• Re-architect your agency’s Intranet homepage – The Intranet is often the ugly stepdaughter of websites; it never gets asked to the ball. On copies of the Intranet Home Page, ask employees to highlight or write in the three areas they find most useful. Have them scratch out areas they never use.
• Create personas for your Intranet – Ask employees to complete a simple demographic survey so you have a better idea of who your typical users are and what they need.

How can I get people involved and share what we learn?

Incentivize!

Give every participant something for helping. Even an apple or a roll of mints shows appreciation.

Report Your Findings

Photograph the event if you can. Document your findings. E-mail a summary (with pictures) to your web team; the head of human resources; the agency head–and employees. Ask for follow-up.

Inspired by an event held in multiple locations in 2006, led by a team in Washington DC, USA.