There are many ingredients that go into your recipe for how you can manage your intranet well.  Few organisations are excellent with how they manage their intranet.  Even fewer are prepared for their intranets to transform into digital workplaces and take advantage of the benefits on offer.

It is no good looking at a menu for managing an intranet and choosing a few items from the menu that are easy to do.  If you are expecting by doing this people using your intranet will get an improved, consistent, experience you will be sadly disappointed.  If only it is that simple!

From first-hand experience as the BT Intranet manager and from the wider view when consulting helping clients with the right approach for their intranet this is my recipe to successfully manage your intranet.

Starters, entree or first course

1. Have a set of business requirements: your business strategy, values and priorities will help you
2. Have a set of user requirements: satisfaction surveys, online polls, feedback will be good indicators
3. Know who your stakeholders are: the senior managers who will champion and support you

Main course

1. Develop your intranet strategy: scope and align it with your business strategy
2. Set a few key priorities: what will benefit your business most
3. Create your governance hierarchy: roles, responsibilities, reporting lines
4. Define your publishing standards: base them on business, legal and user requirements
5. Design your information architecture: where people using your intranet expect to find content, etc.

Afters, Dessert or sweets

1. Measure the benefits: Track your progress with your project plan
2. User satisfaction: Survey people to assess any change in their views
3. User engagement: Analyse your statistics for changes in usage

Following this recipe should give you a dynamic intranet, engaging content with plenty of energy for future improvements!  Why not give it a try or would you add any side dishes or change the menu?