Wednesday 9 October 2013

SharePoint 2013 Top 10 intranet success factors

Did you ever find any difficulty while trying to explain SharePoint basics to a novice completely unaware of the technology? Probably, Yes! Chances are also high that you faced difficulty in terms of user training for facilitating a smooth migration process. What you need to remember while taking up the task of explaining SP to novice or new users is that the migration is just not all about branding, hardware, Web Parts, as well as customization. The document management system application has more to it and it is important to gather the basic knowledge of the same for better understanding.

Now, when it comes to determining the top intranet success factors, users and enterprises need to consider a number of other factors for evaluating alongside implementing the latest of intranet offerings by Microsoft. If, being an enterprise, you are planning to grow as well as evolve with SharePoint 2013, following the tricks of the trade is imperative for you.

sharepoint development
 
Top Success Factors with Intranet
Here is a look at the 10 success factors that effectively blends best practices of intranet and the specifics as well as basics of SP 2013:

1. Understanding SharePoint at Best
SharePoint uses a number of terminology carrying specific meaning in respect to enterprise application. Terms like, list, site, as well as library features specific meaning and it is important for the users to understand the terms properly. Maintaining a glossary always helps even a novice understand the technicalities.

2. Analyze and Determine the Business Requirements
It is important to take up the process of defining the existing along with expected business needs, requirements, and interests, even if the decision of integrating SharePoint has been already embraced at corporate level.

3. SharePoint is a Platform of Managing Information
The advantages of SharePoint cannot be fully realized without a proper strategy of information management. Now, the strategy must ensure relating all application of information asset mutually. If this is not done properly, the weaknesses will become evident and irreversible.

4. Combine the IT and Business Development Teams
It is essential to closely integrate the IT and business development teams so that they get to work together on the methodology as well as management of an Agile project. Always remember to take special care if there is the involvement of a third-party implementation team.

5. Governance is Necessary
It is difficult to execute the completion of a project successfully, if there is no governance. To make things easier, it is advisable to have a governance guide highlighting individual responsibilities of users involved in implementing SP and using it to the core ready. Enterprises must ensure updating the guidebook with best practice instances.
 
6. Migration must be planned carefully
Usually, SharePoint features an upgrade cycle of three years as well as the specific versions come with a five year support. If a clear along with predefined business case is underlined for a project, then you must always make sure to migrate to SP 2013.

7. Quantify the Costs of Professional Services
Always keep in mind that fruitful and effective functioning of SharePoint is entirely dependent on skilled as well as knowledgeable developers alongside business analysts. Now, whether the need is sufficed by internal IT professionals or external developers, the cost can end up becoming more than what is actually expected.

8. Develop a Risk Register
Similar to all other enterprise applications, SharePoint development too is likely to feature some standard practices, some non-standard practices, as well as risks. Now, what gets difficult is establishing all the risks alongside administering progress in managing the process effectively as well as avoiding the risks efficiently. It is also important to find out an effective approach of maintaining a schedule and budget of the projects.

9. Avoid Taking Case Studies at Face Value
The main focus of case studies always remain on the positive attributes of a project. It is therefore essential to decipher alongside determine things that did not go well and why it went all wrong alongside finding out the ways of overcoming the problems.

10. Careful Management of My Sites and Team Sites must be Executed
It is essential to come into an agreement regarding the process of establishing a Team Site as well as closing it down when no longer in use. Developing hundreds and thousands of information silos is easy indeed.

Implementing the above-mentioned Intranet success factors in your SharePoint application development project can pave the road to success for your enterprise without any hitch.

We provide custom SharePoint development services. If you would like to talk to one of our certified SharePoint developers, please get in touch with us at Mindfire Solutions.