Intranet Transformation For Mine Sites

Governed, searchable intranet for critical operations

YEAR

2025

DURATION

6 months

DURATION

6 months

INDUSTRY

Mining

PLATFORM

Sharepoint Online

PRODUCT TYPE

B2B (Enterprise Intranet)

TOOLS

Figma, Balsamiq, Sharepoint Online

TEAM

1 Product Designer, 1 BA, 3 Devs, SMEs, PM

MY ROLE

Product Designer

TEAM

1 Product Designer, 1 BA, 3 Devs, SMEs, PM

MY ROLE

Product Designer

MY ROLE

Product Designer

PROJECT OVERVIEW

PRODUCT TYPE

B2B (Enterprise Intranet)

TOOLS

Figma, Balsamiq, Sharepoint Online

TEAM

1 Product Designer, 1 BA, 3 Devs, SMEs, PM

MY ROLE

Product Designer

Overview

This project is a multi-site intranet transformation to standardise how mine sites search, publish, and find documents and trust operational information.

This solution focuses on governance (controlled publishing, permissions), findability (strong search, metadata), and operational usability, so frontline and office teams can reliably locate the right procedures, safety content, templates, and updates without hunting across disconnected team sites and folders.

Problem Statement

Mine-site and corporate employees cannot consistently find and trust critical operational information because content is fragmented across sites, poorly tagged, inconsistently governed, and search results are noisy or outdated. This creates operational friction and risk: teams waste time, rework tasks, follow outdated documents, and struggle to align with the latest approved guidance, especially during incidents, shift handovers, and urgent maintenance.

Business Goals & Challenges

Business Goals	Key Challenges/Constraints
Reduce operational risk by increasing the use of current, approved documents. Increase productivity by reducing time-to-find and time-to-complete common tasks (e.g., forms, procedures, workflows). Improve compliance & audit readiness via version control, retention, and traceable ownership/approvals. Standardise across mine sites while still supporting local site needs and terminology.	Mixed connectivity environments - remote sites, variable bandwidth, mobile usage. High-stakes usage contexts - safety, production, and maintenance, where time pressure is real. Inconsistent information architecture - across sites, different labels, libraries, and navigation patterns. Content duplication - multiple versions of “the same” document

Business Goals

Key Challenges/Constraints

Reduce operational risk by increasing the use of current, approved documents.

Increase productivity by reducing time-to-find and time-to-complete common tasks (e.g., forms, procedures, workflows).
Improve compliance & audit readiness via version control, retention, and traceable ownership/approvals.
Standardise across mine sites while still supporting local site needs and terminology.

Mixed connectivity environments - remote sites, variable bandwidth, mobile usage.
High-stakes usage contexts - safety, production, and maintenance, where time pressure is real.
Inconsistent information architecture - across sites, different labels, libraries, and navigation patterns.
Content duplication - multiple versions of “the same” document

Target Audience

Corporate office staff (Head Office in Perth)
mine site operations teams
Contractors/vendors
Content owners/publishers

Success Metrics

Adoption & usage	Engagement
↑ active users as a % of total employees (daily, weekly, monthly)	↑ content interactions (likes/comments/shares)
↑ login frequency, ↑ session duration	↑ employee satisfaction/usefulness scores
Productivity & efficiency	Content quality
↓ time spent searching for information	↑ % of documents current / up to date
↓ internal email volume	↑ content publishing frequency
↑ faster onboarding for new employees	↑ search success rate
↑ support ticket deflection	↓ broken links / outdated pages

Overview

This project is a multi-site intranet transformation to standardise how mine sites search, publish, and find documents and trust operational information.

Problem Statement

Business Goals & Challenges

Business Goals	Key Challenges/Constraints
Reduce operational risk by increasing the use of current, approved documents. Increase productivity by reducing time-to-find and time-to-complete common tasks (e.g., forms, procedures, workflows). Improve compliance & audit readiness via version control, retention, and traceable ownership/approvals. Standardise across mine sites while still supporting local site needs and terminology.	Mixed connectivity environments - remote sites, variable bandwidth, mobile usage. High-stakes usage contexts - safety, production, and maintenance, where time pressure is real. Inconsistent information architecture - across sites, different labels, libraries, and navigation patterns. Content duplication - multiple versions of “the same” document

Business Goals

Key Challenges/Constraints

Reduce operational risk by increasing the use of current, approved documents.

Increase productivity by reducing time-to-find and time-to-complete common tasks (e.g., forms, procedures, workflows).
Improve compliance & audit readiness via version control, retention, and traceable ownership/approvals.
Standardise across mine sites while still supporting local site needs and terminology.

Mixed connectivity environments - remote sites, variable bandwidth, mobile usage.
High-stakes usage contexts - safety, production, and maintenance, where time pressure is real.
Inconsistent information architecture - across sites, different labels, libraries, and navigation patterns.
Content duplication - multiple versions of “the same” document

Target Audience

Corporate office staff (Head Office in Perth)
mine site operations teams
Contractors/vendors
Content owners/publishers

Success Metrics

Adoption & usage	Engagement
↑ active users as a % of total employees (daily, weekly, monthly)	↑ content interactions (likes/comments/shares)
↑ login frequency, ↑ session duration	↑ employee satisfaction/usefulness scores
Productivity & efficiency	Content quality
↓ time spent searching for information	↑ % of documents current / up to date
↓ internal email volume	↑ content publishing frequency
↑ faster onboarding for new employees	↑ search success rate
↑ support ticket deflection	↓ broken links / outdated pages

PRODUCT TYPE

B2B (Enterprise Intranet)

TOOLS

Figma, Balsamiq, Sharepoint Online

TEAM

1 Product Designer, 1 BA, 3 Devs, SMEs, PM

MY ROLE

Product Designer

IMPACT

If the new Intranets for Mine sites are implemented,

Teams can locate the right procedure or form in seconds, even under pressure, reducing downtime and rework.
A single governed source of truth improves compliance, reduces outdated document usage, and strengthens audit readiness.
Standardised IA + metadata improves cross-site alignment while preserving site context.
Clear publishing workflows create content accountability, increasing trust in the intranet.
Reduced support burden on admin/IT, enabling faster operations.

Business Impact

Reduce time to find critical information and documents

Improve access reliability for frontline and remote workers

Improve access reliability in low-connectivity environments

Increase cross-site policy adoption and compliance

Improve safety culture through better communication

Improve workforce productivity through easier self-service

If the new Intranets for Mine sites are implemented,

Teams can locate the right procedure or form in seconds, even under pressure, reducing downtime and rework.
A single governed source of truth improves compliance, reduces outdated document usage, and strengthens audit readiness.
Standardised IA + metadata improves cross-site alignment while preserving site context.
Clear publishing workflows create content accountability, increasing trust in the intranet.
Reduced support burden on admin/IT, enabling faster operations.

Business Impact

Reduce time to find critical information and documents

Improve access reliability for frontline and remote workers

Improve access reliability in low-connectivity environments

Increase cross-site policy adoption and compliance

Improve safety culture through better communication

Improve workforce productivity through easier self-service

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Overview

This project is a multi-site intranet transformation to standardise how mine sites search, publish, and find documents and trust operational information.

Problem Statement

Business Goals & Challenges

Business Goals	Key Challenges/Constraints
Reduce operational risk by increasing the use of current, approved documents. Increase productivity by reducing time-to-find and time-to-complete common tasks (e.g., forms, procedures, workflows). Improve compliance & audit readiness via version control, retention, and traceable ownership/approvals. Standardise across mine sites while still supporting local site needs and terminology.	Mixed connectivity environments - remote sites, variable bandwidth, mobile usage. High-stakes usage contexts - safety, production, and maintenance, where time pressure is real. Inconsistent information architecture - across sites, different labels, libraries, and navigation patterns. Content duplication - multiple versions of “the same” document

Business Goals

Key Challenges/Constraints

Reduce operational risk by increasing the use of current, approved documents.

Increase productivity by reducing time-to-find and time-to-complete common tasks (e.g., forms, procedures, workflows).
Improve compliance & audit readiness via version control, retention, and traceable ownership/approvals.
Standardise across mine sites while still supporting local site needs and terminology.

Mixed connectivity environments - remote sites, variable bandwidth, mobile usage.
High-stakes usage contexts - safety, production, and maintenance, where time pressure is real.
Inconsistent information architecture - across sites, different labels, libraries, and navigation patterns.
Content duplication - multiple versions of “the same” document

Target Audience

Corporate office staff (Head Office in Perth)
mine site operations teams
Contractors/vendors
Content owners/publishers

Success Metrics

Adoption & usage	Engagement
↑ active users as a % of total employees (daily, weekly, monthly)	↑ content interactions (likes/comments/shares)
↑ login frequency, ↑ session duration	↑ employee satisfaction/usefulness scores
Productivity & efficiency	Content quality
↓ time spent searching for information	↑ % of documents current / up to date
↓ internal email volume	↑ content publishing frequency
↑ faster onboarding for new employees	↑ search success rate
↑ support ticket deflection	↓ broken links / outdated pages

IMPACT

If the new Intranets for Mine sites are implemented,

Teams can locate the right procedure or form in seconds, even under pressure, reducing downtime and rework.
A single governed source of truth improves compliance, reduces outdated document usage, and strengthens audit readiness.
Standardised IA + metadata improves cross-site alignment while preserving site context.
Clear publishing workflows create content accountability, increasing trust in the intranet.
Reduced support burden on admin/IT, enabling faster operations.

Business Impact

Reduce time to find critical information and documents

Improve access reliability for frontline and remote workers

Improve access reliability in low-connectivity environments

Increase cross-site policy adoption and compliance

Improve safety culture through better communication

Improve workforce productivity through easier self-service

RESEARCH

The research focuses on validating real operational tasks, high-risk content journeys, and governance friction points, so the intranet isn’t just "clean" but usable in the field and sustainable to manage.

Research Method	Purpose / Impact Supported	Actions Performed
Stakeholder interviews	Align on business risk, governance requirements, success definition, and constraints	Interview 8–12 stakeholders Map governance roles
Task analysis (top tasks)	Reduce time-to-find and task completion time by prioritising journeys that matter most	Identify top 10–15 intranet tasks Define “happy path” vs current path Quantify steps/clicks and blockers
Search log analysis	Improve search relevance and reduce failed searches	Review top queries, refinements, and zero-result terms
Content audit	Improve trust and governance by cleaning and structuring the content set	Identify duplicates Classify by sensitivity Propose archival/redirect plan
Card sorting	Validate IA so users can navigate without relying purely on search	Run open/closed card sort for categories Test the proposed navigation
Usability testing (prototype)	Validate navigation, search, and content pages; reduce friction and errors	Test with 8–12 users Measure time-to-find Success rate Confidence

SharePoint Online Web Parts Mapping - Research Variations

Web part	What it enables for users
Hero web part	High-visibility promotions, key updates, featured destinations
Quick Links web part	Fast self-serve access to high-frequency destinations
News web part	Dynamic communications, announcements, and editorial content
Events web part	Visibility of upcoming events; quick access to event details
Microsoft 365 Calendar web part	Team-level calendar visibility without leaving the intranet
Tasks web part	Personal task visibility and prioritisation from the homepage
Document Library web part	Quick re-entry to active documents
People web part	Highlights people, roles, recognition, or key contacts
List web part	Curated, structured items displayed as a list

Initial investigation of the current intranet

I conducted an initial investigation of the old intranet by reviewing the homepage layout, navigation model, and key content areas to understand how information was structured and how users were expected to complete common tasks.

I then mapped the end-to-end workflows and user journeys for high-frequency scenarios such as locating controlled documents, finding procedures and standards, accessing forms and e-modules, and contacting support.

This assessment was supported by a content and IA review to identify duplication, inconsistent labelling, and areas where users were forced to rely on browsing rather than efficient retrieval.

INSIGHTS

The review of the old intranet found several usability issues, including:

Too much reliance on tile-based navigation, with limited support for search
Unclear visual hierarchy across different modules
Long, dense lists that made content harder to scan
Inconsistent labels and content grouping
No personalisation to help users quickly return to their active work
Manual link maintenance, which made the system harder to scale as content grew

Other Insights

Research highlighted that employees rely on the intranet to find critical operational information quickly, yet the current experience often fails due to inconsistent navigation, duplicated or outdated content, and low trust in search results.

Below are the key behaviors and areas I considered when designing the new intranet to ensure it is easy to navigate, fast to search, trusted for critical information, and scalable across sites and teams.

Behaviours and areas	What I learned
Search behaviour	Users start with a search, but frequently repeat searches because results feel unreliable.
Time pressure	In high-pressure moments, users abandon after 2–3 failed clicks.
High-frequency tasks	A small set of tasks drives most visits (forms, safety updates, contacts, service desk).
Navigation inconsistency	Labels and structures vary across sites, creating hesitation and misclicks.
Fragmented content	Duplicates and outdated versions exist across sites/libraries, causing confusion and rework.
Tool switching	Users jump between SharePoint, Teams, and Outlook for meetings, tasks, and files.
Personal re-entry	Users want a quick return to active items: recent documents, favourites, and teams.
Support signals	Repeated “Where do I find…?” requests indicate weak self-serve pathways.

DESIGN PROCESS

I followed a research-led, iterative design process to ensure the new intranet.

I first defined the information architecture by consolidating content domains, standardising global navigation across regions and mine sites, and establishing a consistent taxonomy and metadata model to improve findability and governance.

I then created task flows for the highest-frequency journeys to reduce steps, remove friction, and support time-critical use cases.

Next, I produced wireframes for core page templates, the homepage, site hubs, function hubs, search results, and document pages to validate hierarchy, scanning patterns, and access pathways early.

Finally, I developed interactive prototypes to test navigation, search behavior, and trust cues, and I iterated the experience based on usability findings to strengthen speed, clarity, and consistency across the intranet.

Design Process

Information architecture

Core operational workflows

Wireframes

Testing and iterations

I tested the design using an interactive prototype to validate key user journeys such as search, navigation to the site and function hubs, and locating controlled documents.

I observed task completion, time-to-find, and user confidence in content trust cues, then iterated the prototype based on findings.

These iterations simplified navigation labels, reduced page density, improved search filters and result clarity, and strengthened personalised re-entry through recent documents and favourites.

SOLUTION

This redesigned intranet delivers a modern, governed digital workplace for mine sites, built to make critical information easy to find, trust, and act on.

Below are some of the key design decisions made throughout the intranet redesign, reflected in the final screens and informed by iterative testing and refinement. These decisions focused on improving findability, trust, usability, and scalability across mine sites and corporate teams.

Design decisions

Final screens and Iterations

Perth Office - Home Page

Iteration 03

Iteration 02

Iteration 01

Gold Mine Site - Home Page

Perth Office - Home Page (Cloud Version)

Mine Site - Home Page

Dashboard

Improved workflow

The improved workflow streamlined how employees access and act on information by reducing navigation depth, prioritising search, and providing direct pathways to high-frequency tasks.

For content owners, a simplified publishing process with templates, mandatory metadata, and approval workflows improved consistency, currency, and governance, resulting in a faster, clearer, and more reliable intranet experience.

IMPACT/RESULTS

The impact analysis quantified measurable improvements such as reduced time-to-find critical information, fewer support requests, and increased self-serve completion of common tasks.

Reduce time to find critical information and documents by 25%

Improve access reliability for frontline and remote workers by 30%

Improve access reliability in low-connectivity environments by 20%

Increase cross-site policy adoption and compliance by 25%

Improve safety culture through better communication by 20%

Improve workforce productivity through easier self-service by 40%

RESEARCH

Research Method	Purpose / Impact Supported	Actions Performed
Stakeholder interviews	Align on business risk, governance requirements, success definition, and constraints	Interview 8–12 stakeholders Map governance roles
Task analysis (top tasks)	Reduce time-to-find and task completion time by prioritising journeys that matter most	Identify top 10–15 intranet tasks Define “happy path” vs current path Quantify steps/clicks and blockers
Search log analysis	Improve search relevance and reduce failed searches	Review top queries, refinements, and zero-result terms
Content audit	Improve trust and governance by cleaning and structuring the content set	Identify duplicates Classify by sensitivity Propose archival/redirect plan
Card sorting	Validate IA so users can navigate without relying purely on search	Run open/closed card sort for categories Test the proposed navigation
Usability testing (prototype)	Validate navigation, search, and content pages; reduce friction and errors	Test with 8–12 users Measure time-to-find Success rate Confidence

SharePoint Online Web Parts Mapping - Research Variations

Web part	What it enables for users
Hero web part	High-visibility promotions, key updates, featured destinations
Quick Links web part	Fast self-serve access to high-frequency destinations
News web part	Dynamic communications, announcements, and editorial content
Events web part	Visibility of upcoming events; quick access to event details
Microsoft 365 Calendar web part	Team-level calendar visibility without leaving the intranet
Tasks web part	Personal task visibility and prioritisation from the homepage
Document Library web part	Quick re-entry to active documents
People web part	Highlights people, roles, recognition, or key contacts
List web part	Curated, structured items displayed as a list

Initial investigation of the current intranet

This assessment was supported by a content and IA review to identify duplication, inconsistent labelling, and areas where users were forced to rely on browsing rather than efficient retrieval.

INSIGHTS

The review of the old intranet found several usability issues, including:

Too much reliance on tile-based navigation, with limited support for search
Unclear visual hierarchy across different modules
Long, dense lists that made content harder to scan
Inconsistent labels and content grouping
No personalisation to help users quickly return to their active work
Manual link maintenance, which made the system harder to scale as content grew

Other Insights

Behaviours and areas	What I learned
Search behaviour	Users start with a search, but frequently repeat searches because results feel unreliable.
Time pressure	In high-pressure moments, users abandon after 2–3 failed clicks.
High-frequency tasks	A small set of tasks drives most visits (forms, safety updates, contacts, service desk).
Navigation inconsistency	Labels and structures vary across sites, creating hesitation and misclicks.
Fragmented content	Duplicates and outdated versions exist across sites/libraries, causing confusion and rework.
Tool switching	Users jump between SharePoint, Teams, and Outlook for meetings, tasks, and files.
Personal re-entry	Users want a quick return to active items: recent documents, favourites, and teams.
Support signals	Repeated “Where do I find…?” requests indicate weak self-serve pathways.

DESIGN PROCESS

I followed a research-led, iterative design process to ensure the new intranet.

I then created task flows for the highest-frequency journeys to reduce steps, remove friction, and support time-critical use cases.

Design Process

Information architecture

Core operational workflows

Wireframes

Testing and iterations

I tested the design using an interactive prototype to validate key user journeys such as search, navigation to the site and function hubs, and locating controlled documents.

I observed task completion, time-to-find, and user confidence in content trust cues, then iterated the prototype based on findings.

These iterations simplified navigation labels, reduced page density, improved search filters and result clarity, and strengthened personalised re-entry through recent documents and favourites.

SOLUTION

This redesigned intranet delivers a modern, governed digital workplace for mine sites, built to make critical information easy to find, trust, and act on.

Design decisions

Final screens and Iterations

Perth Office - Home Page

Iteration 03

Iteration 02

Iteration 01

Gold Mine Site - Home Page

Perth Office - Home Page (Cloud Version)

Mine Site - Home Page

Dashboard

Improved workflow

The improved workflow streamlined how employees access and act on information by reducing navigation depth, prioritising search, and providing direct pathways to high-frequency tasks.

IMPACT/RESULTS

The impact analysis quantified measurable improvements such as reduced time-to-find critical information, fewer support requests, and increased self-serve completion of common tasks.

Reduce time to find critical information and documents by 25%

Improve access reliability for frontline and remote workers by 30%

Improve access reliability in low-connectivity environments by 20%

Increase cross-site policy adoption and compliance by 25%

Improve safety culture through better communication by 20%

Improve workforce productivity through easier self-service by 40%

NEXT STEPS

User testing and feedback

Conduct usability testing across mine-site and office roles to validate navigation, search, and key task journeys.
Run quick pulse surveys and targeted interviews to capture pain points, confidence, and adoption barriers.

Iterative design enhancements

Refine IA labels, hub layouts, and shortcuts based on testing insights and analytics.
Improve announcement targeting, notification rules, and homepage prioritisation to reduce noise and increase relevance.

End-to-end flow for future vision

Expand from the homepage into fully standardised site hubs and function hubs with consistent templates.
Add deeper lifecycle workflows to sustain content quality.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Designing for speed, trust, and real work.

It was a privilege to work on an intranet transformation that directly supports critical mine-site operations, where finding the right information quickly is not a convenience but a necessity.

The main lesson I learned through this work is that a successful intranet is built through collaboration and shared ownership.

Through regular reviews and stakeholder sessions, I uncovered constraints that were easy to miss at first, governance requirements, site-specific language, permission complexities, and the realities of low connectivity.

Each discussion pushed the design to become clearer, more practical, and more scalable.

Working closely with operations, Health, Safety, Environment, communications, IT, and content owners reinforced that governance is a user experience.

The success of this intranet redesign was truly a team effort. The alignment and support across multiple teams helped us create a solution that is not only modern and visually consistent but also faster to use, easier to maintain, and more reliable for day-to-day work.

INDUSTRY

Mining

PLATFORM

Sharepoint Online