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“The idea of creating a SharePoint hub was a byproduct of another process we started, which was to be aware of what our clients think about SharePoint in particular. Even though people are using it, they are using it in different ways. We carried out a survey to know where they were, if it was helping, or if it was just a replacement for another service. Based on the responses received, we made the decision to create short training videos that would enable the UTSC community to accomplish tasks independently,” says Steven Rupchand, who is leading this initiative for IITS.
SharePoint is a secure and versatile cloud-based platform that facilitates collaborative document sharing and web content publishing through a variety of templates. With approximately 20 videos on the hub to date, the focus is on providing quick, accessible, and solution-oriented content, ultimately improving user productivity and enhancing overall satisfaction with SharePoint.
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“Creating the content required a lot of work. It was undoubtedly a learning curve to write scripts, record audio, arrange screen grabs of SharePoint interactions, and determine whether the videos were relevant. I experimented with various tools like Audacity, Logic Pro, Microsoft PowerPoint, Stream, and Magix Movie Maker to put everything together,” added Steven.
A prominent feature of the SharePoint Hub is its user-centric design, eliminating the need for scrolling upon landing on the page. This intentional tactic ensures a straightforward and efficient user experience, reflecting the commitment to providing instant access to important resources.
“Despite the advanced features that SharePoint provides, ranging from metadata tagging to seamless integration with tools like Power Platform, the UTSC community is just starting to embrace the tool for operational efficiencies. By recognizing the need to meet users where they are in terms of proficiency, this initiative is an intentional attempt to understand and accommodate end users' values. These concise 1- to 2-minute training videos, hosted on a SharePoint site, were created to support the majority of users seeking assistance with day-to-day tasks. These resources will be easily accessible for the community to enhance their skills and, at the same time, mark our commitment to the IITS values of service excellence and empowered community,” says Ravneet Kaur, Director, Strategy and Business Transformation.
During the hub's soft pilot, the team received positive feedback, with users appreciating the concise and informative nature of the videos. The future plans include a comprehensive video that will help users build a complete SharePoint site from scratch, in addition to exploring the advanced features of the platform.
The IITS SharePoint Hub is a significant step towards empowering UTSC’s SharePoint users. The hub aims to meet the diverse needs of the community by taking a tailored approach to identifying user pain points and developing training resources. Look out for an upcoming survey from the team to identify training videos you would find valuable. Your voice matters!
Fun Fact: Steven Rupchand, a hobbyist musician, created the original music used in the training videos.