Upskilling a Communication Officer through SharePoint Intranet Consulting and Coaching Sessions
This case study highlights the successful upskilling of a Communication Officer within an organization through a two-day SharePoint consulting and coaching program. The objective was to empower the officer with the knowledge and expertise required to effectively utilize SharePoint for improved communication, collaboration, and productivity.
Background
Recognising the need for streamlined communication and enhanced information sharing, the organization leveraged SharePoint as a powerful collaboration platform. A comprehensive consulting and coaching program was designed for the Communication Officer to ensure optimal use of SharePoint's features.
Upskilling Challenges
The Communication Officer faced challenges in understanding SharePoint's capabilities and effectively implementing them to support their communication objectives. The coaching program aimed to address these challenges by providing hands-on training and guidance tailored to their specific role and requirements.
Program Highlights
a. SharePoint Consulting: The two-day program began with a comprehensive overview of SharePoint's features and functionalities relevant to communication tasks. The officer gained a deep understanding of hub sites, their role in centralized navigation, and the importance of a flat architecture without subsites.
b. Customization and Design: The officer learned how to set up sites, including communication sites for sharing stories and team sites for internal collaboration. The Communication Officer were guided through applying a custom look and felt to maintain consistency and align with the organization's branding.
c. Page Creation and Optimization: Pages were explored to organize and present content effectively. The officer gained hands-on experience utilizing web parts to enrich the pages, such as weather information widgets and Facebook embeds. The challenges associated with highlighted content web parts were addressed by implementing custom web parts from tools like Sproket in collaboration with SOPE.
d. Document Management: The officer was guided on setting up document libraries with appropriate structure and permissions. The Communication Officer learned to upload and link documents to pages, ensuring seamless access and presentation. Discussions also covered the restructuring and migration of the Business Management System (BMS) to SharePoint, enabling the officer to contribute effectively to the planning and execution process.
e. Permissions and Security: The officer gained a comprehensive understanding of permissions controls and audience targeting, which are essential for safeguarding sensitive information. The Communication Officer learned how to set up site permissions and distinguish between permissions and audience targeting. The utilization of existing groups was emphasized to streamline access management.
f. Workflow Automation: Power Automate, a powerful automation tool, was introduced to the officer to automate tasks and enhance workflow efficiency. The communication officer learned to leverage Power Automate to automate routine communication processes and improve productivity.
Achievements and Next Steps
The two-day SharePoint consulting and coaching program resulted in significant upskilling of the Communication Officer. The communication officer gained a solid understanding of SharePoint's capabilities and how to support communication objectives effectively.
The officer successfully set up communication and team sites, ensuring seamless communication and collaboration within the organization.
Hands-on practice and guidance taught the officer to create visually appealing pages and optimize content using various web parts and customizations.
Document management skills were enhanced, enabling the officer to structure libraries, upload and link documents, and contribute to the BMS restructuring and migration discussions.
The officer acquired a comprehensive understanding of permissions and security, allowing them to set up appropriate access controls and protect sensitive information.
The introduction to Power Automate enabled the officer to automate tasks, streamline workflows, and improve overall productivity.
The next steps involve continued support and mentoring to reinforce the learned skills, monitor the officer's progress, and provide ongoing guidance as The Communication Officer applies SharePoint in their daily communication responsibilities.
Conclusion
The SharePoint consulting and coaching sessions successfully upskilled the Communication Officer, equipping them with the necessary knowledge and expertise to leverage SharePoint for streamlined communication, collaboration, and productivity. The Communication Officer gained proficiency in site setup, page creation, document management, permissions, and workflow automation through hands-on training. The officer's enhanced skills will positively impact their ability to effectively communicate within the organization, ensuring seamless information sharing and improved productivity. Ongoing support and mentoring will further strengthen their SharePoint capabilities and enable them to contribute to the organization's communication efforts.