Here it comes: Intranet. Version 3.
Monday 03 November 2025
The third iteration of my diving board into the web.
Over the last few years, I've built three different iterations of my Intranet. Each one has been an improvement on the last, but each has also brought it's own issues. Last time, I built a version with two different pages - a simple 'homepage' with key links, and then a second page with useful bookmarks on it. While this worked in theory, in reality I just didn't use the second page at all - there were always quicker ways to get to these websites than clicking through all the buttons.
I also redesigned this very website, launching a new style that I wanted to roll out more widely. Intranet V2 was definitely one or two iterations behind, and I didn't want to simply update the UI without overhauling the layout as well.
For posterity, this was Intranet V2.5 on it's final days:
Previous features, such as searching and filters, were just so broken that I removed them altogether. Entirely broken links were still embedded (my school stopped using Firefly in 2023 😳), and it all just looked pretty tired.
However, there were elements I liked. I really valued being able to highlight the 'featured' links - these are my most common clicks, so it's important I can get to them quickly and easily. I also valued just how simple and uncluttered the interface was. Both of these are principles I wanted to incorporate into the new system.
One thing I began by exploring was the use of colour. In my new design for this website, I chose to give each 'area' a distinct colour, helping it build it's own identity. I chose to do the same on my intranet, with each genre being assigned a colour. This allows me to skim quickly through for a link, recognising colours rather than words.
I also chose to merge the two pages into one, meaning that everything was now only a single click away, reducing the friction I felt in the earlier iteration.
Alongside the UI refresh, this new system has brought such a huge benefit to me. I can easily access all my important services, and be confident that I'm using the correct link. I'm really pleased with the fresh, modern design, although I'm sure I will continue to tweak it for several months to come!
