Did you know the structure and taxonomy of your intranet can really impact your intranet adoption and engagement? At our SORCE user conference we discussed a wide variety of topics including how you can design an intranet structure and taxonomy to create an effective intranet. I thought I would share with you some of the highlights. If you would like to read more please download our free guide on how to manage your intranet.
How to create an effective intranet structure and taxonomy:
1) Familiar terminology
Using language that everyone will understand is important. Remove acronyms from navigation and menu links, don’t assume that everyone will understand them.
2) Menu labels – that make sense
An effective intranet should have clear menu labels that mean something to your users. If in doubt get your audience to define the terminology they use to group and classify content.
3) Understanding user journeys
Take the time to really understand your end users and how they will use the intranet and the information they need quick access to. Ensuring your structure and taxonomy reflect how they use the intranet will create a positive user experience and encourage adoption.
4) Good functionality and navigation
Design and user experience go hand in hand and optimising intranet navigation and functionality were thought to be essential for the perfect intranet by this group.
5) Use analytics to aid design
Good design is informed by site performance. Knowledge of the most viewed content, pages accessed and content consumed can help you enhance future designs.
I hope you have found this useful and take the time to think about the structure of your intranet. If you would like to read more, download our free guide.
