Digitalization inwards

An intranet on SharePoint 2016 with templates, a personalised search page and user-generated content? novaCapta is demonstrating just what’s possible at Adolf Würth GmbH & Co. KG.

Technically and visually outdated intranet

Knowledge, documents, and information are hard to find

Employees get informed only via e-mail newsletter

Content publishing lies within the IT department

Use of the intranet by the workforce is at a low, hardly any relevance as an information medium

Visually appealing intranet based on SharePoint 2016 as a custom development

Templates concept with over 80 topic pages for standardized flexibility

Search-based, personalized start page

User generated content with a clear communication concept and editors from associated departments

New and attractive intranet with modern features for networking and collaboration

Communication center INSIDE replaces e-mail newsletter

New editorial network and new processes, including quality assurance

Personalization allows to subscribe to information in regards to job/interest

When the Würth sales force starts their day in the morning and opens their laptops, the most important information is displayed directly as a push message. This 
personal information service is possible thanks to WÜRTH INSIDE, the new intranet

of Adolf Würth GmbH & Co KG. As with many other companies, Würth’s digitalization first began externally with the establishment of an online store and an app.

The high level of digitization on the outside also had an internal effect, making it clear that the 1995 intranet was in urgent need of a general overhaul in all disciplines. Apart from the outdated design and an unstructured SharePoint data store, there was hardly any functionality and correspondingly few users. The editing process was outsourced to IT. The project finally got underway in 2018, when the Würth project team – together with Würth IT project members and Steffi Gröscho, owner of the perlrot agency – drew up the master plan for the new intranet. For the technical implementation, they were now looking for a competent partner with the appropriate SharePoint 
know-how. After the presentation of novaCapta, it was clear that the requirements of Adolf Würth could not be covered simply by a template. In addition, it was specified to develop the intranet on the basis of SharePoint 2016 On-Prem. Würth IT was sure: “We do not want a service provider, but a partner to develop an intranet for the needs of AWKG together. That is why we decided on working with novaCapta”.

Adolf Würth did not want to make any compromises with the new intranet and the result is impressive: The template concept with more than 80 topic pages offers stable but still flexible options for news and information pages. In addition, the collaboration project rooms also fulfill the desire for modern digital collaboration. Further highlights are the search-based start page with hub character, and the possibility for short news from the management and the works council. “During the technical implementation, the potential of On-Prem was fully exploited,” says Urban. “Considering the architecture, we have oriented ourselves as far as possible on M365.”
 

“But the best technology is useless if the design and usability of the new platform are not satisfying”, says Nathalie Laier, Project Manager Social Intranet at Würth. “That’s why we designed the structure of the new intranet from user perspective: We didn’t depict the organizational structure but defined overarching themes that represent more stable containers for information. For Nadine Völker, marketing specialist and project manager INSIDE, new communication and networking options were important. She is enthusiastic about the implementation: “Finally, no more e-mail newsletters. And I am a big fan of the pINs, our short news service like Twitter for business and divisional managers. This service is used and consumed quite a lot.” 

INSIDE scores points with its modern, attractive design which is strongly aligned with the online store design and thus directly offers a homely look and feel for all employees. With a strong change action plan, including INSIDE ambassadors, the new intranet was rolled out and communicated as the most important information portal. This has paid off, as the user numbers and acceptance of the services show. One feature that is often used is “Marketplace”, the classifieds market app for the intranet by novaCapta. With its community features, news subscriptions, service links, and its diverse information solutions, INSIDE is the right answer to the digital transformation that is in the air everywhere.