Having a successful intranet can make a huge difference when it comes to running a business. An intranet that is a useful and time-saving portal that users check in with many times a day can really help boost the efficiency and productivity of your business.
Unfortunately, however, intranets often fall short of the basic needs of both senior managers and employees. Here is a breakdown of the three basic points to consider when it comes to making a successful intranet.
Business Needs
Business needs are most likely the needs and wishes of the stakeholders. These are key players that will inform and direct the project. In most cases, stakeholders are the ones that are most attuned to and invested in solutions and objectives for the company and true for the intranet. The needs of the business are often big-picture and related to how the expense of the system fits into their budget.
User Needs
The tricky part about relying solely on the needs of the business is that those shouts tend to drown out the voices of the users. Meanwhile, the users— bottom line—are the ones who need the system to operate in a way that meets their needs. It’s helpful to interact directly with the people using the intranet about the problems they are experiencing and what would help make their UX better. It’s equally important to address user needs as it is business needs when it comes to setting up a successful intranet. The problem is that many times users see issues that don’t present themselves to stakeholders, and vice-versa.
So how can you get past these impediments and on toward a successful intranet design?
The Balancing Act
The best solution provides a perfect balance of both business and user needs. The ideal intranet should understand user needs in conjunction with, and separate from, business needs and bring them together in a way that is mutually beneficial. Understanding how these can work together is incredibly difficult – perhaps one of the most challenging aspects of UX.
Sometimes there will be a congruence between what the two groups need, but many times it’s hard for each group to make their case clear to the other side. In these instances, the business side usually wins because they are the ones putting forth the money for the project. But this isn’t always the most beneficial outcome for the business.
It All Comes Back to ROI
This brings us back full-circle to trying to define the elements of what makes a successful intranet. In addition to the nebulous factors of meeting business needs and meeting user needs, there is also the all-important numbers pertaining to Return on Investment. When it comes to intranet success, the real question is: Is it being used? If you look at it this way, user needs should always trump business needs because if a system’s UX isn’t up to par and users are shying away from it, the ROI starts to plummet.
The bottom line is that when you’re putting intranet solutions in place, it’s important to take time and be intentional and understanding of the different needs of the business and users. These two groups have separate agendas, both of which are crucial to the success of the company. Ultimately it’s important to implement a responsive intranet solution that can rise to the challenge of meeting and exceeding both sets of needs.
Learn more about turning your intranet around by downloading our free e-book, Designing A User-Centered Intranet For SharePoint Online.
