Navigating the Transition: Overcoming Challenges When Restructuring SharePoint from Subsites to a Flat Structure

Businesses may encounter several challenges when restructuring SharePoint from a subsite-based structure to a flat structure. Organizations might face ten common challenges during this transition:

Information Architecture

Designing an effective information architecture that accommodates the new flat structure and ensures easy navigation and discoverability of content can be challenging.

Content Reorganization

Moving and reorganizing content from subsites to the new flat structure without losing important metadata, permissions, or version history can be complex and time-consuming.

User Adoption

Ensuring user acceptance and adoption of the new flat design may be challenging, as employees accustomed to subsites may need to adjust their workflows and find content in new ways.

Permissions Management

Managing permissions at a granular level can become more complicated in a flat structure, as the access control lists (ACLs) need to be redefined to align with the new system.

Customization and Branding

Replicating any customizations, branding elements, or templates across the flat structure can be challenging, as they may need to be redesigned or reconfigured to fit the new layout.

Search and Discovery

Ensuring that search functionalities are optimized to retrieve relevant content across the new flat structure can be challenging, as the indexing and ranking algorithms may need adjustment.

Training and Documentation

Providing comprehensive training and documentation to help users understand the new structure and navigate the revised SharePoint environment can be time-consuming but essential for a successful transition. Governance and Policies: Reviewing and updating governance policies, including content management, metadata standards, and user roles, to align with the flat structure can be a challenge.

Integration with Third-Party Systems

Integrating third-party systems and applications with the revised SharePoint structure might require modifications or additional development efforts to maintain seamless workflows.

Change Management

Managing the change process and ensuring effective communication, stakeholder involvement, and user feedback can be challenging when transitioning from subsites to flat structures.

These challenges require careful planning, stakeholder engagement, and technical expertise to overcome. Therefore, it is recommended to involve SharePoint experts and change management specialists and engage end-users early to ensure a smooth transition and successful adoption of the new structure.