Knowing how to improve SharePoint collaboration may require the consideration of a number of crucial aspects. Many employ Microsoft SharePoint as a state-of-the-art solution to enhance their information-sharing and collaboration, but even the most efficient IT professionals fail to maximize the utility of this software. With that said, tools and resources are available to the user, and being able to make the most of them needs effective governance. The definition of governance has a lot to do with who is asking the question and what they are looking to accomplish. This article would take a look at some pertinent factors that contribute towards increased SharePoint collaboration.
By considering IT governance as a technique to persuade people to use framework made for the efficiency of the organization, it gets easier and simpler to ensure fast adoption and efficient methods. Effective governance mainly revolves around the specific requirements of an agency regarding a platform, or a particular technological solution. Incorporating end-user input, specific business needs, and guidelines into the governance designing, will likely lead to more manageable and effective deployments. While initiating a SharePoint migration, look at the following aspects:
Start your governance plan before anything else. The discussion concerning governance will allow an agency and its IT department to be able to pass through different phases, including steps within each phase, and design a profitable framework. Begin with a high-level framework, and then work it down into granular pieces. The purpose is to make the governance and management aligned. This is a crucial way of building relationships between staff and management that will ensure that the project is going to stay on track.
Rather than looking to migrate or adopt SharePoint across the whole organization, start with a small area or unit. When you start with one business unit, you get an opportunity of enhancing staff learning and IT processes. After attaining some success, find out what type of data is critical to the goal and utilized on consistent basis.
Bear in mind the fact that not everything is valuable and should be kept. Whether you are migrating from a previous version of SharePoint, or adopting it for the first time, avoid bringing over all workflows, data, and processes. Take a fresh start, and look at everything with a clean perspective. You can pull critical data into SharePoint by using web parts, or directly importing into directories, libraries, and folders.
Understanding the importance of metadata is crucial. Design your governance around metadata, instead of whole folders. SharePoint utilizes a powerful use of organized and descriptive metadata for a more healthy content management environment. Ask senior management and end users about the keywords and terms they use on consistent basis.
For one person to know all capabilities and features of SharePoint is not likely. While understanding your governance planning, make sure to consult with representatives from all corners of the agency. Find out how they perform their daily tasks and what is important to them. With that said, if you are looking to improve Microsoft SharePoint collaboration, make sure to consider these guidelines.
