Migrating Content and Collaboration to Microsoft 365

The Challenge

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is a philanthropic organization dedicated to improving health and healthcare in the United States. RWJF invests in a wide range of programs and partnerships, aiming to create lasting positive impacts on health outcomes and health policy in the United States. 

In recent years it became evident that RWJF’s existing content management and collaboration tools, which included Dropbox, Google Drive, Zoom, on-premise file servers, and SharePoint/OneDrive were posing significant challenges. These included additional IT overhead, security risks, content sprawl, and knowledge management (KM) inefficiencies. Recognizing the need for a more streamlined approach to collaboration, the Foundation began looking at ways to reduce its overall IT footprint and make better use of the content management capabilities available within Microsoft 365.  

Ideal State was a natural choice to support this transition since it had been working with RWJF for the previous 3 years to support its emerging knowledge management (KM) function and more recently helped build a sophisticated enterprise search capability supported by Microsoft Search.  

The Objective

The objective of the project was to migrate all 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.  The migration was designed to capitalize on the capabilities of RWJF’s existing E5 Microsoft 365 licenses which provided an array of benefits, including heightened security protocols, advanced knowledge retention, improved discovery processes, and streamlined communication and collaboration.

The migration would 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 to foster a culture of connectivity and innovation. In addition to the migration, Ideal State outlined use cases, a resourcing and governance plan, a measurement approach, and a change management plan to help facilitate optimal adoption and use.  

The Process

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. 

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. The team also defined the migration scope, schedule, and quality criteria. 

To help facilitate a successful rollout, Ideal State delivered personalized support to each department and a robust change management approach incorporating user-friendly training, self-help guides, and simple but engaging messaging that the RWJF team incorporated into their internal presentations and communications. This ensured that employees were informed, trained, and assisted throughout the migration. 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. 

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. The landing page included a dashboard, news feed, a quick links section, and a navigation menu. The landing page was then integrated with other Microsoft 365 applications, such as Teams, OneDrive, and Outlook, to provide a seamless user experience. 

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

The migration yielded significant positive outcomes for RWJF, culminating in the consolidation of all content and collaboration tools onto Microsoft 365—effectively eliminating the need for redundant platforms like Dropbox and Google Drive. This shift streamlined RWJF's information architecture, communication, and collaboration, while concurrently reducing IT costs and complexity, ensuring the reliability and scalability of the platform. 

The migration improved employee productivity, efficiency, and collaboration, as they could access and share their content and collaboration tools from any device and location. The migration also enhanced employee engagement, communication, and learning, as they could access and contribute to the digital workplace landing page and the enterprise search tool. Externally, the foundation was able to optimize collaboration with external consultants securely and easily, such as grantees, partners, and vendors, using Microsoft 365 tools, such as Teams and SharePoint.  

Ideal State continues its partnership with RWJF, focusing on metadata management, optimizing its data protection efforts, and continuously supporting the evolution of enterprise search capabilities to prepare for Copilot. This ongoing collaboration with Ideal State underscores RWJF's commitment to staying at the forefront of digital transformation, ensuring continued efficiency, security, and adaptability in an ever-evolving landscape.