This article is a guide for Intranet Administrators who are looking to conduct a soft-launch of their site to their end-users as part of the Claromentis Onboarding process. 

Introduction

A soft launch is an optional but valuable step in ensuring the success of your organisation’s intranet rollout. By launching the intranet to a smaller, controlled group of users first, you can gather valuable feedback, identify potential issues, and make necessary improvements before the full company-wide launch.

This guide provides a step-by-step process to help your team execute a smooth and effective soft launch, ensuring the intranet meets the needs of all users and achieves its intended goals. Tweak this as you see fit to garner feedback about your Intranet.

Goals of the Soft Launch

• To identify and address any technical issues or usability concerns before the full launch.
• To gather meaningful feedback from a diverse group of users to improve the intranet’s functionality and user experience.
• To familiarise key users with the intranet and encourage engagement and adoption across the organisation.
   

Suggested Timings

The soft launch phase typically lasts up to 3 weeks, depending on the size of your pilot group and the complexity of your intranet. 

Process

1. Identify a Pilot Group

• Step 1: Select a diverse group of users across different departments (e.g., 10% of the company or 5-10 users).
• Step 2: Email your pilot group to inform them of the new site, the intranet’s goals, and what the soft launch will involve. (Template provided below)
• Step 3: Schedule a quick kickoff call with your Intranet management team or lead to introduce the intranet and outline their role in the soft launch.

2. Create a Feedback Mechanism

• Step 1: Use the Claromentis Survey application to create a dedicated feedback form. (Template provided below) You can also produce your own feedback form, should you wish. 
• Step 2: Establish a communication channel (e.g., a dedicated email or Slack channel) for questions or requests for help.

3. Introduce the Intranet to the Pilot Group

• Step 1: Hold a short kickoff meeting or webinar to introduce the intranet, and provide a quick demo showcasing key features.
• Step 2: Share the goals of the soft launch and explain how their feedback will shape the final product.
• Step 3: Share a list of features to explore.

4. Gather Feedback

• Step 1: Ask users to complete the intranet survey with relevant feedback. 
• Step 2: Schedule a final call to gather any face-to-face feedback.

5. Address Key Issues & Plan for Launch

• Step 1: Your Intranet administrators can make adjustments on your site based on feedback.
• Step 2: Report any technical issues to your dedicated Claromentis Onboarding Team.
• Step 3: Schedule the official launch date.

Conclusion

A well-executed soft launch is essential for ensuring your intranet meets the needs of your organisation. By involving a pilot group and actively gathering feedback, you can identify and address any issues before the full launch, increasing the likelihood of long-term adoption and success.

The feedback gathered during this phase is invaluable in refining the intranet and ensuring it becomes an integral tool for collaboration, communication, and resource management within your company.

Remember, the soft launch is not just a technical test—it’s an opportunity to build excitement, gather advocates, and set the stage for a successful company-wide rollout.

Templates

Below you will find a list of handy templates to use during your Soft Launch. Please do feel free to tailor this as you wish to match your own business requirements. 

Draft Email to Soft Launch Participants

Subject: [Intranet Name] Soft Launch

Dear [Participant's Name],

We would like to invite you to participate in the soft launch of our new company intranet, [XX]! As part of this exclusive group, your feedback will play a critical role in shaping the final version of our intranet before it is rolled out company-wide.

The intranet is designed to improve communication, collaboration, and access to important resources across the organisation. Specifically, we hope this will help us with [X,Y,Z]. During this soft launch phase, we are looking to gather your insights to ensure it meets the needs of all users.

What We Need From You:

• Attend a short introductory call 
• Explore the intranet and try out its key features.
• Provide feedback on your experience by completing a short survey on the site 
• Attend a short feedback session to discuss any issues, suggestions, or ideas for improvement.

Key Dates:

• Soft Launch Intro Call: [Start Date]
• Feedback Survey Deadline: [End Date]
• Feedback Session: [Date]

How to Access the Intranet:

• Go to [Intranet URL].
• Log in using your company credentials.
• Explore and get familiar with the various sections and tools available.

Providing Feedback:

We’ve set up a quick feedback survey to capture your thoughts. You can access it here: [Survey Link within the intranet]. Additionally, feel free to email any immediate issues or suggestions to [Contact Email], and we will be on hand to help you. 

Your input is invaluable in ensuring our intranet is user-friendly, effective, and provides the best experience for everyone.

Thank you for taking the time to support us in this important project. 

Best regards,
[Your Name]
[Your Position]
[Your Contact Information]

Feedback Survey for Soft Launch Participants 

Section 1: User Experience & Navigation

• How easy was it to navigate the intranet?
  • (Rating scale: 1 = Very difficult, 5 = Very easy)
• Did you experience any challenges when trying to find specific information? If yes, please specify
  • Free text 
• Did you encounter any broken links or errors while using the intranet? If yes, please provide details: 
  • Free text 
• How would you rate the overall speed and performance of the intranet?
  • (Rating scale: 1 = Very slow, 5 = Very fast)
• To what extent do you feel like the intranet is well linked to other areas of the organisation (e.g. document storage portals, social media accounts, finance, emails)
  • (Rating scale: 1 = Not well linked, 5 = Well linked)
• How effective are the communication tools (e.g., news, announcements, surveys) in keeping you informed
  • (Rating scale: 1 = Not effective at all, 5 = Very effective
• Does the site make you feel more connected to the organisation as a whole, and to those in other departments? 
  • Yes/No/Neutral
• Did you feel adequately prepared to use the intranet after the short introductory session? If no, what additional training/materials would be helpful for the final site launch?
  • (Free text)

Section 2: Content & Resources

• To what extent do you like the layout of the intranet? 
  • (Rating scale: 1 = Not much 5 = Very much)
• Is the content on the intranet relevant and useful to your role? If not, what additional content would you like to see?
  • (Free text)
• Are company policies, guides, and resources via Knowledgebase and Policy Manager easy to access and understand? 
  • (Free text)
• How comprehensive is the employee directory? Are you within the correct Group? 
  • (Rating scale: 1 = Not comprehensive at all, 5 = Very comprehensive)

Section 3: Feedback & Improvements

• What feature do you find most useful on the intranet and why?
  • (Open-ended question)
• What feature do you find least useful, and why?
  • (Open-ended question)
• What improvements would you suggest to enhance the overall intranet experience?
  • (Open-ended question)
• Do you have any suggestions for additional features or tools that should be added? Is there anything you would like to see that wasn’t on the site?
  • (Open-ended question)
• Would you recommend this intranet to your colleagues once it is fully launched? Yes / No?
  • Please explain your answer: