Planning a Workspace Help Please

[tinggg]

Hi

Is anyone aware of any resources which help you to plan a WSS Workspace. By that I mean, help you match/customise web-parts to group processes? A checklist that helps a group identify the goals of their project and use/adapt the tools to support it? Tips and tricks to encourage collaboration? It seems to me that the tools have to support the needs of the members but its proving really difficult for us to identify how we can you them for that - maybe we just lack imagination Our workspace is in danger or just being used as a document library and we believe we can use it more effectively than that. Any advice of links to creating a collaborative environment in a Workspace would be much appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Thomas2000]

Hello,

I am not sure if any of below links will help you out, but might be worth checking into.

http://www.microsoft.com/sharepoint/evaluationoverview.asp

http://www.microsoft.com/office/sharepoint/prodinfo/officeintegration.mspx

There are also some case studies on Microsoft's site that might be worth looking into, even though the most likely cover the SharePoint Portal Server (but since SPS is built on top of WSS there should be some info abt. that aswell).

If I find any more useful tips I'll post them here.

Regards,
Thomas

 

[ChaserNL]

or check these example sites mabye they give u some idea's

http://www.sharepointcustomization.com/sales-marketing/default.aspx

http://www.sharepointcustomization.com/hr/default.aspx

http://www.sharepointcustomization.com/finance/default.aspx

(Hi Thomas!, we seem to be awsering all the questions overhere )

 

[Thomas2000]

Hi ChaserNL maybe we have to much slack-time at work then hehe..

Well, I just browse through this forum during the day and if I see a question I think I can answer I just take a few minutes doing it.

I might come up with some programming questions for you

Regards,
Thomas

 

[ChaserNL]

I do the same

And if i know the awsers i will gladly give em to ya!

Regards,
Paul

 

[tinggg]

Hi Guys

Thanks for your replies. I guess what I was looking for was the kind of checklists you would give to a person who wanted a Workspace to ensure they planned the structure correctly and used the tools in a a way that supported their processes. Even tips and tricks to encourage people to return to your workspace. I've done a lot of searching on the internet and it appears little (if anything) has been written about how to maximise your workspace for your members?

Thanks for your help and I will definately use the info you suggested above.
Cheers

 

[Thomas2000]

Hello tinggg,

The planning and design of a workspace is the hardest part. We are running some 45 customer sites here and I can say that some of those are not very well planned at all. So usually what I do when a customer wants a site setup is to try and get as much information from them as possible regarding what they want to accomplish, what kind of functionality they want, etc. etc. Then together with the customer I plan the implementation.

I have a few books which I think has helped me a bit and those are:

SharePoint Products and technologies ResourceKit
ISBN: 0-7356-1881-x

Microsoft SharePoint Building Office 2003 Solutions
ISBN: 1-59059-338-3

Microsoft SharePoint Technologies Planning, Design and Implementation
ISBN: 1-55558-301-6

I guess that information can be found on the Internet regarding this, but I felt that it was easier to just get a few books to read and to use a reference.

Regards,
Thomas

 

[tinggg]

Hi Thomas

Thanks for the resources. I soooo agree with you the planning and design of a workspace is the hardest part - I wish more was written about if because they're a great set of tools but only become powerful when they support a need - that why I was wondering if client checklist exist because some guidence on asking clients the "right" questions in order to illicit info that would help create a useful workspace for their needs would be helpful. Guess i'll give it a go myslelf - and i'll check out the books above.

Cheers