Key Elements of Intranet Governance
Intranet governance is the process of setting up and managing an organization’s intranet. It involves defining roles and responsibilities, establishing content guidelines, setting user permissions and access, and implementing security measures. It is important to have a well-defined governance plan in place to ensure your intranet is managed effectively and efficiently.
Defining Roles and Responsibilities
Defining roles and responsibilities is crucial in intranet governance as it helps to ensure that the right people are assigned to the right tasks, which leads to effective management of the intranet.
-Project Manager: Responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of the intranet governance plan.
-Content Manager: Responsible for ensuring that the content guidelines are followed, the content is of high quality, and that it is updated regularly.
-Site owner: Responsible for managing their own sites and ensuring that they comply with the overall intranet governance plan.
Establishing Content Guidelines
Establishing content guidelines is important as it helps to ensure that the content on the intranet is relevant, high quality, and aligns with the overall objectives of the organization.
Content guidelines should include the type of content that is allowed, the tone and style of the content, and guidelines for images and multimedia. It is important to ensure that the content guidelines are communicated to all users who contribute to the intranet.
Setting User Permissions and Access
Setting user permissions and access is important as it helps to ensure that the right people have access to the right information. User permissions should be set up in a way that allows users to access the content they need while also protecting the security of the intranet. It is important to review and update user permissions regularly to ensure that access is granted and revoked as needed.
Implementing Security Measures
Implementing security measures is crucial in intranet governance as it helps to protect the intranet from unauthorized access and malicious activity. This can include measures such as user authentication, firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and regular security audits. It is important to ensure that security measures are updated regularly to protect against new and emerging threats. Additionally, it is important to have a plan in place to respond to security incidents in case they occur.
Creating an Intranet Governance Plan
Once the key elements of intranet governance have been established, the next step is to create an intranet governance plan. This includes identifying objectives and goals, developing policies and procedures, setting up monitoring and reporting mechanisms, and creating a timeline for implementation. It is important to ensure that the plan is comprehensive and takes into account all of the stakeholders in the organization.
Identifying Objectives and Goals
When creating an intranet governance plan, it is crucial to identify the objectives and goals of the organization. These objectives and goals should align with the overall mission and vision of the organization. It is important to understand the needs of the organization and the desired outcomes of the intranet. For example, the intranet may be used to improve communication and collaboration between departments, increase productivity and efficiency, or provide access to important information and resources.
Developing Policies and Procedures
The next step in creating an intranet governance plan is to develop policies and procedures for creating and managing content, setting up user permissions and access, and implementing security measures. These policies and procedures should be clear and easy to understand and should be communicated to all relevant stakeholders. They should address issues such as content creation, publication, and archiving, as well as user roles and responsibilities, password policies, and security protocols.
Setting Up Monitoring and Reporting Mechanisms
The third step in creating an intranet governance plan is to establish monitoring and reporting mechanisms for tracking and reporting on the performance of the intranet. This includes setting up metrics and KPIs (key performance indicators) to measure the effectiveness of the intranet and identifying tools and methods for collecting and analyzing data. It is important to establish regular reporting cycles and to communicate the results of these reports to relevant stakeholders.
Best Practices for Intranet Governance
When it comes to managing an intranet effectively, it is important to establish a governance plan and implement best practices to ensure its success. Here are some of the best practices for intranet governance:
Regular Content Review and Maintenance
Regular content review and maintenance are essential to ensure that the intranet remains a relevant and useful tool for communication and collaboration. By conducting periodic content audits and updating outdated or irrelevant documents, you can keep the intranet fresh and ensure that it remains a valuable resource for employees.
User Training and Support
User training and support are crucial to ensure that all employees understand how to use the intranet effectively. This can include providing training sessions, creating user guides, and offering technical support to address any issues or questions that arise. By ensuring that all users are comfortable with the intranet’s features and functionality, you can maximize its adoption and usage.
Consistent Branding and Design
Consistent branding and design are also important for intranet governance. By creating a unified look and feel across all pages, you can make the intranet more user-friendly and easier to navigate. This can include using a consistent color palette, font style, and logo placement. By adhering to a consistent design, you can also reinforce the company’s branding and messaging.
Ensuring Compliance and Security
Compliance and security are critical considerations when it comes to intranet governance. You must establish policies and procedures for protecting the intranet from unauthorized access and malicious activity. This can include setting up user permissions, implementing encryption protocols, and conducting regular security audits. By ensuring that the intranet is secure, you can protect sensitive company information and prevent data breaches.
Common Challenges and Solutions in Intranet Governance
While intranets can be a valuable tool for organizations, there are also common challenges that arise when it comes to intranet governance. These challenges can include a lack of resources, time, understanding, and buy-in from stakeholders. Here are some of the most common challenges and solutions for intranet governance:
Lack of Resources
One of the most significant challenges organizations face is a lack of resources. Whether it’s funding, staffing, or technical expertise, organizations may find it difficult to allocate the necessary resources to develop and maintain an effective intranet. The solution to this challenge is to prioritize the intranet as a critical business tool and ensure that it receives the necessary resources to succeed. This can involve securing additional funding or reallocating existing resources to support intranet governance efforts.
Lack of Time
Another challenge that organizations face is a lack of time. Intranet governance requires ongoing attention and maintenance, which can be difficult to manage when employees are already stretched thin. To overcome this challenge, organizations can establish clear ownership and accountability for intranet governance efforts and ensure that employees have the necessary time and support to fulfil their responsibilities. This may involve delegating tasks to specific individuals or teams and establishing regular check-ins and reporting structures to ensure that progress is being made.
Lack of Understanding
A lack of understanding of the importance of intranet governance can also pose a challenge. Employees may not understand how the intranet works, how it benefits the organization, or why it requires ongoing attention and maintenance. The solution to this challenge is to provide education and training about the intranet and its importance. This can involve creating user guides and tutorials, conducting training sessions, and regularly communicating the value of the intranet to all employees.
Lack of Buy-In from Stakeholders
Finally, a lack of buy-in from stakeholders can be a significant challenge for intranet governance. Without support from senior leadership, IT, and other key stakeholders, intranet governance efforts may not receive the necessary attention and resources. The solution to this challenge is to engage with stakeholders early and often and ensure that intranet governance efforts align with the organization’s strategic priorities.
This can involve conducting stakeholder interviews, presenting business cases, and demonstrating the value of intranet governance efforts through regular reporting and analytics.
How Powell Intranet Helps with Your Intranet Governance
Powell Intranet is a powerful intranet platform that makes it easier for organizations to manage their intranet governance. It provides an easy-to-use interface for setting up and managing content for content managers and defining an architecture aligned with the governance. It also provides tools for setting up global navigation and site templates.
Conclusion
Intranet governance is key to ensuring the success of an organization’s intranet strategy. By understanding the key elements of intranet governance, creating an intranet governance plan, and implementing best practices for intranet governance, organizations can ensure their intranet is managed effectively and efficiently.
Powell Intranet can help with your intranet governance by providing an easy-to-use platform for setting up and managing an intranet governance plan.
