Every business has its challenges. At Acquarius, one of ours was how we managed and accessed information. Like many firms, over time we built up a patchwork of shared drives, folders, and email attachments to handle policies, forms, and internal guidance. It worked, but it wasn’t always smooth. Important documents weren’t always easy to locate, and duplicate versions sometimes crept in.

Just as importantly, there was no single place for people to see wider updates across the business, whether that was upcoming events, internal news, or reminders of how we work and what we value.

When new colleagues joined, the onboarding process often involved a lot of asking around before they could properly settle in. These small inefficiencies add up, slowing the team and creating unnecessary friction.

We knew there had to be a better way.

A Central Hub for What Matters

The answer was an intranet - a single, central hub where the information our team needs is organised clearly and consistently, alongside the updates that help people feel part of the wider business.

Instead of hunting through drives or inboxes, staff now have one place to go.

Policies, templates, and guidance documents are easy to find, up to date, and trusted as the latest version. At the same time, company updates, social events, and shared moments are visible to everyone, helping create a clearer picture of what’s happening across Acquarius.

That simplicity has been a big shift. By removing uncertainty and making information easier to access, we’ve reduced wasted time and created a smoother, more joined-up working experience for everyone.

Clear Access and Control

The intranet also brings structure to how information is managed. Everyone has access to what they need, while updates are controlled to keep documents consistent and reliable.

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It’s a simple setup that works day to day without getting in the way, and because the platform reflects how our teams actually operate, it feels natural to use rather than something people have to adapt to.

The Impact So Far

The benefits of the intranet have been visible from day one. Some of the changes we’ve already noticed include:

• Less time wasted searching - with everything in one place, staff find what they need quickly.
• Greater confidence in information - documents are consistent and current, so we’re all working from the same page.
• Faster onboarding - new colleagues can get up to speed quickly by accessing policies and templates directly, without needing to ask around.
• Fewer bottlenecks - the team can operate more independently, reducing interruptions and handovers.
• Stronger visibility of company updates - with clear, centralised information and updates, people feel informed and involved.

Taken together, these improvements have made a noticeable difference. Work flows more smoothly, and there is a stronger sense of connection across the business.

Built Around Acquarius

What makes this intranet work is that it was designed around Acquarius’ specific needs. This isn’t an off-the-shelf system. We worked closely with Impact Web Studios (IWS), led by Ryan Gibson.  Ryan is an ex-member of the Acquarius team and has a long and successful career in financial services.  In a design focussed field this gives him real USP working with financial services firms.

Working with IWS, time was spent understanding how different teams work, how information is used day to day, and where things were breaking down in practice.

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That insight influenced how the intranet is structured, what sits front and centre, and how content is maintained. The result is a platform that supports the business as it operates today, while being flexible enough to evolve as needs change.

With ongoing support from IWS, the intranet will continue to be updated and refined as our needs develop, ensuring it remains a living tool that grows with the business.

That tailoring and support make the intranet more intuitive, more relevant, and ultimately more effective. It feels like a natural part of our business, not an add-on.

A Step Forward

For Acquarius, the intranet has already proven its value. It has made information easier to find, reduced friction in everyday work, and helped people stay connected to the wider business.

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It’s not about reinventing how we operate. It’s about taking something essential - access to information and shared context - and making it simpler, clearer, and more reliable. That change has become an important step forward for the business