Determine Use

First things first, what is the driving factor behind your intranet? Why was it launched? Was it to improve collaboration, act as a launching pad for applications, facilitate business processes, consolidate enterprise information, or is it simply used as an enterprise communication vehicle? No matter what the purpose is, call it out. Make it known, have users and management challenge it's initial purpose. These will either instill its original purpose or force you to develop a new one with more focus and reason for being. If you are forced to develop a new purpose hold brainstorming sessions with cross-functional teams, use the results of your surveys and user feedback, review your businesses strategy and culture, or even expansion plans, think big then narrow your scope.

Audience

Once you have a solid purpose behind your intranet, meaning decision makers and business champions are on board. You can start identifying your major audiences. I say audiences plural because with a corporate portal you can have multiple website's tailored to specific groups or roles.

For example:

As you are documenting your audiences ne sure to take into account internal and external end-users. You may have many audience segments inside your internal audience grouping and only a handful inside your external group.

For any corporate portal you'll need these nailed down before getting to far.

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