Building a Strong Information Architecture for an Australian Power Station: Laying the Foundation for Smarter Information Management
The Challenge
The power station approached Votar Partners to develop a new information architecture to support their adoption of M365 and the deployment of MS SharePoint as their central information management system.
The organisation faced complex challenges:
- Information was spread across multiple repositories
- Several legacy systems, including network drives and a controlled document system, were due to be decommissioned
- They needed a system to manage control documents, or they could quickly lose control over their version integrity, operational efficiency, security and productivity.
In commencing the project the General Manager was clear that any new solution needed to work for all staff and reflect how information was used in different business areas.
The information architecture also had to accommodate existing classification schemes, including the detailed plant KKS system (a coding standard that assigns unique identifiers to the various components within power plants and electrical systems), and support secure access, appropriate retention, and sensitivity classification.
Our Solution
Through a series of workshops and meetings we got to understand the needs of the different business units. From this we designed and tested a full information architecture tailored to the client’s operational environment. This included:
- A comprehensive business classification scheme covering all business functions and activities
- Mapping this to SharePoint Hub Sites, Sites, and Document Libraries
- Integrated security and access controls
- Retention and sensitivity guidance aligned to business needs
The Process
Engagement across all levels of the organisation was key. Votar’s team conducted in-depth stakeholder workshops, including after-hours sessions with the night crew to ensure every staff group was represented.
We explored daily functions and workflows, identifying what information assets were created, how they were used, and where they belonged.
A full staff survey captured common document terms and naming conventions to ensure the final architecture was intuitive and usable.
A two-stage verification process allowed staff to test and refine the draft architecture before finalisation. Feedback was consolidated through a second round of workshops, ensuring broad ownership and buy-in.
We Delivered
The final information architecture was designed around:
- 16 core functions and 93 Activities
- Fully mapped to the MS SharePoint structure
- Built on feedback from staff
- Supported with detailed guidance for M365 implementation
The Results
With the new architecture in place, our client was able to:
- Migrate and close three legacy repositories, including an image library
- Integrate the complex KKS engineering classification scheme
- Support system decommissioning with confidence
- Provide their internal MS Team with a clear, structured framework for SharePoint site development
The result was a unified, functional, and future-ready information environment – a single source of truth that supports efficient operations and compliance.
At A Glance
