Ballard Spahr - Information Network
Background
A modern intranet provides a centralized platform for storing and sharing legal knowledge. Lawyers need to easily access relevant information and best practices. With an outdated intranet, usability, navigation, internal communication, document management, and collaboration all suffered. This led to the number one issue. Difficulty finding relevant, updated information. Nonetheless, the firm faced several challenges with their existing intranet:
Approach
Discovery and Analysis: Conduct workshops with key stakeholders to understand pain points and requirements. Analyze existing content, user profiles, and workflows. Identified five key personas and developed them.
Design and Redesign: Simplify navigation using mega menus and categorize and target content logically per user feedback and tree-testing. Collaborate with UX designers to create wireframes and mockups. The design also prioritized personal experiences and targeted communications based on role, and office location. Introduce a clean, intuitive interface with personalized dashboards and targeted information architecture.
Change Management: Develop strategy for adoption and efficiency metrics.
Customization and Automation: Develop custom workflows for each line of business and office. For example, document approvals, professional services and support, and customize content elements for each one. Integrate legal research tools, case management systems, and other trusted applications on the firm’s network. Tested user segments to adjust search algorithms and results to suit their needs. Designed templates for news, and content updates.
Content Migration: Migrate existing content (documents, policies, forms) to the new SharePoint Online platform. Ensure seamless transition without disrupting daily operations.
Improve Search: Evaluate common queries, interfaces, results, algorithms. Understand what user segments are searching for, and promote common use of the firm’s unique vocabulary. Also, let’s test the segments to see if they can find things faster.
Result
Efficient Workflows and Knowledge Management: Custom workflows reduced manual tasks, allowing lawyers to focus on legal matters. Automated notifications ensured timely responses to publication inquiries. Minimizing the risk of lost or outdated files. Streamlined document storage, retrieval, and version control with custom web parts. This facilitated knowledge sharing across offices.