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Processes and Productivity

Determining Your Business Objectives: Step 1 to a New Intranet

Defining and then focusing on clear business objectives is the most important step in buying, launching and maintaining a successful intranet.

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Why do you need a new intranet? The answer to this question is the first and most important step on the path to a new intranet.

In our experience, surveys are not effective in answering this question. The most reliable method for researching needs is live interviews (in-person or on the phone).

Conduct interviews with the key stakeholders and 5 or more representative end users. Select 5 to 10 questions from the list below that you will use for your live interviews.

Conducting interviews with key stakeholders and end users is the best way to determine the business objectives for your intranet
Conducting interviews with key stakeholders and end users is the best way to determine the business objectives for your intranet

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Sample interview questions

  • Describe the function of your team / department.
  • Describe your role.
  • What does a typical day look like for you?
  • What activities do you like most? Least? What is the most time consuming?
  • Who do you work with closely? What do you work on? How?
  • Who do you communicate with regularly? Why? How?
  • What are some of the barriers you see to communication & collaboration today?
  • What are the most important priorities & goals in your team / department right now?
  • What applications does your team / department use to get work done?
  • Tell me about the current intranet. What do you like most? Least?
  • How do you think the intranet could help you achieve the goals you mentioned?

Evaluate the results

Your interviews will uncover dozens of business objectives. While some may be unique, many will be related. Find the 3 to 5 top business objectives for your intranet. Remember, these are not features. These are business needs or pain points that your new intranet will help solve.

Pick the 3 to 5 top business objectives for your intranet. Some sample business objectives are in the list below.

Sample business objectives for your intranet

  • Ensure all employees receive important company communication.
  • Improve findability of information and documents needed to do daily tasks.
  • Improve employee engagement scores.
  • Allow employees to access information and documents from home and mobile.
  • Provide easier ways for geographically dispersed teams to collaborate on projects or documents.
  • Simplify and standardize onboarding processes.
  • Reduce time spent reading and answering email.
  • Fix intranet technical issues like slow speed and broken search.
  • Other objectives specific to your company.

Once you’ve completed this first step to a new intranet, congratulations! Defining and then focusing on clear business objectives is the most important step in buying, launching and maintaining a successful intranet.

This is an extract from our free eBook, 10 Steps to a New Intranet: Buyers Workbook.