7 Tips to Update Your Intranet

In an era where AI-powered technologies are capturing the limelight, a robust intranet remains crucial for organizations aiming to streamline internal communication and knowledge management. This was a pivotal point highlighted in a recent Orchestry webinar featuring the esteemed "Intranet Oracle," Sue Hanley.

Sue emphasizes that AI tools thrive on high-quality, well-organized content. So, how should you prepare your intranet for this AI-driven landscape? Watch the webinar on-demand, or read on for seven insightful tips inspired by her expertise:

1. Establish Clear Objectives

Before making any modifications, understand the core needs of your business. The content and updates on your intranet should align with overarching company objectives. Rather than gathering a list of requirements, identify the essential information employees need to excel in their roles and the outcomes they seek to achieve. This approach shifts the focus from features to tangible, valuable results, ultimately facilitating smoother project funding by demonstrating clear business outcomes.

2. Strengthen Governance 

Though it may sound mundane, governance forms the backbone of an effective intranet. Many intranet challenges, such as poor search results, stem from inadequate governance. To ensure AI tools like Copilot have reliable content, plan meticulously, secure necessary content, and regularly update or remove outdated information. Prior to creating new sites or libraries, consider content ownership and lifespan. Embrace new M365 features and establish a governance resource center to simplify compliance.

3. Tailor Content for Impact

It's quality over quantity, every time. Use audience targeting, such as Entra ID groups (formerly Azure AD groups), to deliver relevant content to the right audience. Sue suggests clear naming conventions for intranet audiences and leveraging the M365 Brand Center for consistent themes and fonts. Enhance search functionality with bookmarks and acronyms to facilitate quick access to official information.

Want to learn how Orchestry's governance and provisioning tools can help with your intranet update? Check out our features sheet.

4. Modernize Intranet Structure

Ditch outdated, hierarchical intranet structures. Embrace a flatter design with multiple distinct sites, allowing teams to manage their content autonomously. At the same time, you'll want to centralize essential resources in a "Policy Center," ideal for both users and auditors. SharePoint's Copilot agent capability enhances organization without the need for coding, but a clear structure with limited sources is vital for optimal agent performance.

5. Enhance Navigation and User Experience

Despite advancements in search and AI, intuitive navigation remains essential. Organize navigation around user tasks rather than just replicating the organizational chart, which is prone to frequent changes. Test and refine navigation with feedback from actual users to ensure a seamless experience.

Design an aesthetically pleasing and user-friendly intranet. Microsoft 365's new layout tools, though intricate, offer exciting design opportunities. Fifty new page templates guaranteed to spark inspiration are expected by June 2025. Utilize tools like the Editorial Card web part for appealing pages; the upcoming Agent web parts will soon allow you to embed Copilot agents on pages. You can also use AI to get design ideas or assistance with writing content. And always be sure to use the accessibility checker, so that everyone can use your intranet. 

6. Plan Communications and Engagement

The most successful modern intranets are not just about one-way dialogue; they also include opportunities to collect feedback and engage with employees. Updating your intranet is a good opportunity to take advantage of new and engaging ways to reach employees where they are—in email, SharePoint, Teams, and Engage.

Create a strategic plan for communication platforms, determining when to leverage each channel. Consider Viva Amplify to orchestrate the flow of communications across channels.

7. Bring the Intranet into the Flow

Viva Connections allows you to bring the intranet to where people are working: Microsoft Teams. Use Connections to ensure that the intranet isn’t just a destination—it’s embedded in the same tools people are using to connect and collaborate in their daily work.

Implementing these strategies may seem daunting, but they're pivotal in preparing your intranet for future success in an AI-driven world. As Sue underscores, AI's efficacy hinges on quality content. Orchestry can support your journey by simplifying governance and provisioning, ensuring your workspaces remain consistent, branded, and well-structured. Making all of these measures a part of your update strategy will be critical in crafting an intranet that effectively serves your entire organization. To get a taste of how Orchestry's governance and provisioning tools can help, check out our features sheet.