Beyond Newsletters: Transforming Cross-Functional Engagement with SharePoint and Teams

Let’s continue our journey of exploring innovative ways to engage cross-functional teams in your technical communication program. While we’ve previously discussed the power of newsletters, let’s now dive into some practical and budget-friendly tools that can transform the way your teams collaborate.

In my unique work environment, I found myself as the sole technical writer responsible for supporting ten geographically dispersed teams, each with its distinct focus within the department. Adding to the complexity, these teams were managed by four separate leadership groups. It was a puzzle that needed solving, and I had to rely on the tools at my disposal to create a seamless communication workflow. Enter SharePoint and Teams, the dynamic duo that became my secret weapons.

SharePoint: Building a Secure Repository

At the heart of our challenge was the need for a secure yet accessible document repository. We needed a solution that would be visible to all employees but strictly controlled. With the help of our IT department, we set up a simple yet effective repository within SharePoint. This served as the protected home for the documents that our teams required access to.

In addition, we established a hidden section within our SharePoint pages to house our Master MS Word documents. Given my role as the sole writer, it was crucial to have these documents readily available in case of unforeseen circumstances. However, we ensured that access and visibility were restricted to prevent inadvertent changes to these critical documents.

MS Teams: A Hub for Collaboration

To further streamline our communication, I created a dedicated Teams site for Technical Communications. Within this Teams site, I added a channel for each of our teams. Within each channel, I integrated an individual tracking spreadsheet and a Planner board.

The tracking spreadsheet provided an overarching view for managers and supervisors, offering insight into the status of various documents. Meanwhile, the Planner boards gave me the ability to meticulously track the progress of each document throughout its development and review cycles. Keeping these items up-to-date required diligence, but the benefits were enormous. I could ensure that all our teams remained compliant with our regulated manuals while keeping senior managers informed about any potential areas of concern.

While it’s true that these tools may lack some of the advanced features found in solutions like MadCap Pro, they served as invaluable resources given our constraints. Sometimes, you have to make the most of what’s available while simultaneously advocating for more sophisticated solutions with your management team.

Remember, innovation doesn’t always require fancy, expensive tools. Sometimes, it’s about using the resources at your disposal in creative ways. SharePoint and Teams proved to be our allies in improving cross-functional communication and document management, showing that even budget-friendly tools can drive success in your technical communication program.