SharePoint Online comes with a number of benefits for those who know how to utilize it.
“SharePoint allows me to organize information and create my own metadata. SharePoint makes it easier to share ideas and collaborate… In addition, SharePoint helps me keep track of my own content, so I waste less time searching for the information I need and have more time to be creative and productive” (Hannemann).
Clearly, there is a lot being offered. Unfortunately, setting up SharePoint online is a problem for many organizations. There is the option of bringing in an external team with IT or development expertise. However, the expense of hiring a SharePoint architect or dedicating your IT department’s limited resources to optimize SharePoint comes with consequences.
SharePoint requires a fully knowledgeable team, not just an architect. Inadequate staffing is considered a major reason for failure, “A single individual or two cannot successfully deploy SharePoint in an enterprise” (Sy). If you’re trying to develop SP information architecture in house, there are equally difficult challenges. Anyone working with SharePoint can’t be expected to prioritize other projects since, “When purchasing the SharePoint user interface, a content manager or site owner has to go through major training to fully understand how to use the capabilities” (Cohen-Dumani).
Then there is the problem of user experience (UX) once the site has been developed. Most end-users require training to navigate through a standard SharePoint site. Even SharePoint’s biggest fans point out the “challenges associated with the user experience and user interface” (Hannemann). It’s expensive, time consuming and involved. These are the common barriers to getting the most out of SharePoint’s many services.
LiveTiles Build finds a way around these problems. Build is an innovative information architecture (IA) tool that makes SharePoint user friendly. Using a simple user interface (UI), anyone can create information architecture in a short amount of time. The UI allows you to tell Build what you to create. A series of natural language dialogs create a step-by-step process. SharePoint is an investment, and mapping out sites, lists, libraries and security groups with Build makes the most out of that investment.
There are a limitless array of announcement lists, content lists, custom lists, discussion boards, document libraries, photo libraries and more to create. When creating a new list, enter in a name, description and location. A dialog will ask if you are sure you want to create the list, providing one final check. Another important feature allows you to choose groups to share with, whether it’s designers, owners, sales managers, or any other group. You will find these permissions listed under your documents. A dialog will also appear when updating permissions, to make sure that you are sharing what you intend to share with the right users.
If LiveTiles Build sounds like it would bring in some needed simplicity to your site, try it out for free.
References:
1. Cohen-Dumani, Daniel. “Some Days I Hate SharePoint—And Here’s Why.” Portal Solutions 18 January 2016. Web. 23 May 2016.
2. Hannemann, Jill. “3 Reasons I Love SharePoint.” Portal Solutions 29 December 2015. Web. 23 May 2016.
3. Sy, Dux Raymond. “SharePoint Worst Practices: Five Common Mistakes to Avoid” Innovate-E Inc. n.d. Web. 23 May 2016.
