--- title: UNICEF Tanzania -- Enterprise Content Management (ECM) Migration to SharePoint Online url: https://www.velsof.com/case-studies/unicef-tanzania-enterprise-content-management-ecm-migration-to-sharepoint-online/ date: 2026-02-15 type: case_study author: Velocity Software Solutions categories: Case Studies tags: Child Protection, CMS, Dashboard, Education, Healthcare, Public Health, samsung, SEO, Sharepoint, Training, UNICEF, Web Application Development, wordpress-development --- ## The Challenge UNICEF Tanzania was undertaking a large-scale organizational transformation — migrating its entire content ecosystem from legacy shared drives to Microsoft [SharePoint](https://www.velsof.com/software-development/) Online. The Country Office needed to establish a modern Enterprise Content Management (ECM) platform that would serve as the central hub for document management and collaboration across all sections and state offices throughout Tanzania. The key challenges included: - **Fragmented Content Landscape:** Content was scattered across shared drives with no centralized structure, making document retrieval inefficient and collaboration difficult across geographically dispersed teams. - **Multi-Stakeholder Coordination:** Each section (Education, Health, Child Protection, Communication, Administration, etc.) had unique content structures, workflows, and requirements that needed to be captured and translated into the new SharePoint-based platform. - **Design and Usability Requirements:** The new ECM portal needed creative, user-friendly page designs with banners, icons, and intuitive navigation — all while adhering to UNICEF’s global branding guidelines. - **Content Migration Complexity:** Migrating years of accumulated content from shared drives to a structured SharePoint environment required careful planning, classification, and validation with section focal points. - **Tight Timelines:** The migration needed to be completed within 13 weeks, covering the Tanzania Country Office Communication Site and Collaboration Sites for all sections and states. ## Velocity’s Solution ### Scope of Work Velocity Software Solutions deployed a dedicated SharePoint resource, backed by a full technical and design team, to work alongside UNICEF Tanzania’s core SharePoint team. The engagement covered the complete ECM migration lifecycle — from requirements gathering through content population and staff training.  ### Key Features & Deliverables - **Communication Site for Tanzania Country Office:** A centralized SharePoint Online Communication Site designed and developed as the primary digital workspace for UNICEF Tanzania. - **Collaboration Sites for Sections and States:** Individual SharePoint Collaboration Sites tailored to the needs of each section (Education, Health, WASH, Child Protection, etc.) and each state office across Tanzania.  - **Content Migration from Shared Drives:** Systematic migration of documents, files, and resources from legacy shared drives into the new SharePoint-based ECM platform, with proper metadata tagging and folder structures. - **Custom Page Design:** Creative banners, icons, and page layouts designed to match UNICEF’s visual identity while ensuring intuitive navigation and content discoverability. - **Forms, Views, and Lists:** Custom SharePoint solutions using forms, views, lists, and web parts to address specific workflow and data management needs across sections. - **DMS & CMS Portal Population:** Working directly with UNICEF’s core team and section focal points to collect, organize, and upload content into the Document Management System (DMS) and [Content Management System](https://www.velsof.com/web-development/) (CMS). - **Training and Knowledge Transfer:** Orientation and hands-on training for UNICEF staff on the new ECM platform, enabling self-sufficiency in content management and page updates. ### Technology Stack - **Platform:** Microsoft SharePoint Online (Modern Experience) - **Design Tools:** SharePoint Modern Web Parts, custom banners and icons - **Content Management:** SharePoint DMS & CMS - **Collaboration:** SharePoint Team Sites, Communication Sites - **Security:** SharePoint permission management aligned with UNICEF’s access control policies ## Implementation Approach 1. **Requirements Discovery:** Velocity’s team conducted in-depth discussions with focal points from each UNICEF Tanzania section to understand their specific content structures, workflows, and collaboration needs. 2. **Architecture Design:** Based on the requirements, the team designed the overall site architecture — defining the Communication Site hierarchy, section-specific Collaboration Sites, and state-level sub-sites. 3. **Visual Design and Branding:** Custom banners, icons, and page layouts were created adhering to UNICEF’s global branding guidelines while incorporating Tanzania-specific visual elements. 4. **Content Classification and Migration Planning:** Content from shared drives was inventoried, classified, and mapped to the new SharePoint structure. Migration plans were created in coordination with section focal points. 5. **Site Development and Configuration:** SharePoint Online sites were built with custom web parts, lists, views, forms, and navigation structures tailored to each section’s requirements. 6. **Content Population:** Working with UNICEF’s technical team, content was systematically uploaded, organized, and tagged with appropriate metadata across all sites. 7. **Quality Assurance and Review:** Each site underwent thorough review with the respective section focal points to ensure accuracy, completeness, and usability. 8. **Training and Handover:** Comprehensive training sessions were conducted for UNICEF Tanzania staff, equipping them with the skills to manage and update their respective sections independently. 9. **Ongoing Support:** Post-deployment support was provided with backend technical assistance for any complex configurations or troubleshooting needs. ## Key Outcomes & Impact - **Centralized Content Hub:** UNICEF Tanzania successfully transitioned from fragmented shared drives to a unified, cloud-based ECM platform accessible to all staff across the country. - **Improved Collaboration:** Section-specific and state-specific Collaboration Sites enabled more efficient teamwork, document sharing, and knowledge management. - **Enhanced Document Discoverability:** Structured metadata, search capabilities, and organized content hierarchies significantly reduced the time staff spent searching for documents. - **Staff Empowerment:** Through targeted training, UNICEF Tanzania staff became self-sufficient in managing and updating their content on the new platform. - **Scalable Foundation:** The SharePoint Online architecture provided a scalable foundation that could accommodate future growth, additional sections, and evolving content management needs. - **Compliance with Global Standards:** The ECM platform aligned with UNICEF’s global digital transformation strategy, ensuring consistency with other country offices worldwide. ## Why Velocity? Velocity Software Solutions brought an unmatched combination of SharePoint expertise and deep institutional knowledge of UNICEF’s operational environment to this engagement: - **9+ Years of UNICEF Partnership:** Velocity had been working with UNICEF India’s ICT Section since 2011, developing and maintaining the UNICEF India Intranet Portal on SharePoint — providing unparalleled understanding of UNICEF’s workflows, governance, and compliance requirements. - **SharePoint ECM Specialists:** With a portfolio spanning SharePoint projects for organizations like GreyB (Singapore), Jumeirah Golf Estates (UAE), Kusum Healthcare (India), and Samsung, Velocity brought world-class SharePoint development and content management capabilities. - **Dedicated Backend Support:** The deployed resource was supported by Velocity’s full technical team, including developers, designers, and system administrators — ensuring best-in-class output quality. - **Content Management Expertise:** Experience across CMS platforms (SharePoint, Drupal, [WordPress](https://www.velsof.com/wordpress-development/)) gave Velocity a holistic understanding of content architecture, migration strategies, and SEO considerations. - **Proven Delivery Model:** Velocity’s ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 27001:2013 certified processes ensured systematic, secure, and high-quality delivery throughout the engagement. *Velocity Software Solutions — Empowering global organizations to manage knowledge effectively, one SharePoint site at a time.* ### Related Services [WordPress Development](/wordpress-development/)[Digital Marketing](/digital-marketing/)[AI & Automation](/ai-automation/)