44 essential intranet guidelines

The following is a check list of guidelines (grouped into categories) that intranet end users value in an intranet. You should consider how you will address each of the qualities in this list if you are planning to:

• Evaluate your current intranet,
• Re-design your current intranet, or
• Design a new intranet

Look and feel

• A good looking home page that contains dynamic content and links to key content 
• The look and feel of the intranet is easy on the eye
• Information is easy to read
• Pages on the intranet have a consistent layout
• Page content is labelled with an owner
• The intranet enables personalisation
• The intranet helps staff understand the corporation's values

Finding information

• It's easy for staff to find the right information at the right time
• Good navigation and use of menus helps staff find information
• Good search helps staff to find information
• The intranet provides a mechanism for enabling staff to know where they are in the hierarchy

Staff interaction with the intranet

Staff can:

• Complete work tasks (eg. book travel)
• Complete forms online
• Publish content
• Upload/download documents
• Discuss work topics online
• Collaborate with other staff using online workspaces
• Find instructions for completing work tasks
• Provide feedback about content on the intranet

Content

The intranet should contain:

• A comprehensive staff directory
• News about both the relevant industry and the organisation
• Forms - both online and printable
• Templates
• Completed documents that can be re-used (eg. Tender documents, project plans, etc)
• Polices and procedures
• Information about the products or services offered by your organisation
• Information about your organisation's customers
• Reports or dashboards
• Training - online and manuals
• A portal to business applications
• A portal to external web sites
• Calendar(s)
• Information for new starters

Intranet maintenance

• Intranet content is accurate
• Intranet content is up-to-date
• The intranet is being improved
• It's easy to see what's new or changed
• End users can use alerts, emails, or RSS feeds
• End users have received training on using the intranet

Performance

• The intranet is always availabe when people need it
• Intranet pages load quickly
• Staff have access to the intranet away from the office
• Staff have access to the intranet using a mobile device (such as a Blackberry)

Value to the organisation

• Staff believe the intranet adds value to the organisation

So how do you know if your intranet has these qualities? Register for worldwide intranet challenge and find out what your end users think.

Comments

[Arianna]

you rss feed is not working!

[Andrew]

Thanks for letting me know. I have fixed it now.

Andrew