Portal Design Tips

Use the Portal design tips for useful information and recommendations.

The following are some tips to help design a Portal that meets the needs of your Service Desk and your customers for any department:

Make it easy to find: Layout and navigation are important. Strategically place important information or commonly-accessed services in obvious places. Use tables, bullets, columns, and headings to elegantly organize information into logical and clearly-labeled groupings. Enhance navigation by using an intuitive menu bar, Actions, and links.
Make it easy to use: Keep it simple. Simplify forms and Service Catalogs so that customers are only exposed to the information they need. Use customer-friendly language so that customers feel comfortable with the content. Automate common tasks using One-Step Actions/Actions and templates.
Make it personal: The Portal is highly customizable so make each customer's experience relevant and personal. Create custom dashboards and forms, expose only relevant services and Knowledge Articles, dazzle customers with meaningful graphics, colors, and logos.
Make it enticing: Do not underestimate the visual experience. Employ visual elements, such as graphics, symbols, and colors, to convey information and embellish the aesthetic. Use consistent, browser-friendly fonts and colors (or themes) to ensure stability and cohesion.
Make the Startup Items count: Your Startup Items set the tone for your Portal and sites. Select an OOTB Portal Site that effectively introduces your Portal. Designate a Site Startup Item that immediately communicates the purpose of your site and provides clear access to common Actions. For example, select an Action Catalog that clearly communicate your service offerings or a dashboard that provides status, common Actions, and links.
Proactively share: Post advisories and bulletins (known errors, outages, and solutions) to help avoid potential issues. Set expectations by communicating your services and policies to avoid confusion and misunderstandings.