SharePoint and the Organization Culture

We actually had this document out in 2005! I can't believe I've not seen this before. It could've saved me a considerable bit of time and effort. A great document for all audiences. I only wish I'd seen it sooner.

Excerpt:

Adoption of a new collaboration tool in your organization might require only a small change in user behavior but in some organizations the change may be more dramatic. Unlike rolling out a new accounting system, where you can ensure that users will adopt the new solution because you have turned off their old solution, use of collaboration software cannot always be mandated in this way. In many organizations, using the new Windows SharePoint Services solution is voluntary. Even if you will “mandate” the use of the new solution (for example, by eliminating file shares), successful adoption depends not just on the design and the technology, but also on developing and implementing a plan for three critical “non-technology” components that need to become part of your change management plan:

• Planning – this includes the processes to prepare for the roll-out and ongoing content management processes for your solution.
• Roll-out – this includes all of the activities that you need to consider in both the launch and ongoing operations of your new solution.
• Content and Site Governance – this includes the processes and roles for maintaining and managing the content in your team sites – determining what content belongs in Windows SharePoint Services (versus other applications), how content is migrated initially and then contributed over time; how design and functionality changes are identified and implemented; and roles and responsibilities for users.