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A Web 2.0 Plan for YOU
A Strategic Framework from the Social Tech Training June 22-24 2008, at the MaRS Discovery Centre in Toronto
At the Social Tech Training participants will be supported to create apractical, innovative, yet achievable and realistic Web 2 plan for yoursponsoring organization / main client / employer. During each day of the STT time will be allocated to work in small teams, with the supportof an experienced designated advisor, and independently to create thisplan. To increase the chances of this Web 2 plan being accepted andimplemented by your sponsoring organization, we are asking allparticipants to create a “Change Team” back home with at least twomeetings: one before the STT to establish objectives, requirements,and harvest ideas, and a follow-on meeting after the STT to review therecommendations of the plan, make revisions based on availableresources, and ideally have it approved for implementation. The first step of establishing your objectives, answering some coreorganizational questions, gathering metrics on current siteperformance, and meeting with your Change Team will take
approximately 2-3 hours of your time prior to the STT
.
Step 1: Convening Your Change Team
 The first step in any online strategy process is to get clear on theorganization that you work for’s big picture goals. Too often technologyprojects end up as the tail wagging the dog – being tech/feature/designdriven - and thus get ignored, misunderstood, or under-supported bysenior management. However when tech goals grow directly from anorganization’s strategic goals, providing clear value to the core work,chances of long-term viability and success increase dramatically.An important technique often employed in online strategy work is touse a collaborative rather than solo consulting approach. This isimportant in both understanding all the problems the web is meant tosolve, and to glean solutions and useful ideas from different aspects of your organization. Your online Change Team should be made up of representatives from atleast 3 of the following 9 areas of your organization:
•
Fundraising
•
Communications (& Public Relations if they are separate)
 
•
Campaigning (if you run campaigns. This can also be theeducation team, or the front line support workers if you are asocial service org.)
•
Senior Management: Executive Director, VP
•
Board Member (if possible; ideally you will find one person with akeen interest in technology and some other experience with itfrom another org)
•
Operations or IT Lead
•
Front Line Staff who deal with customers / stakeholders everyday
•
An actual customer or key stakeholder of your services /campaigns / work
•
A major donor or funder of your workIdeally participants that you ask to participate “get it”, or show someexpressed interest in what the web can do to help their work. We neverrecommend asking people to participate if they have shown no interestor have no understanding of (or personal use) of technology. It’s alwaysbetter to start with people who have passion, build momentum, tellstories of success, and thus attract more people to your cause becauseyou’re showing results, and having a better time.
Step 2: Strategic Questions Before the STT
As there is so much ground to cover, it is important to lay somegroundwork prior to the STT event. The following questions, whileseeming simple, should not be taken lightly – many can catalyzeimportant organizational, operational, positioning, and strategicconversations about who your organization is at the core, who youserve, why your work is exceptional / why it matters, your keymessages, new ways to “win” campaigns, and new ways of engagingyour supporters and asking for help. Through this process you will also ask specific questions about onlinegoals, ideas, performance, and capabilities and solicit these fromvarious perspectives inside your organization. This will give you aholistic view of the challenges and opportunities (sometimes the mostholistic view that anyone in your organization has), and will also buildsupport from other departments and people. You will need this supportif you are embarking on any ambitious Web 2 plans.
 
Key Questions to Answer:
•
What are the
business
(financial, sustainability)
goals
of yourorganization? What are the
mission goals
?
•
Does your organization have a
strategic plan
? What are the 5most important priorities for your organization over the next 3years?
•
What does your organization do?
What is the “offering”
of services you provide? Try as much as possible to categorize andprioritize: no organization (business or non-profit) can be anexpert at a dozen things; most are lucky if they can do one thingvery well.
•
Who do you serve? Who are your
target audiences
for yourwork? Again, categorize and prioritize, you can’t speak to allpeople with any strength.
•
How does your current website work for you? What
performance metrics
can you gather? (typical non-profitmetrics include: visits, time on site, key program / educationalcontent viewed, donations, email list size and growth, events,site “members” if applicable, and engagement metrics)
•
What does your website need to do better? What are the
top 5goals or ideas
it could have to be of better service to yourorganization or audiences.
•
Do
others
inside your organization share the same goals andideas on how the web can support their work? (this is where theChange Team comes in: please gather their goals, concerns, andideas)
•
Who else in the world
is doing great work that you admire? This could be in your space, or in a different industry (should bein the non-profit world, and an org with a similar scale/size toyours)
•
How is your
online team
performing? Do they (you) work wellwith other teams, helping them publish content and brainstormnew outreach models via the web? Are they trained andequipped to do what needs to be done?Answers to these questions may not come from only one meeting, assome of them require further thought, consultation, or research. If youare true keener and your organization is ripe for change, we oftensuggest individual one-on-one interviews with your Change Team
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