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From idea to implementation

From idea to implementation. Susan Mernit Media Entrepreneurs Boot Camp Mau 17, 2011. You’ve got a great idea and some $$--now what?. From idea to execution. What this session will cover Project cycles—where are you? Who is your audience? Who is on your team? Kicking off the project

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From idea to implementation

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  1. From idea to implementation Susan Mernit Media Entrepreneurs Boot Camp Mau 17, 2011

  2. You’ve got a great idea and some $$--now what?

  3. From idea to execution • What this session will cover • Project cycles—where are you? • Who is your audience? • Who is on your team? • Kicking off the project • If you can’t measure it, you have not thought it through • Goals, targets, metrics • Product requirements & product development • Setting milestones & keeping a schedule • Community outreach & engagement • Heading for sustainability--$$

  4. What stage is your product at? • Pre-launch: Planning, strategy, building • Launch: Outreach & operations • Live: Engagement, metrics, sustainability, audience • Mature: Revenue optimization, metrics reviews, product extensions

  5. First--Who is your audience? • Decide who your audience is for the project • What is their reading level? • Are they on a computer or a mobile platform? • What languages do they speak? • How often will they visit? • What will they DO on your site? • 2. Create a brief or persona board about your audience—and refer to it, share w/ the team, board, etc. Validate ideas by asking community members for input right up front—and be prepared to take it

  6. Who is on your team? • Basic questions: • What are the roles we need to make this happen? • What are the skills we need? • Who is the project lead? • Who do we have already? • Whom do we need to hire? • What are the roles and responsibilities? • Harder questions: • What skills are we lacking? How do we get them? • Do we know what we don’t know? • How will doing this project change our current workflow?

  7. Kicking off the project • Know before you start • Who is the lead? • Does every person have a defined role—and know what it is? • What project management tools are you using? • Google docs, Basecamp, Open Atrium • How will the team know what to work on-- and in what order? • How are people accountable for results? • What kind of communication do you want—and how often? Don’t have analysis paralysis—do have schedules

  8. If you can’t measure it, you haven’t thought it through • Setting metrics for success is the best focusing exercise you can do—and the best way to set expectations • Things you can measure: • Impact—number of users, change in real world, engaged partners • Engagement- Unique visitors, time spent on site, comments posted, number of partners & posters • Web impact: Page views, unique visitors, downloads • Revenue: Is it making money? Profitable? • Real world impact—What changed?

  9. Product requirements & product development • What you want the product to do? • for partners • for the audience • Be able to state requirements • Get assurances TECH parts will work together • Be involved with the planning • Do rapid paper prototyping user testing • Tweak the wireframes & designs • Make sure YOU can explain it--accurately • Would you let someone else manage your whole budget? • No? Then why hand over your web/mobile project?

  10. Process, Milestones & Schedules • Suggestions for keeping things on track: • Post plans, schedules, task lists where team can access • Weekly Team meetings • Weekly and monthly status updates from everyone • Empower project manager role • Flag YELLOW for issues; RED for delays—before they happen • MANAGE THAT BUDGET • Use clear, external plans and goals keep everyone focused

  11. Reach out to community! • Oakland Local case study: Local site launched 2009 with $25 New Voices Grant--now 5,300+ Facebook fans, 3,00+ Twitter followers, 70K uniques per month visit site • How did we make that happen? • Persona-building • Key partnerships & distribution • Aggressive social marketing • Added real value

  12. Measure your work— learn from the data • Core tools: • Google analytics • Facebook insite • Google search • Tweetreach • Bit.ly • Check stats daily, weekly, monthly • Compile & discuss • Use to fine tune

  13. Don’t forget the $$=sustainability • What are your revenue strategies—you need a portfolio • Who are your clients? What value do you offer? • Why should they spend money with you?

  14. Resources • House of Local: White papers & presos by Mernit, Booth, Gahran • KDMC/USC Archive—3 years of info & ideas • Block by Block conference 2010 archive • Further reading: • Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen • The One-Page Project Manager: Communicate and Manage Any Project With a Single Sheet of Paper by Clark A. Campbell • The Definitive Guide to Project Management: The fast track to getting the job done on time and on budget (2nd Edition) by Sebastian Nokes

  15. Questions & Discussions What’s the biggest risk?What do you know you don’t know?

  16. Susan Mernit House of Local, http://houseoflocal.org mernit@gmail.com Twitter: susanmernit Questions welcomed, we focus on community engagement & the future of news

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