Intranet Design
Optimized the Learning & Development Intranet Through Structured Architecture, Cross‑Platform Migration, and Sustainable Governance
Overview
The Learning & Development (L&D) intranet was spread across outdated SharePoint 2013 pages and a Ceros web tool. Leadership wanted learners to go to the learning management system (LMS), but it lacked the capabilities to meet the business needs. Content was inconsistent, difficult to find, and lacked structure. Team Members frequently reported frustration because they could not locate learning resources or understand how programs connected.
I took on a multi-phase initiative to modernize the L&D intranet by establishing a new information architecture, migrating existing content into Umbraco, creating sustainable governance, and preparing the organization for a future migration into Cornerstone Saba.
The Challenge
- SharePoint 2013 pages were outdated, confusing, and lacked meaningful structure
- Ceros learning program pages created significant maintenance issues and further fragmented the learning ecosystem, as they were built outside the LMS and lacked seamless integration
- Umbraco was new to the organization and had no existing architecture
- No governance, tagging, analytics, or content lifecycle processes
- Learners could not find learning content or understand available programs
- Program owners needed guidance on how to organize and maintain content
The organization needed a modern intranet that was easy to maintain, accessible to all learners, and built on a structured architecture capable of housing diverse learning content.
Approach
My approach focused on information architecture, surfacing content and programs, and training for publishers. I partnered closely with program owners, directors, and technology teams to build an intranet that was intuitive, useful to learners and the L&D team, and easy to maintain.
01
Full Content Inventory & Assessment
Reviewed all existing intranet content across SharePoint 2013 and Ceros. Conducted a full inventory of pages, assets, and learning program content. Identified outdated, redundant, and missing information. Documented gaps and opportunities for improved user experience. This provided a clear baseline for the new information architecture.
02
New Information Architecture & Wireframes
Designed a completely new intranet structure aligned to how learners searched for information. Created wireframes for all new pages, organized content by program and functional area, and determined audience targeting needs. This structure became the foundation for the new Learning and Development intranet site.
03
Built the Intranet in Umbraco
Built a full site architecture from scratch and migrated all Ceros content using platform elements and custom HTML. Created new pages, tagged pages for analytics, and established governance rules for page creation, updates, and access control.
04
Training, Governance & User Adoption
Ensured the intranet could be maintained long term by non-technical users. Trained program owners and site contributors on Umbraco functionality. Established site architecture, naming conventions, and tagging rules. Managed publisher access and created processes for updates and new page requests.
05
Prepared for Migration to Cornerstone Saba
Planned the transition of intranet content into Cornerstone Saba Workspaces, part of the organization’s new LMS. Created wireframes for new workspace designs, partnered with a vendor to build initial workspaces, and updated and created new workspaces in the system using HTML and CSS. Ensured continuity between Umbraco pages and LMS workspaces for a seamless learner experience across platforms until all content could be fully transitioned to the new LMS.
Results
- Delivered a fully modernized L&D intranet with clear navigation and structured content
- Migrated all Ceros learning program content into Umbraco, reducing maintenance cost and time
- Built a scalable architecture that supported future LMS migration
- Improved learner experience by making content easy to find and understand
- Provided the structure and context around learning programs, targeted at the correct audiences
- Established governance and analytics processes
- Strengthened L&D’s ability to deliver learning in a user-friendly, organized way
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