Some quick ways of sqeezing more value out of SharePoint.

1. 16 (quick) ways to get
your users actually using
SharePoint properly

2. OK, so let’s start the 16 ways,
it won’t take too long. Honest.
Don’t call it SharePoint
Seriously. Most users don’t care. If you have an intranet or portal then that is the name to
1 use and promote. Oh, don’t use ‘end user adoption’ either in anything you do.
Get some SharePoint champions
Train them, support them, love them. They will use it more than most and will be keen to
2 learn and provide ideas and solutions. They will also help others.
Pick some quick wins that users can do easily
Examples include alerts, document libraries, import spread sheets, etc. Focus on document
3 management at the start and how they can share team documents easily without using
email all the time.

3. Now, 3 more.
Short training sessions
Organise regular short training sessions but don’t call them training sessions, 30 minutes
4 at the most. Focus on teaching a max of 3 things at each session and keep it short.
Talk to teams about getting the most out of a team or project site
Ask them how they use information, how they work, how they create documents, etc. You
5 will get ideas from the feedback and you can show them solutions that are relevant to them.
All teams are different, only by talking to them will you get some good insights.
Show how lists can be used
Lists are very powerful. Lists can be used for tracking and managing activities/tasks
6 especially with support type areas like IT helpdesks or other systems that support users.

4. That’s it, half way there.
Ask what do they use Excel for now
Show how to import Excel files into lists and what these list can do then
7 (sorting, filtering, etc.).
Reporting: reports are like a rash in any business
They can spread like wildfire. Once they have gotten through the above, have a look at doing
8 dashboards and connecting data and web parts. This builds on from using Excel in No.7.
Show them what web parts can do
Web parts are the windows of the site and are very valuable for presenting information
9 within a site. Use them wisely and it will pay off.

5. Right, a quick break.
Enjoy my cartoons.

6. That’s it, half way there.
Ask questions, talk to people
Don’t assume everyone is happy with it (highly unlikely). Don’t expect users to come to you
10 with queries though they will. Talk to them about how they work and how they access
information and documents. Get answers and provide solutions.
Show them the metrics
When I show the visitor numbers and who is looking at a the site it never fails to impress
11 people. Sure it’s basic from a web analytics point of view but it does the job at team site level.
Paper trail/audit/tracking
Show how there is a history and audit trail in using the platform. This is pretty critical for
12 most businesses and is one of the key selling points for users and especially managers.

7. Phew, go on, hang in there.
Build a non-business related site or process
For example I built a buy and sell classified market place site (think Craigslist for those in the
13 USA) on our intranet that was very popular and got people using the platform. There were
also many sports related sites that got plenty of traffic.
Create one or two page quick guides
Short guides (one pagers) on different things like permissions or document management.
14 Users are more likely to read these. They will not wade through a large manual.
Try online demo videos
Videos are great for showing how something can be done. Screen capture software such as
15 Camtasia or Wink are great for creating online demos. Your metrics and feedback will tell
you if they are used or not.

8. Yes, No.16 is:
Don’t call it
SharePoint…
Thanks for reading. If you want to know more about me, drop by and say hi.
Andrew Gilleran - SharePoint & Online Content Specialist
Content management | SharePoint | Web analytics | Online Communications | Training
Read and learn about SharePoint and creating
(and measuring) great online content: www.gilleran.net
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Follow: #agilleran