Client Story:
Ushering in a new era of virtual collaboration
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), one of the largest philanthropic organizations in the world, is dedicated to identifying, illuminating, and addressing barriers to health. With a commitment to creating lasting positive impacts on health outcomes and health policy, RWJF invests in a wide range of programs and partnerships. Ideal State has been a trusted partner to the Foundation since 2019, supporting a variety of digital transformation and knowledge management initiatives.
The Challenge: Outdated Collaboration Tools and Approaches
In recent years, RWJF faced significant challenges with its existing content management and collaboration tools, which included Dropbox, Google Drive, Zoom, on-premise file servers, and SharePoint/OneDrive. These tools led to additional IT overhead, security risks, content sprawl, and knowledge management inefficiencies. Recognizing the need for a more streamlined approach, RWJF sought to reduce its overall IT footprint and leverage the content management capabilities available within Microsoft 365.
Ideal State was a natural choice to support this transition, having worked with RWJF for the previous three years to support its emerging knowledge management function and build a sophisticated enterprise search capability supported by Microsoft Search.
Embracing Microsoft 365 Modern Work Solutions
The primary objective of the project was to migrate all of RWJF's files and collaboration to Microsoft 365 Modern Work Solutions, a comprehensive suite of cloud-based applications that includes SharePoint, Teams, OneDrive, and Outlook. This migration aimed to capitalize on the capabilities of RWJF’s existing E5 Microsoft 365 licenses, providing heightened security protocols, advanced knowledge retention, improved discovery processes, and streamlined communication and collaboration.
Supporting Hybrid Work and Fostering Innovation
The migration was designed to better equip RWJF to support its post-Covid hybrid work model, facilitating remote work capabilities while ensuring easy and secure access to content and collaboration tools. The project aimed to transform RWJF's digital workplace and foster a culture of connectivity and innovation.
A Phased Approach to Migration
RWJF engaged Ideal State, a leading digital transformation company serving the nonprofit sector, to orchestrate the migration. Ideal State is a certified Microsoft Modern Work Cloud Solutions Provider (CSP) with extensive experience in Microsoft 365 migration and adoption, change management, KM, and digital workplace design. The engagement lasted one year and involved a phased approach, working closely with RWJF’s KM team and IT teams.
Mapping Content and Ensuring Quality
The migration team mapped existing content sources to Microsoft 365 using Sharegate, a migration tool that automates the transfer of files and metadata. The team analyzed the current state of RWJF's content and identified the best location for each content type in Microsoft 365, including SharePoint, Teams, and OneDrive. They also defined the migration scope, schedule, and quality criteria.
Personalized Support and Change Management
To ensure a successful rollout, Ideal State delivered personalized support to each department and implemented a robust change management approach. This included user-friendly training, self-help guides, and engaging messaging that the RWJF team incorporated into their internal presentations and communications. Stakeholder interviews, surveys, and workshops were conducted to understand departmental needs and expectations. A communication plan, training plan, and support plan were developed to facilitate tool adoption and address any issues or concerns.
Creating a User-Friendly Digital Workplace
A user-friendly digital workplace landing page in SharePoint was established, aligning with RWJF's branding, values, and goals. The landing page provided a one-stop shop for all relevant information related to the migration and the new, intended usage of Microsoft 365. It included a dashboard, news feed, quick links section, and navigation menu, and was integrated with other Microsoft 365 applications to provide a seamless user experience.
Customizing Search and Enhancing User Satisfaction
The team also customized the search interface, filters, and facets to suit RWJF's needs and preferences. Analytics and reporting features were enabled to monitor and improve search performance and user satisfaction.
The Result: Streamlined Collaboration and Enhanced Productivity
The migration yielded significant positive outcomes for RWJF, consolidating all content and collaboration tools onto Microsoft 365 and eliminating the need for redundant platforms like Dropbox and Google Drive. This shift streamlined RWJF's information architecture, communication, and collaboration, while reducing IT costs and complexity, ensuring the reliability and scalability of the platform.
Boosting Employee Engagement and External Collaboration
The migration improved employee productivity, efficiency, and collaboration, allowing access and sharing of content and collaboration tools from any device and location. It also enhanced employee engagement, communication, and learning through the digital workplace landing page and enterprise search tool. Externally, RWJF optimized collaboration with consultants, grantees, partners, and vendors using Microsoft 365 tools.
Ongoing Partnership and Future-Ready Solutions
Ideal State continues its partnership with RWJF, focusing on metadata management, optimizing data protection efforts, and supporting the evolution of enterprise search capabilities to prepare for Copilot. This ongoing collaboration underscores RWJF's commitment to staying at the forefront of digital transformation, ensuring continued efficiency, security, and adaptability in an ever-evolving landscape.
“We received tons of positive staff feedback on the approach Ideal State used to migrate us to M365. Not only could we not have done it without them, but we truly enjoyed working side-by-side with their capable team every step of the way!”
