One of the key findings revealed through our web redesign discovery process is that visitors to our School’s website are frequently confused by site pages that mix information meant for internal and external audiences.
As a result of these findings, the new flagship website will exclusively feature content intended for external audiences. Internal-facing content will be housed on a separate, HarvardKey-protected intranet site created by the Information Technology Department (IT) as a temporary solution. This will be followed by a research and discovery phase to shape specifications for a long-term intranet solution.
In the spring of 2024, each administrative and academic department will be provided with a new intranet site to publish their internal content. IT will duplicate all content from current websites onto these new intranet sites to facilitate the migration.
Site editors will be required to login to their new intranet sites (before they go live) to remove any content intended for the public-facing website and to organize all the internal-facing content that remains. Intranet sites will have a new navigation system, but the look and feel will remain the same.
IT will be launching the new intranet platform in the summer of 2024.
Timeline
The timeline below represents an estimate of major project milestones.
Phase 1
| Timeframe | Milestone |
| Fall 2023 / Winter 2024 |
Meet with site editors to introduce the intranet project phases and gather feedback. |
| January 2024 | Survey the Harvard Chan Community regarding intranet needs. |
|
Spring 2024 |
Login to your new intranet site (before it goes live), and organize internal-facing content and remove any content intended for the public-facing website. |
| Summer 2024 | Intranet launch. |
Phase 2
| Timeframe | Milestone |
| FY25/26 | Kick off research and discovery process to shape specifications for a long-term solution. |
FAQ
Who will receive an intranet site in the project’s initial phase?
Administrative and academic departments will be provided with a new intranet site. Research groups can formally request an intranet site through the Web Communications Working Group.
Can I make certain pages on the intranet accessible to the public?
Yes, website editors will have the ability to selectively make certain pages accessible to the public, providing a flexible and controlled approach to sharing information.
Could you provide more details about the intranet roll-out process and timeline?
Certainly! We encourage you to download our “Transitioning to the Harvard Chan intranet” PowerPoint presentation, offering additional insight into the project phases.
How will I be able to HarvardKey protect pages on the intranet?
You can set up access rules for different groups at Harvard University, like all HarvardKey holders, only HSPH, and certain HSPH groups such as faculty, staff, students, and postdocs. You can also specify access for specific academic departments or offices. For instance, you can limit access to a page to only those from the Department of Health Policy and Management. Plus, you can allow access to outside users when needed for shared access rights.
