An intranet is not a website. If redesigning an intranet was as easy as throwing together some new graphics, the work could be done by buying Microsoft Templates, much like PowerPoint.
Many organizations, sadly, just turn the redesign over to a graphic designer or web design firm. Big mistake.
Redesigning an Intranet requires a completely different approach to design than a consumer website (or mobile site, or mobile app).
For starters, typical websites are primarily marketing vehicles, created with the purpose of selling a product, a service, an idea, a concept. This is the fatal mistake: employees do not want to be sold anything. Ever. Employees use the intranet to find information, as fast as they can. And management uses the intranet to engage employees in the business – often with highly relevant, targeted communication.
The most important ingredient for a successful intranet, after executive sponsorship and governance, is speed. Employees want information fast. They want it on all their devices. And they want it tailored to their specific situation.
The visual look of your intranet is the first thing companies seek to change; it’s the first thing people notice; the it’s also first thing users complain about.
Read the entire in-depth article Intranet Design Fundamentals
See the slides from the free webinar “Intranet Design“