Web Governance Models that Work

@lwelchman

Empires, Confederations & Federations:
3 Web Governance Models that Work

Agenda
Lisa on Governance
Some Governance Models
Questions

© 2011 Lisa Welchman

Strategic goals

Accountability

Autonomy
Web Governance
Quality


Tactics
Formalization of Authority
Policy
Standards Standards

Policy

Governance
Framework


The language
Governance Model
Governance Framework
Formalization of Authority

Digital vs. Web


A governance model details
Who codifies policy.
Who defines standards.
How resources for digital development are allocated.
How disputes about digital are handled.
Who evaluates performance.
How “digital” relates to everything else.


Lisa’s answers
Who codifies policy? Legal and Sr. Management
Who defines standards? People who are experts
Where are development resources? Everywhere
How do we settle disputes about digital? Iron/Escalate
Who evaluates performance? Everyone
How does “digital” relate to everything else? Hmm


Let’s push through these concerns.

The challenge lies in figuring out exactly how these
answers will play out in your organization.


2 points
In the following models, I will focus on decision-making
for standards and where digital work is executed
because that’s about feature, quality, and resource
control (and that’s what folks like to fight about).

I will try and convince you that where the web team sits
is less important than the above. Web team placement
is relevant because there are usually politics involved;
but, placement is usually not the first cause of
governance problems.

Confederations


Loose confederation
Organic standards
Decentralized execution
“Ring Leader”
“We’re not all the way sure
Web Manager how we’re going to do what
we’re doin’ but we’re doin’
it”

Ring-Leader’s “Come on in if you wanna
play. Just be nice.”
sidekicks

Cowgirl(s) Cowboy(s) Cowperson(s)


It could work when
You have an innovative business culture
You are mature about effectiveness measurement
When the business model or culture does not require
extreme control
You have a clear goal

Chief Benefits: Innovation; Development can be rapid
Chief Drawback: Can cycle through a lot of wrong;
Quality can suffer; Doesn’t scale well

Formal confederation
Decentralized standards
Decentralized execution
“Ring Leader”
“We’re not that connected but
Web Manager it’s in our best interest that
the other guys look good.”

“We care about brand
Ring-Leader’s integrity and not getting
sued.”
sidekicks

Cowgirl(s) Cowboy(s) Cowperson(s)
site social mobile

It could work when
You are a holding company
A university with large distinctly branded schools
A department in the Federal government

Chief Benefits: Execution localized to knowledge
experts; standards locally relevant
Chief Drawbacks: Could miss opportunities for
efficiencies; Organizational view of itself may not be
the customer view

Empires

We
are
Webmaster


Empire proper
Centralized standards
Centralized execution Emperor
“I make all the rules. I’ve got
Web Manager
all the money. Give me your
stuff and I’ll make good
digital out of it.”
The
“Now, go away.”
Web Team
Court

Minions who
Minions who Some other
provide
provide data Minions
information


It could work when
The website is small or not complex, or no one else
cares
When the business model or culture requires extreme
control
When digital is just a “side show”

Chief Benefits: Quality Control; Controls size
Chief Drawback: Production Bottleneck; Myopic view;
the organization stays in digital darkness; Doesn’t scale
well

Delegated empire
Limited, decentralized Emperor “I make all the rules. I’ve got
execution Web Manager all of the money. I will set
things up so that my minions
can help out with the grunt
work I don’t want to do.”
The
“Now, go away again.”
Web Team
Court

Minions who can
Minions who can Some other
use a WYSIWYG
crop images minions
editor


It could work when
For all the Empire Proper reasons and

When everyday updates get caught in a production
bottleneck.
When editorial immediacy is required.

Chief Benefits: Quality Control; Controls size; puts
content in the hands of knowledge experts
Chief Drawback: Not a lot if the model works

Federations


The federation
Decentralized execution Web “It’s important for business
President units to be free but there are
some common values that we
all share and it’s my job to
make sure we keep those in
focus.”
The Web
Cabinet “Now, go away but I’ll be
watching you.”

Mobile Web Social
States Provinces Territories

It could work when
You have a way to measure standards compliance
The organizational digital budget is rational
There is a culture of autonomy

Chief Benefits: No central production bottleneck;
Increased autonomy can increase business relevance
and reduce deployment time; Can scale well
Chief Drawbacks: Portfolio management can be
difficult; horizontal efficiencies not always realized;
uneven quality

The partially devolved federation
Some Decentralized standards
Some Decentralized execution Web “It’s important for business
President units to be free but there are
some common values that we
all share and it’s my job to
make sure everyone is able to
get their job done well.”
The Web
Cabinet “Now, go away but my door is
always open.”

Mobile Web Social
States Provinces Territories

It could work when
There is value in maintaining some horizontal
applications
The need for total standards compliance is limited

Chief Benefits: Allows sub-units to govern how they
like; Controls crucial quality elements; Scales well
Chief Drawback: Requires the most management
discipline; Digital budge may not be rational; May seem
fiscally unfair to some

Hybrids

You might have or need a hybrid model


Questions & Answers


Some news
Web Governance Journal

Because it’s not just about
pixels, prose, and platform

Coming Fall 2011


Lisa Welchman
@lwelchman
lisa@welchmanpierpoint.com
www.welchmanpierpoint.com


Web Governance Models that Work

Recomendados

Más contenido relacionado

Destacado

Destacado (20)

Similar a Web Governance Models that Work

Similar a Web Governance Models that Work (20)

Último

Último (20)

Web Governance Models that Work