Getting the Most from SharePoint’s User Profiles

SharePoint Saturday AtlantaMike Oryszak

http://www.mikeoryszak.com

May 7th, 2011

• Practice Manager with Intellinet• Microsoft SharePoint Server MVP• Dev and Architect with MS stack since 1996• Working with SharePoint since 2002• Raleigh-Durham, NC Area since 1998

About Me

• Architecture and Feature Overview• Planning for Deployment• Planning for User Profiles• Approaches to Governance

Session Overview

ARCHITECTURE AND FEATURE OVERVIEW

Getting the Most from the User Profiles

• Two sections– Shared MySite Host– Personal Site Collection

• Shared Host Includes– Newsfeed– User Profile Pages

• Personal Site Collection– “My Content”

• Can Include Targeted Links

Architecture and Feature Overview

• Aggregated List of Events– Profile Changes– Anniversaries– Birthdays– Blog Posts– Tagged Items – Status Messages

• Settings Personalized– Subscribe to Events

Architecture and Feature OverviewNewsfeed

• Bio Info• Organization Browser• Extended Profile• Content Authored• Note Board• Colleague List

Architecture and Feature OverviewUser Profiles

• Personal Site Collection– User is the Owner– Personal & Shared Content– Can Create Sub-Sites– Great “home base”

Architecture and Feature OverviewMy Content Site

PLANNING FOR DEPLOYMENTGetting the Most from the User Profiles

• Always Deploy MySite Host– My Site Host Site needed to support User Profiles

– Set User Permissions to:• Allow Personalized Features• Allow Provisioning of My Content site• Allow Social Features

• Without MySite Host– Cannot view User Profiles– Social Features only partially functional

Planning for DeploymentMySite Host Configuration

• Decide Where to Configure MySite Host

• Dedicated Web Application– Segment Personal from Intranet and Collaboration Sites

• Provides better scalability• Dedicated Content Database(s), can be restored separately• Apply different Policies

• Within Existing Web Application– Very small number of users (under 25 users)– User Profiles only, limited or no My Content sites– With Custom Auth to prevent additional Auth request

Recommendation: Plan ahead and separate unless requirements dictate it is on the Shared Web App.

Planning for DeploymentMySite Host Location

• My Content Sites - Minimize Customizations – Maintaining customizations difficult across n site collections– Use Feature Stapling if needed, avoid Custom Site Defs

• User Profiles– Easier to customize since shared by all users

• Limitations– Turning some features off can be difficult (ex. User Status)– Privacy Policies Pre-Set

Planning for DeploymentMySite Customization

• Share Services Between Farms– Can centralize User Profiles in Multi-Farm Global Deployment– Can specify multiple MySite Host Locations with targeting

• Segment User Profiles– Can provision additional User Profile Service Applications

• Internal versus External users• Segment by organizational boundaries

Planning for Deployment - AdvancedMultiple Farms or Groups of Users

PLANNING FOR USER PROFILES

Getting the Most from the User Profiles

• Attributes– @60 Out of the box attributes– Can define custom attributes for your organization– Makes finding people easier– Highly Configurable

• User Editable• Show on Profile• Show on Edit Form• Show in Newsfeed• Privacy Policy

Planning for User ProfilesAttributes Overview

• Map out the existing attributes and any new attributes

• Determine how and where it will be used• Determine sync source/destination if applicable

Planning for User ProfilesAttribute Planning

• Privacy Controls– Defines who can see what; – Default Global Policies– User Override – Standard Levels (not customizable)

• Only Me• My Manager• My Team• My Colleagues• Everyone

Recommendation: Be mindful of sensitive data (pay grades) but as open and transparent as possible.

Planning for User ProfilesPrivacy Policies

• Leverage Existing Systems– Create a comprehensive profile with attributes from each system– Continue to manage attributes in the Source Systems

• Import Options– Active Directory– BCS calling Custom DB or Line of Business System

• HRIS System• Learning Management System

• Export Options– Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS)– Sun Java System Directory Server– Novell eDirectory– IBM Tivoli

• Avoid “Multi-Master” Situations if Possible (Import + Export)

Planning for User ProfilesProfile Synchronization

• Example:– Import Active Directory for core attributes– Import HR System for Position and Education Info– Import Learning Mgt System for Training and Certifications– Export Profiles to another Content Management System

Planning for User ProfilesProfile Synchronization

• Consider how and where users will search for people• Search output can be customized

Planning for User ProfilesPeople Search

• Consider other ways to leverage User Profile Content such as within Collaboration Sites, Department Sites, etc.

Planning for User ProfilesPeople Search

• Can Provide Be Leveraged in Workflow Processes– Centrally maintained, not process dependent

– Key attributes like:• Manager• Delegation• Division• Department• Approval Budget

– Fully accessible via the API and Web Services for use in other systems

Planning for User ProfilesSupport Business Processes

APPROACHES TO GOVERNANCEGetting the Most from the User Profiles

• Leverage or Reference other Appropriate Use Policies– Information, Email and Internet Use Policies

• Match to organization’s maturity– Harassment incidents, IM or Social Networking abuse?

• Strike balance appropriate balance to build teams and support collaboration

• Make the policy accessible

Approaches to GovernanceAppropriate Use Policies

• Provide a mechanism to report violations

• Allow the community to self-police as much as possible

• Take action for any valid incidents and reinforce expectations

Approaches to GovernanceEnforcement

• Focus on Business…– New Products, Industry News and Reports– Keep employees informed and connected

• Support Social Interactions– New Baby, promotion, softball league– Strong social ties enhances collaboration and engagement

• Allow Creativity– Support creativity and expressiveness within reason– Some employees are clowns or jesters

• Employees Already Using Social Tools– Already using tools like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter– These other tools cannot be fully monitored

Approaches to GovernanceSetting the Tone

WRAP-UPGetting the Most from the User Profiles

• Understand the Capabilities

• Define Custom User Attributes

• Understand how Attributes will be Used

• Synchronize Profiles with Existing Systems

• Utilize User Profiles to Support Biz Processes

• Governance, Governance, Governance

Keys to Getting the Most…

• TechNet – User Profile Service Overview– http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee662538.aspx

• User Profiles – Creating Custom Properties– http://www.mikeoryszak.com/sharepoint/user-profiles-%

e2%80%93-creating-custom-properties

• User Profiles – Driving Business Process– http://www.mikeoryszak.com/sharepoint/user-profiles-%

e2%80%93-driving-business-process

• User Profile Posts– http://www.mikeoryszak.com/tag/userprofiles

Additional Resources

Questions?

Contact Info

• Blog - http://www.mikeoryszak.com• Twitter - @Next_Connect• Email – mikeo@intellinet.com• LinkedIn - http://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeloryszak