When we ask System admins how they are communicating with their end users, there really isn’t a “one size fits all” answer. Some Admins talk regularly with their end users, some only communicate when there are major changes. Some engage directly with people, while others go through Group Admins or SMEs.
In this on-demand webinar, originally broadcast on July 26, 2023, a panel of current and former Admins - Lyndsy Denk (@Lyndsy-Denk), Marketing Training and Enablement Manager at IDEXX, Rachelle Dilley (@RachelleDilley), Enterprise Group Admin at Adobe, and Cynthia Boon (@CynthiaBoon), Customer Success Manager at Workfront – shared their strategies for communicating with users and what they think all Admins should know.
Specifically:
You can view the recording here and a copy of the slides is attached. Here is also a link to the End User Communications Cookbook that we shared in the session. Have questions for our speakers? Tag them in a comment below.
How to create a SharePoint content library
Several folks asked for more detail, so buckle up! This is a deeper dive into something I mention in the first item in the End User Communications Cookbook: Tagging pages to help you build a library of content.
Check out the screenshots attached for what my Site Pages tags look like and an example of how I set up one of the Highlighted Content web parts. You can use this approach for documents, too, which a little nuance.
Microsoft Power Automate flow: Push an adaptive card to a Teams channel
Ultimately I built this flow after studying this blog article. The bugaboo is that the flow requires your Site Pages Library ID, which isn't easily accessible.
For a selected file
Choose the site where you will be pushing pages from and paste in the Library ID you copied from step 2.
Get file properties
Choose the same site and enter the same Library ID as above. Additionally this stage asks for an Id. Choose entity.FileId.
Post adaptive card in a chat or channel
This is where you can play. It's also where I found it most challenging. Microsoft offers samples here and a place to play around here. However, here are my settings:
{
"$schema": "http://adaptivecards.io/schemas/adaptive-card.json",
"type": "AdaptiveCard",
"version": "1.3",
"body": [
{
"type": "ColumnSet",
"columns": [
{
"type": "Column",
"items": [
{
"type": "TextBlock",
"text": "@{body('Get_file_properties')?['OData__TopicHeader']}",
"wrap": true,
"fontType": "Default",
"size": "Medium",
"color": "Accent",
"weight": "Default"
},
{
"type": "TextBlock",
"text": "@{body('Get_file_properties')?['Title']}",
"weight": "Bolder",
"size": "ExtraLarge",
"spacing": "None",
"wrap": true,
"color": "Default",
"fontType": "Default"
},
{
"type": "TextBlock",
"text": "@{body('Get_file_properties')?['FirstPublishedDate']}",
"spacing": "None",
"wrap": true,
"fontType": "Default",
"size": "Medium",
"weight": "Default",
"color": "Default",
"isSubtle": true
}
],
"width": 3
},
{
"type": "Column",
"width": 1,
"items": [
{
"type": "Image",
"url": "@{body('Get_file_properties')?['BannerImageUrl']}",
"altText": "decorative banner image"
}
]
}
]
},
{
"type": "ColumnSet",
"columns": [
{
"type": "Column",
"width": "stretch",
"items": [
{
"type": "TextBlock",
"text": "@{body('Get_file_properties')?['Description']}",
"wrap": true,
"maxLines": 4,
"spacing": "None",
"fontType": "Default",
"size": "Medium",
"weight": "Default",
"color": "Default"
}
]
}
],
"spacing": "Large",
"separator": true
}
],
"actions": [
{
"type": "Action.OpenUrl",
"title": "Read more",
"url": "@{body('Get_file_properties')?['{Link}']}"
}
]
}
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Communicating with requestors
Someone asked for tips on communicating with requestors and helping them track requests. I have a couple thoughts there:
Offer self-serve resources to learn more about requesting
Project owners approached me with woes about how requestors were consistently "submitting wrong" and I could I train them? Holding sessions can be labor intensive so I started smaller with bite-sized tips. The attachment below shows the topics. Even just reading the titles can give these users an idea of what they could do in the system. If they can't figure it out from there, the articles walk them through it.
Curate your requestor forms with a user experience mindset
Whenever we build a request form, we first map out what the team needs in order to get the work done. But then we reimagine everything from the requestor's perspective. This might mean we rewrite questions so they're more accessible to the requestor. We might even break down a prompt into more than one question. Consider:
Design governance and best practices around managing requests
I have had intake managers fret about rejecting requests. "My requestors won't be happy," they say. And yet we must reject sometimes. I recommend three approaches here:
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Using JumpSeat for communicating with end users
Someone in the session asked if any of us have used this tool or recommend using it. Within the Adobe instance, we have investigated the use of this software mainly for on-boarding and training. It seems to have a great foundation of basic Workfront knowledge and can also be customized to cover customized workflows. I think with any tool, it's usefulness depends on your specific instance including number of users supported, number of unique and customized workflows, etc. But it did seem to have some great features. I would love to hear from anyone who has implemented its use.
Hi Rachelle. Thanks for raising this!
I work at LeapPoint and we implement JumpSeat with Workfront, as well as other Adobe solutions.
This is a great use case for JumpSeat as it engages with people where they are (in Workfront) rather than adding noise to the email inbox. JumpSeat has features that our clients use to send messages, updates, alerts, and the like. What I personally like is that it also has analytics on the backend that enables our clients to track how many people (even seeing who) are actually interacting with the pop-up, something that an OOTB Workfront announcement doesn't offer right now.
I'd encourage anyone who wants to learn more to check out their website and reach out for a demo!
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Redirecting users from Slack, Teams, etc. back into Workfront
I'm a firm believer that you have to meet your users where they are while also consistently pushing your change management plan. My team supports a marketing Slack channel whose main purpose is to build community while sharing fun, helpful Workfront Tips. We inevitably get LOTS of people reaching out on that channel. My approach is if I can resolve it in under 3-5 minutes, then I'll help them there. If it's more than that, I provide the link to our queue and ask them to open a support ticket so "it doesn't get lost in the shuffle." We have the queue pinned to the top of the channel as well for easy access. I think they appreciate the flexibility and also understand when we redirect them as well.
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