Building an Intranet Governance Strategy Joseph Busch and Zach Wahl Project Performance Corporation Monday, November 15, 2010; 9:00 AM - Noon

Building an Intranet Governance StrategyJoseph Busch and Zach WahlProject Performance CorporationMonday, November 15, 2010; 9:00 AM - Noon

Agenda

• What is Intranet Governance?

• Governance Team Charter

• Governance Team Structure

• Governance Team Job Descriptions

• Content Lifecycle and Archiving Policy

Building an Intranet Governance Strategy2

What is Intranet Governance?

• Intranet Governance is the set of roles, responsibilities, and processes that need to be put in place to guide the development and use of an intranet so that it will remain consistent and cohesive as it evolves over time.

– The Governance team sets up and maintains the “rules of the road” for the Intranet; they are not the “traffic cops” that enforce them.

• Governance Artifacts are items such as process documents and editorial standard guides that are used in the governance processes.


Sustainability

• Initial efforts can quickly be degraded without effective governance.

• Lack of oversight will result in poorly named content and folders.

• Lack of coordination will result in duplicated, inappropriate, or incorrectly placed content.

Time from Rollout (months)

Documents in Directory: 10,000Folders in Directory: 90Directory Depth (Levels): 4Duplicate Content: 0

Documents in Directory: 20,000Folders in Directory: 150Directory Depth (Levels): 7Duplicate Content: 5,000

Documents in Directory: 40,000Folders in Directory: 250Directory Depth (Levels): 15Duplicate Content: 15,000


Risk Acceptance

• Governance model will be driven by willingness to have incorrect, inappropriate, or obsolete materials online.

Approvals Required Prior to PublicationImmediate Content Publication

Certified Publishers and OwnersFully Democratized Publication and Editing

Centralized Governance BodyNo Official Governance


• Different applications have different governance requirements.

Wikis

Blogs Social Tagging

Social Networking

Web Content Management

Portal Document Management

Records Management

Looser Tighter

Less Complex More Complex


Level of Control

• Decides on the initial processes (including roles & responsibilities), tools, and training that contributors will use to create the site content.

• Does not create or change the content, but checks on its overall quality, its overall compliance to standards, and the usability of the intranet.

• Changes the processes, tools, and training to deal with problems that are uncovered during operations.

Authors & Approvers do this:

Governance Committee does this:

Building an Intranet Governance Strategy 7

What Does an Intranet GovernanceCommittee Do?

Governance Scope & Components: Overview (1)

Scope Components

Look & Feel Design guidelines: colors, typefaces, formatting, page sizes, page templates, etc.

Editorial Style Style guide, writing guidelines, copy editing, accessibility, etc.

Content Content scope, author/review process, ROT (redundant, outdated, and trivial) content elimination, non-HTML content, lifecycle & archiving, web applications, access controls, etc.

Links Styles, URL structure, file naming, link text, destinations, etc.

Search & Navigation Breadcrumbs, navigation components, page hierarchy, sidebars, search, search logs, etc.


Governance Scope & Components: Overview (2)

Scope Components

Taxonomy & Metadata Facets, maintenance process, editorial rules, tagging & retagging, naming conventions, etc.

Infrastructure Server and network hardware & software, security, backup, analytics, etc.

Evaluation Usability testing, surveys, site analytics, scorecards, social media, etc.

Teamwork Charter, committees and sub-committees, roles, responsibilities, etc.

Authority Incentives, measurement, job description changes (to add intranet responsibilities), etc.

Marketing Communications plan, presentations, migrating key applications, training, etc.


Look & Feel Components:Design Guidelines Example

Source: http://www.usability.gov


http://www.usability.gov/

Editorial Style Components:Style Guide Examples

Source: http://www.apstylebook.com/ Source: http://www.plainlanguage.gov/


http://www.apstylebook.com/

http://www.plainlanguage.gov/

https://www.apstylebook.com/apbookstore/invoice.php?pid=978-0-917360-53-4

Content Components:Information Life Cycle Example

Source: Workshop Report on Social Aspects of Digital Libraries, http://is.gseis.ucla.edu/research/dig_libraries/


http://is.gseis.ucla.edu/research/dig_libraries/

Links Components:File Naming Guidelines Example

Source: http://www.ppc.com


http://www.ppc.com/

Search & Navigation Components:Website Analytics Examples


Taxonomy & Metadata:Basic Change Request Process Examples

Submit Change Request

Simple?Change as Requested

Yes

Research/complete Change Request form

No

Change?

Inform Originator

No

YesImmediate?

Yes

No

Assign Priority

Approved Status

Pending Status

Candidate Status

Source: Taxonomy Strategies Template


Infrastructure:SharePoint Search Architecture Example

Source: Arnold IT (http://arnoldit.com/wordpress/2009/09/16/ sharepoint-search-architecture/)


http://arnoldit.com/wordpress/2009/09/16/sharepoint-search-architecture/

Evaluation Components:Website Scorecard Example

Source: Beacon Technologies (http://www.site-review-experts.com/ samples/standard.asp)


http://www.site-review-experts.com/samples/standard.asp

Teamwork Components:Team Roles

• What divisions and groups should be represented on the team?

– HR, Corp Comm, IT– Who else (SMEs and Content

Contributors)?

• Who will be the members of the Governance team?

– Current team?

• Suggested roles (one person may fill multiple roles):

– Team Leader (agenda setting)– Intranet Editor– Taxonomy Editor– IT Implementer– Business Analyst

A Different Approach…•Visionary – survey the portal landscape, developing and directing its future direction.•Evangelist – serve as cheerleader for the portal technology and what it can do for the business.•User adoption – facilitate user adoption via focused, one-on-one tutorials (primarily with executives who don’t have time to sit through training programs), incentive programs (for best collaborative sites, etc.), and feedback surveys.•Training – as primary trainer for SharePoint, will hold regular training sessions for advanced users and site administrators.•Support – serve as top level support for portal administrators and site administrators (infrastructure support will be provided by IT).•Business Analyst and Developer Liaison – meet with business leaders to gather requirements for new portal projects and manage development efforts of development team.

Source: Microsoft-suggested SharePoint Strategy Team roles(http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=92333&clcid=0x409)


Authority Components:Measurement Examples

Automated Measurements Compliance Reporting

Template usage Percentage

Branding/logo usage Exceptions identified

Link integrity Exceptions listing

Metadata completeness Percentage

Copyright compliance Exceptions identified

Source: WelchmanPierpoint Web Governance and Standards Compliance (http://welchmanpierpoint.com/sites/files/webgoverance_WelchmanPierpoint.pdf)


Marketing Components:Communications Plan Example

Source: Taxonomy Strategies Template








What’s in the Intranet Team Charter?

• The team charter sets out the goals and limits on the intranet governance team:

– The scope of the intranet and overall responsibilities of the intranet team.

– The team’s structure, and its members’ roles & responsibilities.

– The objectives of the intranet team.

– The materials to be created and maintained by the team.


Team Charter: Team responsibilities

• Intranet platform and tools:– Content management &

delivery application

– Search (what’s included)

– Linking (what’s appropriate)

– Page templates

– Taxonomy categories

• Create intranet content– Content scope– Content authoring and

approvals process– Training materials for

authors and approvers

• Maintain intranet– Content maintenance

(review & removal)– Procedures for monitoring

Intranet quality– Add/change platform &

tools


Team Charter: Intranet Scope (1)

• The Intranet should be a centralized information resource that cuts across all business units to ensure that key knowledge is shared between employees so that information gaps are bridged as the workforce changes.

• The Intranet is for publishing business-relevant content that would be of interest to more than x number of people, span business unit or function, or span geographic locations.

• The level of interest in a content item may be measured by number of page views. If that is not achieved, then the content may be retired.



• Non-HTML content such as documents, PowerPoint presentations, spreadsheets, images, etc. may be published on the Intranet. The same rules will apply to non-HTML content as for web pages.

• The Intranet is not a repository of all information. It does not include versions of content that are of record and need to be retained.

• The Intranet is not for “secret” information, although access control can be applied to content on an item-level, folder, or directory basis.



• Intranet content will require approval by someone besides the content creator before it is published. – Area owners and area managers in the major content areas will be

identified, recruited, and trained to be responsible for overseeing the publication of Intranet content.

• Intranet content will be maintained and reviewed by the content owner at least once each year. – Different content types such as announcements, policies, etc. may

have different review cycles.

– Landing pages which are intrinsic to Intranet structure will be reviewed, but never deleted.

– People will be “reminded” rather than “warned” of content review actions that are required.


• The Intranet Team is a multi-division, cross-functional team consisting of a small Core Team, a larger Extended Team, and a group of Partners.

Core Team: Team Lead, IT, Human Resources, and Corporate Communications

Extended Team: Content Approvers from Business Units, Divisions, Offices, and Facilities

Partners: Business Applications Owners, IT Managers, Legal, and Risk Management

Building an Intranet Governance Strategy 27

Team Charter: Team Structure

Team Charter: Team Structure

• Multi-division, cross-functional team consisting of:– Team Leader

– Core Team from HR, IT, and Corporate Communications

– Extended Team of Content Approvers / Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)

– Partners who own or serve up applications, or provide oversight

• The Intranet Team will operate by consensus.• Team members will represent their area, but must also

represent the overall interests.• Decisions of the team may be appealed to the Steering

Committee. The Steering Committee may set priority tasks for the Intranet Team.


Team Charter: Objectives

• Oversee content migration.

• Develop initial standards for the look and feel of the Intranet and update them as needed.

• Develop initial training materials for authors and approvers in the Intranet, and update them as needed.

• Conduct periodic evaluations to test the Intranet’s performance in meeting its business goals.

• Promote awareness and use of the Intranet.

• Request and prioritize additional Intranet functionality.


Team Charter: Materials

• Team charter• Content scope policy• Design guidelines • Page templates• Taxonomy & maintenance process• Content approval process• Quality control process• Analytics & reporting• Lifecycle & archiving guidelines• Training materials• Communications plan








Team Structure: Best Practices

• Many organizations divide intranet governance into multiple committees, subcommittees, and working groups.

• Even if a single group handles the governance, they should wear multiple “hats” to represent different viewpoints.

Steering Group (Chaired by Sponsor) Business objectives vs. content

Allocation and review of resources *

Development Group “Content development”

Operations Group Making it happen

* Figure source: Martin White. Intranet Governance (http://www.intranetfocus.com/governance/governance.pdf)


Team Structure: Considerations

• Are multiple committees advisable for Intranet governance?

– We believe that to be overkill at this time

• Who should the group report to?

• In what areas is the current team weak and strong? Are important capabilities missing?

– Representation from global offices

– Resource-focused technical execution after deployment

– Training and content/technical support


Team Structure: Example

• Three-tier structure• Partners are advisory only• Overall Intranet lead & editor• Executive backstop for appeals

EditorEditor

LOBsLOBs


Multiple Sources for Intranet Evolution

CMSCMS

Editor

Intranet Governance Team

Intranet Governance Team

Contributors/ ApproversEnd Users

Tagging InterfaceUser Interface

Query logs/ analytics/

suggestions

Requests

Recommendations by Editor1. Small changes (labels, synonyms)2. Large changes (retagging,

application changes)3. New “best bets” content

Recommendations by Editor1. Small changes (labels, synonyms)2. Large changes (retagging,

application changes)3. New “best bets” content

Team Considerations1.Business goals2.Changes in user experience3.Retagging cost

Team Considerations1.Business goals2.Changes in user experience3.Retagging cost

Requests from Partners & elsewhere

Application Logic

Metadata/ content analysis

XYZnet XYZnet


Basic Change Request Process

Yes

No

No

Yes

Yes

No


Originator submits change request

Originator submits change request

Change as requestedChange as requested

Research/complete change request formResearch/complete

change request form

Inform originatorInform originator Assign priorityAssign priority

Simple?Simple?

Change?Change? Immediate?Immediate?







Role: Executive Sponsors

• Possess the ultimate decision-making authority on metadata governance policy.


Role: Lead

• Approve fast-track changes.

• Assure integrity of Intranet—quality of content and metadata associated with content.

• Assess and consider impact and cost of undertaking development tasks and implementing proposed changes.

• Do user research, or give gut-level feedback for changes.

• Record and report all change requests and their disposition to the core and extended teams.


Role: Core Team

• Oversee content management platform upgrades.• Develop initial policies and guidelines, and update them as

needed.–Look and feel, scope, content lifecycle and archiving, etc.

• Develop initial training materials for authors and approvers, and update them as needed.

• Promote awareness and use of Intranet. • Conduct periodic evaluations to test Intranet performance in

meeting its business goals.• Request and prioritize additional Intranet functionality.• Develop change requests, then review, prioritize, and

implement changes.


Role: Extended Team

• Approve, maintain, and archive content.

• Ensure that content complies with Intranet policies and guidelines.

• Identify content that is needed, and oversee its creation, validation, and publication.


Role: Partners

• Business applications owners, IT managers, legal, and risk management (and other business stakeholders).

• Identify and communicate Intranet content and functionality needs and change requests.

• Use and promote Intranet as the authoritative source.








Basic Approval Process

Yes

Non-HTML content is required to have a link from content in a page

template

NoApproval by designated area

content manager


Content author submits content

Content author submits content

Meets scope & is complete?


Research/complete template

Research/complete template

Inform content ownerInform content owner

PublishPublish

Basic Content Publishing Process

• Intranet content must be formatted in a page template (or, if non-HTML content, linked to a page template to avoid orphaned content).

• Metadata is required for all Intranet content (HTML and non-HTML).

• Every page must have a content author, and every author must have an area approver.– Area approvers will be designated for Business Functions (as listed in

the Intranet Taxonomy)

• Intranet content will be published on approval.– So no fast-track process is required

• Modifications will usually be made by the area approver.


Annual Review Process

Yes

Sent to content author one month prior to publication anniversaries.

No

Approval by designated area content manager.


Annual review taskAnnual review task

Research/update contentResearch/update content

Inform ownerInform owner

PublishPublish

Mark review dateMark review date

Is content current?

Is content current?



Basic Content Review Process

• After publication, Intranet content must be reviewed annually (on one year content anniversaries).

• Content authors will be sent email reminders of review tasks one month prior to content anniversaries.

• Content authors are required to modify Intranet content prior to content anniversaries, or indicate that it is current.

• Modified content needs to be approved by area content managers.

• Content that is not approved will be marked deleted with the exception of landing pages.

• If the content author/approvers do not complete their annual review task, landing pages with linked pages or non-HTML content will be reviewed and revised by the Intranet Lead.


Content Lifecycle

• Content lifecycle is date-driven. Examples:– Created date. Date content was originally created by content author

(usually system set when content is first saved to CMS)

– Approved date. Date content was approved by Area Approver

– Publication date. Date content is/was published (automatically set)

– Expiry date. Specifies future date when content is to be deleted

– Review date. Automatically set 365 days after content is published or modified; Content owner is notified 30 days prior (335th day)

– Modified date. Date content was last modified

– Deleted date. Date content was deleted


Content Lifecycle Transactions:Specification

Event Metadata Actor Description DefaultAuthoring Created Date Author Date content

originally createdToday

Approval Approved Date

Approver Date content approved

Not approved

Publication Publication Date

System Date content was published

Today

Expiration Expiry Date Author Date when content is to be deleted

+365 days

Review Review Date System Date content must next be reviewed

+365 days

Modification Modified Date Author or Approver

Date content was last modified

Today

Deletion Deleted Date Author, Approver, Intranet Lead

Date content was deleted

+365 days


50

Questions?More information:•Taxonomy Strategies: www.taxonomystrategies.com•Thought Leadership Countdown to KM World: www.ppc.com/Pages/KMWorld2010.aspx

Contact:Joseph A. Busch, +1-415-377-7912, [email protected]

Zach Wahl, +1-703-626-6976, [email protected]

www.ppc.com blog.ppc.com

Building an Intranet Governance Strategy