Longer pieces on internal communication, intranets and the digital workplace.

I’m Sharon O’Dea. I’ve spent twenty years building these things, mostly in large and complicated organisations, and I co-wrote Digital Communications at Work with Jonathan Phillips. These essays are where I work out what I actually think — usually starting from something that came up in client work, and usually arriving at the conclusion that the technology wasn’t the problem.

For the week-to-week version, there are weeknotes.

Latest thinking

• Designing channels for complex organisationsAugust 24, 2026
  Shared services, contractors and multiple affiliations break traditional channel design. A layer-by-layer approach to internal comms in complex organisations.
• SharePoint is a box of Lego: how to choose an intranet platformAugust 17, 2026
  SharePoint, intranet-in-a-box, standalone platform or custom build? A practical guide to choosing an intranet platform — and deciding how to decide.
• Orientation, not arrivalDecember 20, 2025
  This is the final piece in a three-part series reflecting on ten years of self-employment — what led me to leave my last employed role, what came after, and how I now think about work, identity, and change. (if you haven’t read Part One and Part Two, read those first) … Continue reading Orientation, not arrival
• The Long MiddleDecember 18, 2025
  This is part two of a three-part series reflecting on ten years of self-employment — what led me to leave my last employed role, what came after, and how I now think about work, identity, and change. (if you haven’t read Part One yet, read that first) Leaving got me … Continue reading The Long Middle
• The BreakDecember 16, 2025
  This is part one of a three-part series reflecting on ten years of self-employment — what led me to leave my last employed role, what came after, and how I now think about work, identity, and change. I didn’t leave my last employed role because I was brave, burned out … Continue reading The Break
• Sustainable growth key to competitiveness in the new world of workNovember 9, 2020
  UK businesses face a perfect storm in the months ahead. The Brexit transition and pending deal means UK businesses must find their footing in a new—and currently uncertain—era of international trade. And at the same time, the crisis caused by Covid-19 shows little sign of abating, leaving a trail of … Continue reading Sustainable growth key to competitiveness in the new world of work
• The road to remote, part 2: spaces, support and commsJune 1, 2020
  The week or so since our last post has seen some major names move toward a remote-first future. Mastercard announced it expects staff to work at home until there is a vaccine, while Facebook shared their plans to shift around 50% of staff to permanent remote work. With the landscape … Continue reading The road to remote, part 2: spaces, support and comms
• What’s the future of work in the New Abnormal?April 30, 2020
  Last year I did a couple of conference keynotes on the future of work. I’ve been working with intranets and digital workplaces for about 15 years; over the past 18 months or so I’ve come to realise that for digital tools to work for people – and for them to truly … Continue reading What’s the future of work in the New Abnormal?
• Jamming: creating conditions for enterprise innovationFebruary 12, 2017
  An orchestra is a bit like a well run company. All of the elements of the orchestra – the strings, the brass, the percussion – are able to come together with a visible, engaged leader to make something better than the sum of its parts. But in the modern world, … Continue reading Jamming: creating conditions for enterprise innovation