About Us

Why choose ClearBox

Experience

We have first-hand experience of running intranets, so we know what it’s like to face practical realities rather than what the textbook says. We also see what really works in a whole range of organisations so we can bring an informed and independent perspective.

Vision

We’re all about making working life more productive and more rewarding for the people who use intranets. We use our expertise in psychology and computer interface design to make your intranet simple to use.

Collaboration

Organisations increasingly work across multiple locations with a range of operations, partnerships, and affiliations, and yet seek to create a sense of being ‘one’ organisation. We have a track record in designing intranets that will be a key part of making this happen.

Knowledge

ClearBox is about the coming together of intranets, collaboration, and knowledge — a challenge in many organisations as it spans multiple functions. We’ve worked in a range of corporate functions, including Communications, IT, and Knowledge Management, so we can see things from each side and facilitate dialogue.

Strategy

Often intranets grow organically, and this can mean there’s a lack of clear purpose for both users and those that support it. We work with companies to ensure their intranets have clear strategic alignment and the right policies and processes in place to keep it effective without being bureaucratic.

Flexibility

Good consulting is about helping an organisation bring about sustainable change. Intranet changes usually reflect other changes going on in an organisation, and all the people and cultural aspects that go with that change. Our approach is designed to recognise and respond to this.

Why we’re called ‘ClearBox’

The name ‘ClearBox’ comes from being the opposite of ‘black box’. We want our methods to be transparent and replicable, so that our clients are able to keep moving forward at the end of a project.

We noticed that reports from other consultancies just seemed to gather dust. Although the recommendations might be valid, clients didn’t feel confident to implement them because the reasoning behind them was opaque.

When you work with ClearBox, we involve you in every step; we discuss the data with you and collaborate on formulating the outcome. We’re not about trying to create an ongoing dependency. True consulting means that the client feels ownership of the deliverable, informed, and in control.

About Sam Marshall

ClearBox is run by Sam Marshall, who has specialised in intranets and the digital workplace for over 15 years, working with companies such as Unilever, BT, BBC, Rolls-Royce, Standard Life, AstraZeneca, BUPA and Oxford University Press.  His current activities focus on intranet strategy, the growth of the digital workplace, the business side of SharePoint, and the use of social media tools for collaboration and communication.

Sam was responsible for Unilever’s Global Portal Implementation, overseeing the roll-out of over 700 online communities to 90,000 people and consolidating several thousand intranets into a single system. Sam also worked as a freelance benchmarking Lead for the Intranet Benchmarking Forum; conducting hands-on reviews for over 40 companies on intranet strategy, content, value and design.

In the Knowledge Management (KM) field, Sam led a Unilever initiative to create a comprehensive KM methodology, focusing on KM strategy and Communities of Practice. Unilever was shortlisted for the “Most Admired Knowledge Enterprise” every year from 2001-2006.

Sam is a frequent speaker at international conferences, and has a regular column at CMSWire. He has an MSc in Artificial Intelligence, an MA in Psychology and more bicycles than shoes.