successful intranet project. Consider the following:

• Define Clear Goals: Identify the core problems the intranet aims to address and establish specific, measurable objectives.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Involve key stakeholders from different departments to gather diverse perspectives and ensure buy-in.
• Budgeting and Resourcing: Allocate sufficient budget and secure dedicated resources for project management, development, content creation, and ongoing maintenance.
• Scope Management: Clearly define the features and functionalities to be included in the initial launch and prioritize based on effort and impact.
• Timeline and Milestones: Create a realistic timeline with well-defined milestones to track progress and ensure timely delivery.

3. How does governance play a role in intranet success?

Governance provides a framework for decision-making and ensures long-term intranet sustainability. Key aspects of governance include:

• Governance Team: Establish a team representing diverse stakeholders to guide the intranet’s development and direction.
• Principles and Objectives: Define clear principles and objectives to align the intranet with organizational goals.
• Roles and Responsibilities: Outline the roles and responsibilities of individuals involved in the intranet’s management.
• Decision-making Processes: Establish clear processes for approving changes, new features, and content updates.
• Ongoing Management: Define procedures for content maintenance, support, and continuous improvement.

Technical Questions

4. What are SharePoint Hub Sites, and how can they be used for intranets?

Hub Sites connect multiple SharePoint sites into a unified structure. Benefits include:

• Consistent Branding: Associate sites with a hub to inherit its theme, logo, and navigation, ensuring a cohesive intranet experience.
• Content Roll-up: Aggregate content from associated sites using web parts, providing a centralized view of relevant information.
• Shared Navigation: Implement global navigation across connected sites, improving discoverability and ease of use.
• Targeted Search: Create search scopes specific to the hub, making it easier for users to find information within the related sites.

5. How can we ensure effective navigation in our SharePoint intranet?

Intuitive navigation is crucial for intranet usability. Key considerations include:

• Global Navigation: Use a consistent global navigation menu across the intranet, providing access to key areas and functionality.
• Mega Menus: Implement mega menus to present multi-level navigation structures and categorize content for easy browsing.
• Local Navigation: Configure local navigation within individual sites to provide access to specific content and resources relevant to that site.
• Audience Targeting: Customize navigation elements based on user groups or roles to ensure relevant content is presented to the right audience.

6. What strategies can be used to improve search functionality in SharePoint?

Optimizing search enhances information discoverability. Strategies include:

• Metadata: Use consistent metadata tagging to classify content, making it easier for the search engine to index and retrieve relevant results.
• Content Types: Define content types with specific metadata fields to enforce consistent information structure and improve search accuracy.
• Promoted Results: Highlight important content by configuring promoted results to appear at the top of search results for specific keywords.
• Search Scopes: Create search scopes to restrict searches to specific sites or hubs, reducing irrelevant results and refining searches.

Content and Adoption

7. How can we develop a successful content strategy for our intranet?

Content is the heart of any intranet. Key considerations for content strategy include:

• Content Audit: Review existing content to identify what to migrate, update, or retire to ensure the intranet launches with fresh and relevant information.
• Target Audience: Define the specific needs and interests of different user groups to create tailored content that resonates with each audience.
• Content Creation: Develop a content creation process with clear ownership, guidelines, and review workflows to ensure quality and consistency.
• Dynamic Content: Leverage dynamic content features like news web parts, Yammer feeds, and targeted content to keep the intranet fresh and engaging.

8. What steps can we take to drive user adoption of the new intranet?

User adoption ensures the intranet’s success. Key strategies include:

• Change Management: Communicate effectively, involve users in the process, and address concerns to facilitate a smooth transition.
• Training and Support: Provide comprehensive training resources and ongoing support to empower users to confidently use the intranet.
• Early Adopters: Identify and engage early adopters to champion the intranet and promote its benefits to their peers.
• Showcase Success: Highlight successful use cases and demonstrate how the intranet solves business problems to build credibility and encourage adoption.