DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT

Digital EngagementNew Rules for New Times

June 4, 2010Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/thewazir

DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT

Digital ExperienceToday’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.

5 Layers of Digital

DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT

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

DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT

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

DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT

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

DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT

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

DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT

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

DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT

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

DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT

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

DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT

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

DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT

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

DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT

Takeaway

• What are the business drivers for digital in your organization?

• What people can you reach out to to deepen your holistic approach?

DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT

Current State Assessment

DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT

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

DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT

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)

User Experience Design

DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT

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?

DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT

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

DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT

Establishing a Digital Vision

Digital Moves Org X From

Their World

One Org

Story + Aliveness

Service & Empowerme

ntLeadership

& Performance

Quick Wins

How Can Managers Improve?

How Can Digital Teams Improve?

DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT

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

DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT

“Web Governance is the structure of people, positions, authorities, roles, responsibilities, relationships, and rules involved 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

Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/guest_family

Governance

DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT

Well defined governance allows us to focus our

energy on the decision, not the decision making process.

- Graham Oakes

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/london

DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT

Good governance quotes

• 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

Organizations who avoid discussing governance end up

addressing it over and over again for each decision.

- Graham Oakes

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamesz_flickr

Early Web• No structure, distributed

ownership/resources, no real leadership

DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT

Structure / GovernanceRecent Web: Strong central team,

working in an existing dept (typically comms), supporting entire orgChallenges include:• Where does the $ come from?• Can they move fast enough?• Who is in charge of quality?• Who owns the tool ongoing?

DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT

Structure / GovernanceToday’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

DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT

Enabling Environment• What conditions will support

success in these endeavours?

• What obstacles stand in the way:– Structural– Personnel– Cultural

• How can we overcome them?

DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT

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?