Digital Engagement New Rules for New Times

1. Digital EngagementNew Rules for New Times June 4, 2010 Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/thewazir

2. Digital Experience Today’s web teams need to not only master an org’s website, but all “Digital” experiences such as multi-platform mobile, social media, location based services, and open data. That’s a lot.

3. 5 Layers of Digital

4. Foundation • Website: where it all comes together • CMS: managing content, publishing flow, new initiatives • Hosting: run CMS, web apps, content, etc. (though some functions distributed) • Typically owned by: Digital / IT

6. Applications • eCommerce: transactions make/save $ • Databases: business information made available (sometimes open API’s) • Online Tools: business processes, tasks, empower users/audiences to self-serve • Maps: geo-data, mash-ups (also open) • Owned by: IT / Digital w/ biz unit client

7. Content • Info Architecture: site structure • Wireframes: location/importance of key actions, programs, headings/language • Static Content: about org, programs, people. Brand/message driven • Blogs: dynamic content, real time, authentic voice, multi-voice • Rich Media: compelling storytelling • Managed by: Digital / Comms

9. Campaign • Email: storytelling, direct connection so people return to your site/tools • Search Optimization (SEO): making you easy to find • Search Marketing (SEM): paid search ads • Online Ads: banners, sponsorships, etc • Social Networks: FB, Twitter, etc • Managed by: Digital / Program Areas

10. Engagement • Social Networks: networks of supporters • Mobile: unlocking data/content/action, sometimes with geo-data • Wikis: collaborative knowledge; typically with outside actors • Intranets: docs, policy, news, etc • CoP: knowledge share & deep collab • Managed by: Digital / Program Areas

11. Typical Web 2.0 Terms • Blogs: expressing + engaging • Rich Media: compelling storytelling • Social Network / Facebook: building relationships and connections • Social Bookmarks and Wikis: knowledge sharing and collaboration • RSS: staying connected, easily • Online Community: tying it all together

12. Business Objectives/Drivers • Find internal champions • Talk to business unit leaders who get it • Go as high as you can go • Connect them in an innovation group • Do competitive analysis (create some fear) • Map interests and goals per dept • Align with org vision/strategic plan (or better yet transformation plan!) • Communicate in business/mission terms, not tech terms • Re-frame away from “IT” or tech

13. Engage the Wisdom of Crowds • Understand the entire organization • What it actually does • Where it came from; where it’s going • What is most vital and alive now • Find the most important players • Innovators, collaborators, creative thinkers • Not bound by org politics or the past • Ask them how they see digital driving their goals forward • Prioritize, look for “triple word scores”, connect their goals to the global goal • Create culture of shared ownership

14. Sample Business Goals • Enhance community experience + input into decision making • Cross-promote civic initiatives to citizens who come to perform a transaction • Revenue opportunities w/ more focus • Improve partnerships / collaborations • Align content to priorities through story • Enhance service to citizens + stakeholders • Meet legal req’s + citizen expectations for accuracy, consistency, transparency

15. Takeaway • What are the business drivers for digital in your organization? • What people can you reach out to to deepen your holistic approach?

16. Current State Assessment

17. Key Performance Indicators • Measure what matters to the organization • Core strategic goals • Digital specific (email, eComm $, etc) • Department specific; ideally get them to own KPI’s for their area • Turn raw data (ie web analytics) into useful KPI’s – it won’t be easy first time • Create a dashboard (tools like SAP) • Tell stories! Don’t bury people in data

18. Understanding Users • Don’t make assumptions! But do make choices • Who are the audiences you have? (reality) • Who are the audiences you need? • Understand them: • Motivations and Values • Behaviours and Tasks • Their needs should drive innovation and change (Economist open innovation)

19. User Experience Design

20. Takeaway • What are the KPI’s you can use to track performance? • How can you learn more about what your users want and value from you?

21. Why a Digital Vision? • Your org is constantly changing • Your digital channels are snapshots of you in (typically past) moments in time • Digital often not seen as core to the business; typically it’s “another channel” • Digital = Network, and should be managed as such; but it’s often driven by 1 dept • Digital often managed in haphazard way • Many inspiring examples of high performing digital companies/orgs • You can’t just hire their firms / smart people and expect the same results

22. Establishing a Digital Vision

23. Story + Aliveness One Org Their World Digital Moves Org X From Service & Empowerment Leadership & Performance

24. Quick Wins

25. How Can Managers Improve?

26. How Can Digital Teams Improve?

27. Takeaway • What are 5 things you can do to tactically improve your digital experience for your most important audiences? • Create a high level action plan for next steps on each improvement above

28. Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/guest_family Governance “Web Governance is the structure of people, positions, authorities, roles, responsibilities, relationships, and rulesinvolved in managing an agency’s website(s). The governance structure defines who can make what decisions, who is accountable for which efforts, and how each of the players must work together to operate a website and web management process effectively.” - WebContent.gov

29. Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/london Well defined governance allows us to focus our energy on the decision, not the decision making process. - Graham Oakes

30. Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamesz_flickr Good governance quotes Organizations who avoid discussing governance end up addressing it over and over again for each decision. - Graham Oakes • Well defined governance allows us to focus our energy on the decision, not the decision making process. • Organizations who avoid discussing governance end up addressing it over and over again for each decision. • Graham Oakes 2008

31. Early Web • No structure, distributed ownership/resources, no real leadership

32. Structure / Governance • Recent Web: Strong central team, working in an existing dept (typically comms), supporting entire org • Challenges include: • Where does the $ come from? • Can they move fast enough? • Who is in charge of quality? • Who owns the tool ongoing?

33. Structure / Governance • Today’s Leaders: Digital is placed at centre of the org, central shop sets boundaries, proposes innovation, executes key projects, but facilitates others to lead • Everyone “gets” digital • Many voices creating content / engaging with constituents • Empowered to experiment, and fail, within agreed set of boundaries

34. Enabling Environment • What conditions will support success in these endeavours? • What obstacles stand in the way: • Structural • Personnel • Cultural • How can we overcome them?

35. Takeaway • What are 3 strategies you can employ to create a more enabling environment for digital? • What short term actions can you take for each in the next 2 weeks?