How NOT to write a SharePoint RFP or RFQ

How NOT to write a SharePoint RFP or RFQ

So your organization needs some IT Development done.

Let’s say an intranet, public facing portal or similar project. Let’s also say you’re the lucky middle manager or staffer that gets tasked with managing the outsourcing of the project.

“No big deal,” you say to yourself. You’ll Just:

Is Your RFP a Recipe for Disaster?

Is Your RFP a Recipe for Disaster?


Just like cooking, building the perfect company portal is a TWO step operation. Developing the recipe, then following the recipe.  Unfortunately too many “cooks” charge and start cooking.  Without a recipe to follow you’ll likely end up something inedible.

Will You Show Me Yours If I Show You Mine?

Will You Show Me Yours If I Show You Mine?


Sure, we’re all involved in the world of SharePoint… We love it…  But what if a few of us decided on a change of career?  Let’s say a few of us got together and decided to start a coffee shop…

SharePoint Santa: 5 Branding Improvements I’d Like To See Under My Tree

SharePoint Santa: 5 Branding Improvements I'd Like To See Under My Tree

 Dear SharePoint Santa,

Many people agree that the appearance and user interface of SharePoint need to be augmented and customized in order to meet their marketing and operational requirements.  While this is especially true for Public Facing sites, it’s equally important for many corporate Intranets.   Unfortunately, the common method for Branding SharePoint, (lots of custom CSS) is expensive to implement and typically lost upon migration to the next version.

Non-Destructive SharePoint Branding

Non-Desructive SharePoint Branding

Branding has always been a fun topic for me, this is especially so when it comes to Branding SharePoint.  I have a pretty varied background, but the time I spent in corporate operations gives me a tremendous appreciation for what SharePoint can do in the right hands. You can make miracles every day.

Migrate Without Losing Your SharePoint Branding

Migrate Without Losing Your SharePoint Branding

 Is this even possible?

Well, yes and no.  Yes, if you branded a very specific way.  No, if you brand the way most people do.

Looks Stellar, but is Problematic

It’s pretty much understood that most people, especially senior management, take issue with the appearance of out-of-the-box SharePoint. The companies with the budget might immediately throw a developer or two at the problem. They’ll ask them to make SharePoint look more like a “website”. If the appearance of their intranet is especially important to them, they’ll even hire an outside company to “brand” their intranet. While the result often looks stellar, if not done correctly, it can be even more problematic when it comes time to migrate to a newer version of SharePoint.

The Hidden Costs of Branding SharePoint

The Hidden Costs of Branding SharePoint

There Are Two Parts to Branding SharePoint

I think most people would also agree that there are two parts to Branding SharePoint:  knowing what to do and knowing how to do it.  Unfortunately in the world of Branding SharePoint​, it seems like most of the discussion is focused on the “how to” portion and very little time is spent on the philosophy of what should and should not be done.