Where Governance Should Fit in the SharePoint Implementation Puzzle

Whether you are embarking on a new SharePoint implementation or picking up the pieces of a SharePoint project gone wrong, there is a critical piece of the puzzle that you need to put in the right place:  Governance.

Before we dive into a discussion of where governance belongs in your SharePoint implementation project, let me clarify what I mean when I use the word “governance.”  Microsoft defines governance as “the set of policies, roles, responsibilities, and processes that guide, direct, and control how an organization’s business divisions and IT teams cooperate to achieve business goals” (according to TechNet).

Strategic product manager for SharePoint Solutions at Quest Software, Chris McNulty, recently posted an article pointing out that most organizations only consider establishing governance for SharePoint after an implementation has gone awry.  He draws the parallel between this approach and allowing your car to run off the road before grabbing the steering wheel.

Instead, McNulty recommends the following steps for establishing governance as an integral part of the implementation process:

• Develop consensus about business goals
• Map goals to SharePoint policy and practice
• Roll out SharePoint guided by policy and procedure
• Maintain control and guide users as adoption takes off

If you have already implemented SharePoint without firmly established governance and find yourself in a mess, all is not lost.  Governance cannot and should not end with the implementation project.  It should be an ongoing and evolving process so that the governance you put in place continues to guide and help users as your business needs grow and change and as SharePoint itself changes.  Establishing governance can help you deploy the full functionality of SharePoint – including newer functionality like social networking and custom development – with confidence and security.

A qualified SharePoint implementation partner can help you establish governance that makes sense for your business and roll out SharePoint according to that governance to ensure a successful implementation and higher, long-term user adoption. Contact Socius today to discuss your SharePoint governance needs.