Beyond the Feature

Beyond the Feature Episode 31 - Your Digital Front Door: Modern Intranet Best Practices

In this episode of Beyond the Feature, I break down what separates a SharePoint intranet that people actually use from one that quietly fades into the digital background. Starting with the research (up to 40% of intranets fail to achieve sustained adoption within their first year, and nearly 60% of intranet managers aren't sure what their intranet's purpose is) the episode walks through why intranets fail, how to start with strategy before a single site is created, the architecture decisions that determine long-term usability (Home Site, Hub Sites, the two-click rule, site type selection), the SharePoint web parts and features that bring a great intranet to life (Hero, News, audience targeting, Viva Connections, Quick Links, People Directory), the content governance practices that keep it relevant, the things that consistently undermine intranet success, and how to measure whether it's actually working. Key takeaway: A great SharePoint intranet is an employee experience achievement. Design it around what employees need to do, not around how the organization is structured. Govern it with real ownership and a content cadence. Measure it against outcomes, not page views. Resources mentioned: SharePoint governance and intranet design consulting — AuditSolv.com Microsoft 365 and SharePoint books — olympusacademypress.com Online courses — learn.OlympusAcademy.net Podcast and app — beyondthefeature.com About the host — drpjj21.com #Intranet #SharePoint #EmployeeExperience #ContentStrategy #IntranetDesign #OrganizationalCommunication #beyondthefeature

Beyond the Feature Episode 30 - Spotlight Interview with Melissa Tebbenkamp

What does it actually mean to innovate safely in education? In this episode, I sit down with Melissa Tebbenkamp, CETL, former CIO of a K-12 School District, CoSN advisor and instructor, and author of One Road: A Leadership Blueprint for Safe, Strategic Innovation. Melissa shares the framework behind her book, the concept of a Culture of Trusted Data, and what it takes for technology leaders in education to drive meaningful change without sacrificing the trust of the communities they serve. Links and Resources: • One Road: A Leadership Blueprint for Safe, Strategic Innovation -- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GLS8V7LN?binding=paperback&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_unkn_tpbk • One Road: A Leadership Companion for Reflection and Application -- https://www.amazon.com/One-Road-Leadership-Reflection-Application/dp/B0GV7BNLX8 • Melissa on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/melissa-tebbenkamp-cetl/ • Melissa's Website: https://mbbtllc.com/ • Olympus Academy courses: learn.olympusacademy.net • Beyond the Feature App: beyondthefeature.com #K-12technology #educationleadership #dataprivacy #CoSN #schoolCIO #innovation #Microsoft365 #BeyondtheFeature

Beyond the Feature Episode 29 - Instructional Design for Technology Training

In this episode of Beyond the Feature, I bring my background in educational leadership to the technology training conversation and the research-backed case I make for doing training differently is hard to argue with. Employees forget 90% of what they learned in a week. Videos over 6 minutes dramatically underperform. Story improves retention 22 times over standalone facts. Microlearning modules have completion rates four times higher than traditional long-form courses. This episode unpacks why traditional technology training consistently fails (cognitive overload, context collapse, the single event model), introduces the research nuggets that should change how every organization builds training, explores scenario-based and cinematic instructional approaches — including the Copilot training series Dr. Jones is currently building as a live application of these principles, and closes with five practical changes any organization can make immediately. Key knowledge nuggets from this episode: 2-6 minute optimal video length (MIT and corroborating research). 22x story retention effect. 37% cognitive overload reduction from microlearning. 200% retention improvement from spaced repetition. 80% vs 20% completion rate differential between short and long-form training. The Merrill First Principles of Instruction framework. Learning in the flow of work. The generational design reality. The Learning Pyramid principle (active beats passive decisively) is well validated. The Copilot training series as a live application of every principle covered. Resources mentioned: Copilot and Microsoft 365 training resources — olympusacademypress.com and Olympus Academy Technology training and cloud strategy consulting — AuditSolv Podcast and app — beyondthefeature.com About the host — drpjj21.com #technologytraining #adultlearning #cognitiveload #instructionaldesign #microlearning #beyondthefeature

Beyond the Feature Episode 28 - Telling Your Data Story

In this episode of Beyond the Feature, I make the case that the problem with most data reporting isn't the data, it's the story. Covering the core principles of data storytelling (story before visualization, narrative arc, know your audience), a walk through the full tool landscape (Excel and PowerPoint, Power BI, Canva and Magic Charts, AI tools for plain-language data analysis), how to choose the right chart type for the right insight, and how to add the meaning layer that transforms a chart into a story, this episode gives listeners a practical framework they can use on their next report regardless of their technical level or the tools they already use. Key takeaway: We are twenty-two times more likely to remember a fact wrapped in a story. Data without a story is just noise. The tools have never been more accessible. The limiting factor is knowing what story you are trying to tell before you start building. Resources mentioned: Microsoft 365 tools — Excel, Power BI, Copilot (part of existing M365 subscriptions) Canva and Canva Sheets with Magic Charts — canva.com AI tools for data analysis — ChatGPT, Claude, Microsoft Copilot M365 and productivity workflow books — olympusacademypress.com Online courses — Olympus Academy Cloud strategy and data reporting consulting — AuditSolv Podcast and app — beyondthefeature.com About the host — drpjj21.com #Datastorytelling #datavisualization #PowerBI #Excel #communication #beyondthefeature @auditsolv

Beyond the Feature Episode 27 - The Power of Outlook Rules

In this episode of Beyond the Feature, I make the case that your inbox doesn't have to be managed manually, it can manage itself. Using practical, immediately actionable examples of Outlook Rules, this episode walks through everything from the brilliant CC folder trick (create a folder for CC emails, pin it to the top, and let your rule route copied emails there automatically so your inbox only contains direct communications) to rules for newsletters, VIP senders, keyword flagging, automated system notifications, project folders, distribution lists, invoices, after-hours replies, and attachment management. The episode closes with a look at Quick Steps, Outlook's one-click manual automation system, and a clear philosophy for building a rule system that reflects how you actually work. Key takeaway: Rules are not a set-and-forget system. They are living instructions that, when built thoughtfully and maintained periodically, transform your inbox from a place where noise and signal compete for the same space into a curated environment where what's in front of you is there on purpose. Resources mentioned: Microsoft 365 workflow and productivity books — olympusacademypress.com Online courses — learn.OlympusAcademy.net Microsoft 365 strategy and consulting — AuditSolv.com Podcast and app — beyondthefeature.com About the host — drpjj21.com #emailmanagement #microsoft365 #Outlook #Outlookrules #productivity #emailtips #beyondthefeature @auditsolv @microsoft365