We recently released an eBook, Your 8 Step Guide to Selecting Org Chart Software, in which we cover everything from why organization charts are essential to helping your people do their jobs to some of the major considerations you should think about when you look for your perfect, internal org chart.
You’ll get some great tips from the eBook (plus some helpful templates to help you make your decision), but if you’re looking for a short and sweet version, here are a few of our key takeaways.
Takeaway #1: Manual org charts are a thing of the past
In many organizations, and maybe yours as well, org charts are static documents posted on an intranet page, often manually created in PowerPoint or Visio. However, these static org charts need to be constantly updated and are difficult to keep relevant. If not a manual org chart, many HR systems include a simple org chart as part of their product suite, however, these tools are often rigid and don’t allow for customization.
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Takeaway #2: Defining your goals is key
The first step should be defining your objectives. You might immediately think that you need to find a tool to build an organizational chart, but take a step beyond that and ask yourself, “What do I want the organization chart to do for my company?” Check out the below use cases and how those translate to features you should be looking for.
Takeaway #3: Don’t bite off more than you can chew
Consider org chart build and maintenance. How much work is it going to take to create an org chart? Find out which approach works best for you from the guidelines below.
Takeaway #4: Think about the end-user
There are so many options for where and how to access an org chart, but the two main things you need to consider are: 1) Where do you want people to access the org chart and 2) What features do your users want?
Whether you want your org chart to be accessible via a desktop app or embedded into an intranet, consider the benefits of each access point. The same goes for features. Determine which are the most important for your users. Use the table below to evaluate which vendor provides the functionality that your users need.
Takeaway #5: It’s all about information and customization
When it comes down to it, org charts are all about displaying information in an easily digestible and navigable way. So consider what information is the most important for your people to navigate and understand their organization. See below for some of the main components of an org chart to consider:
How you want this information to look is also up to you! Consider how you want your branding to show up in the org chart, and what level of customization you want to allow your end-users.
Takeaway #6: Don’t forget about integrations
Ever heard of the phrase, two heads are better than one? The same goes for org chart software. With each internal system that is connected to the org chart software, the more powerful and valuable it becomes. So, make an integration wish list and be sure to ask vendors the depth and breadth of each integration to get the most value out of your org chart.
Takeaway #7: Don’t forget about value
It’s most likely that there are multiple people involved in this purchase, and one question they will be sure to ask is what value an org chart will bring to the organization? In short, what is the ROI? Assuming you’ve gone through this process and found org chart software that meets the majority of the requirements listed in this guide, you can expect some significant benefits. The biggest of which is employees working better together. Particularly when the workforce is distributed and partially (or fully) remote. If you’re curious about how org chart software, that includes powerful directory search with deep profiles, would impact each department, check out the chart below.
With that, you’re ready to start shopping. Get started by seeing what Sift can provide to make your org chart a truly valuable tool for your organization.
See what learnings you find in the ebook
I highly recommend taking a look at the eBook if you haven’t yet! I highlighted some key takeaways here, but we take an even deeper dive in the eBook. Download it below.
Your 8 Step Guide to Selecting Org Chart Software
Organization charts help employees do their jobs. But what are the major considerations you should think about as you search for org chart software? Check out this guide for an overview of some of the major elements you should consider to select the right tool for your organization.
