Workshops are used to bring the project team and key stakeholders together to discuss the results of user research. These activities ensure business and technical goals for the intranet are aligned.
Key Insights & Themes
The interviews will generate broad themes, which we turn into a Key Insights document. These insights are then presented to the Project Team in a half-day workshop.
See example:
Sample key insights presentation: https://www.smlwrld.io/content/28854
Ideation Workshop
Using the key insights gleaned from the user research, we can start workshopping ideas with the project team.
In an ideation workshop we review the key themes then run different brainstorming and sketching sessions in relation to those themes.
For example:
- brainstorming ways we can practically engage users
- brainstorming an 'opposite world' where we want the intranet to get as out-of-date as quickly as possible
- sketching a person profile
- sketching an event template
Sample workshop exercises:
Identifying top tasks
We identify real employee tasks, then rank them using simple polling.
- Generate initial list
From the user research and any available data (call logs, intranet analytics) we compile a list of typical employee tasks
- Refine the list
In the workshop we reduce the list, consolidating overlapping tasks and discarding minor tasks
- Survey employees
Once the list is at a reasonable size (50-60 maximum) we run a poll with a sample of staff, asking them to vote on the five most important to them in doing their work. We can segment with simple category questions too, such as "Do you manage people?" or "Do you do most of your work at a desk?"
- Use top tasks to drive architecture
We use the top 20 to 30 tasks from the poll as part of our card sort to discover patterns in the way staff organise and find tasks.
Scoping & Prioritisation
The research provides insight into the design, content and functionality users require. In the workshop we prioritise requirements with the Project Team.
What might affect prioritisation?
- ease or difficulty of implementation (cost to implement)
- availability of internal resources needed
- alignment with business objectives
- timings of other organisational projects
Out of this we update the project plan with additional scope detail, agree requirements, and define a timeline for completion.