Microsoft SharePoint is a versatile technology platform that can accomplish a number of key functions in the enterprise ranging from document management and collaboration to website content management. While the platform is relatively easy for end-users to learn, it takes comprehensive SharePoint expertise to plan, design, architect and deploy a SharePoint solution that meets the business needs.
Through a Northridge SharePoint Assessment, our team of technology experts and business consultants develops a logical plan to help your organization maximize the business value driven from a SharePoint investment. During an assessment our team will interview key client executives and managers to learn about the business and current challenges, analyze functional business needs, assess current technology investments, map business needs to the SharePoint feature set, and plan for the full SharePoint implementation effort.
Northridge leverages a detailed process to assist an enterprise in creating a formal and disciplined plan for implementing Microsoft SharePoint. Working with department leaders in your organization, Northridge consultants ensure that all departmental needs of the business are addressed with the implementation strategy. The SharePoint Assessment provides solution guidance and preliminary planning which will avoid the common pitfalls of costly rework, lost time and poor performance due to ineffective analysis and planning.
The SharePoint Assessment is suitable for enterprises with existing SharePoint initiatives seeking a “health check” as well as those considering a SharePoint implementation. While each SharePoint Assessment is unique to the client business requirements, the Assessment commonly covers the following areas:
- Understanding how the business functions, what drives revenue and profitability, and where company management would like to see increased productivity and efficiency to impact the top and bottom line performance
- Understanding and analyzing SharePoint implications of your enterprise given existing personnel and technology investments
- Matching key business initiatives to SharePoint capabilities and generating a roadmap to deliver a high-value solution
- Analyzing the existing, relevant IT infrastructure and corporate information architecture relative to an initial SharePoint feature set
- Prioritizing and planning additional features for future deployment considerations
- Understanding of SharePoint content permissions, workflows, and self-service functionality
A critical component of any SharePoint Assessment and plan concentrates on SharePoint Governance. Northridge will work with your organization to develop your unique SharePoint Governance Blueprint. The SharePoint Governance Blueprint encompasses the set of processes, roles, and responsibilities that your organization establishes to direct and control how it will use SharePoint to accomplish relevant business objectives.
A successfully planned and implemented Governance Blueprint is vital in preventing your SharePoint investment from deteriorating into an unmanageable system caused by what is known as “SharePoint Sprawl”. Northridge combines deep SharePoint expertise and best practices with your enterprise’s specific business objectives to develop a customized SharePoint Governance Blueprint that will ensure a healthy and disciplined future SharePoint implementation.