SharePoint Design: Branded, Accessible, Engaging Sites

When you’re designing SharePoint sites and pages, there are a few key things to keep in mind to make sure everything runs smoothly. First off, think about your audience. Knowing who will be using the site and what they need helps you create a design that’s intuitive and user-friendly.

Accessibility is really important too. You want to make sure everyone, including those with disabilities, can use your site easily. This means clear navigation, readable fonts, and adding alternative text for images.

Branding is another biggie. Your SharePoint site should look and feel like your company. Use consistent colours, logos, and styles that match your brand. This creates a cohesive and professional appearance that reinforces your corporate identity.

Organising your content well is also crucial. Structure it logically with headings, sections, and categories so users can find what they need quickly. Dynamic content layouts can make the site more engaging and interactive.

Lastly, think about integrating other Microsoft 365 tools. Bringing in apps like Viva Engage can enhance your SharePoint site’s functionality and provide a seamless experience for employees.

By keeping these factors in mind, you’ll create a SharePoint site that’s not only functional but also engaging and perfectly aligned with your company’s goals.

The SharePoint Brand Centre is a tool for managing your organisation’s branding across your SharePoint sites. It provides a centralised location where you can store and manage all your brand assets, like logos, colours, fonts, and images. This ensures that your branding is consistent and professional across all your SharePoint pages.

One of the big pros of the SharePoint Brand Centre is that it saves time and resources. By having all your brand assets in one place, you avoid duplication and confusion, making it easier for everyone to create high-quality, on-brand content. It also helps maintain a cohesive look and feel, which is great for reinforcing your corporate identity.

However, there are a few cons to consider. Setting up the Brand Centre can be a bit complex and might require some initial effort from your IT team. There are also some limitations, and organisations may find it challenging to replicate more detailed elements of their brand. Using a third-party tool, like Beacon, can help overcome this.

When it comes to SharePoint design, you have two main options: out-of-the-box designs and custom designs. Each has its own set of advantages and considerations.

Out-of-the-box designs are the standard templates and features that come with SharePoint. These are ready to use right away and are great if you need to get your site up and running quickly. They’re also cost-effective since you don’t need to invest in additional development work. Plus, they’re designed to be user-friendly and integrate seamlessly with other Microsoft 365 tools. However, the downside is that they can be somewhat generic and might not fully reflect your company’s unique brand and needs.

On the other hand, custom SharePoint designs are tailored specifically to your organisation. This means you can create a unique look and feel that perfectly aligns with your brand. Custom designs allow for more flexibility in terms of layout, functionality, and integration with other systems. They can make your SharePoint site stand out and better meet the specific needs of your employees. The trade-off is that custom designs typically require more time and resources to develop. You’ll likely need to work with SharePoint design specialists, like Silicon Reef, to bring your vision to life.

In summary, out-of-the-box designs are quick, cost-effective, and easy to implement, but may lack uniqueness. Custom designs offer greater flexibility and a tailored experience but require more investment in time and resources. The best choice depends on your specific needs and goals for your SharePoint site.

Ensuring that SharePoint designs are accessible and inclusive is all about making sure everyone, regardless of their abilities, can use your site effectively. We start by following best practices for accessibility, which include using clear and simple navigation so employees can find what they need without any hassle. We also choose readable fonts and ensure there’s enough contrast between text and background colours to make everything easy on the eyes.

Another key aspect is providing alternative text for images. This helps people who use screen readers understand what’s on the page. We also make sure that all interactive elements, like buttons and links, are easy to identify and use, even for those who might be navigating with a keyboard instead of a mouse.

We also think about the overall user experience. This means designing layouts that are intuitive and straightforward, so employees don’t get lost or frustrated. And it’s not just about meeting the minimum requirements; we aim to create a genuinely inclusive environment where everyone feels comfortable and can work efficiently.

By incorporating these practices, we ensure that your SharePoint site is not only compliant with accessibility standards but also welcoming and usable for all employees, making your digital workplace truly inclusive.

Maintaining design consistency across SharePoint sites is key to creating a professional and cohesive user experience. One of the best practices is to use standardised templates. These templates ensure that every page follows the same layout and design principles, making it easier for users to navigate and find information.

Another important practice is to adhere to branding guidelines. This means using consistent colours, fonts, and logos that align with your company’s brand. It helps reinforce your corporate identity and makes your SharePoint sites look polished and unified.

Regularly reviewing and updating content is also crucial. Over time, content can become outdated or inconsistent, so it’s important to have a process in place for regular audits and updates. This keeps your SharePoint sites fresh and relevant.

Training content owners on these best practices is essential too. When everyone involved in creating and managing content understands the importance of consistency and knows how to achieve it, it’s much easier to maintain a cohesive look and feel across all sites.

By following these best practices, you can ensure that your SharePoint sites are not only visually appealing but also easy to use and aligned with your company’s brand.

Dynamic content layouts can significantly enhance the user experience on SharePoint by making the site more engaging and interactive. Unlike static layouts, dynamic content layouts allow for content to be updated and displayed in real-time, which keeps the site fresh and relevant.

One of the main benefits is that they can capture employees’ attention more effectively. For example, you can use dynamic layouts to highlight the latest news, updates, or important announcements right on the homepage. This ensures that employees are always aware of the most current information.

Dynamic content layouts also allow for more personalised experiences. You can tailor content to different user groups based on their roles, departments, or interests. This makes the site more relevant to each employee, which can increase engagement and satisfaction.

Additionally, dynamic layouts can improve navigation by organising content in a way that’s easy to browse and interact with. Features like carousels, tabs, and accordions can help break up large amounts of information and make it more digestible.

Overall, dynamic content layouts make your SharePoint site more lively and user-friendly, enhancing the overall experience for your employees.