Intranet discovery & information architecture
Before you rebuild SharePoint, decide what belongs where, who it is for, and how people will find it.
Dexy runs discovery workshops, stakeholder research, and IA planning for intranet and knowledge programs - then designs and builds a SharePoint intranet when scope is clear.
Summary
Intranet discovery answers: Who uses the intranet? For what tasks? What content do they need? How will they search? Information architecture turns those answers into a sitemap, hub structure, content types, metadata, and governance. Skipping IA is why many SharePoint intranets become link lists nobody maintains.
Dexy has 25 years of SharePoint intranet experience running discovery and IA for intranet and knowledge programs on Microsoft 365.
What discovery includes
Executive and sponsor alignment - success measures, constraints, timeline
Stakeholder interviews - IT, comms, HR, business leads, representative end users
Content audit - what exists, what is stale, what is duplicated
Task scenarios - "Find a person," "Prepare for a client meeting," "Find the latest approved template"
IA deliverables - sitemap, navigation model, content types, metadata plan, governance outline
Prototype options - working SharePoint pages when validation beats wireframes
When you need this
Merger or rebrand - two intranets or brands must become one
New leadership - assess before committing build budget
Knowledge platform - content scattered; search fails for everyday staff
AI / Copilot roadmap - governed content foundation required first
Case study: Knowledge platform - financial consulting
FAQ
How long does discovery take?
Typically 2-6 weeks depending on stakeholder access - quoted as a bounded engagement.
Do you only deliver a report?
Discovery can stand alone or feed a fixed-fee build. Many clients proceed to intranet design & build once IA is agreed.
Can IT run discovery internally?
IT knows the platform; we bring IA, UX, and employee research methods so the structure works for comms and business users - not only technical constraints.
Ready to improve the employee experience?
Tell us your Microsoft 365 context - who the users are, what needs to be easier to find or do, and the milestone you are aiming for next. We reply quickly with a sensible next conversation.