Some progressive executives may understand the value of the channel, but deep value and mature business measurement tactics are not being applied.
Functionality is thought of as a “cost center,” not a core revenue generator.
Basic policy constraints are still in place, and some may be documented.
There are usually few standards in place. Considerations around basic corporate standards, such as branding, begin to arise.
Chaos
Executives and senior management are aware of the digital channel, but they have likely wholly delegated the creation of digital strategy to junior resources.
Different organizational departments have created organizationally incongruent digital strategies. Competition for “ownership” begins to emerge.
The organization is unable to identify and account for all its digital assets or the people who execute on and fund digital development inside the organization.
Core marketing communications and IT policy are beginning to be formalized—sometimes separate from the stewardship and influence of the corporate legal team.
Some standards are documented, but many core digital standards are missing.
BasicManagement
Executives and senior digital experts have begun a dialogue regarding the strategy for digital.
The organization begins to consider its digital budget.
Digital quality measurement tactics, systems, and software are emplaced.
Some design, functionality, and platform normalization has begun, and efforts are made to reduce redundancies where they exist and where it is effective.
A core digital center of excellence is beginning to emerge, although it may not have all of the desired authority.
Performance is evaluated by examining tactical analytics like website “page hits” and number of “likes” in social media channels.
The existence of a set of digital policies and standards is in place.
Basic cross-organization collaboration teams begin to appear, such as “Web Councils” and standards development teams.
Responsive
“Digital” is fully integrated within the organization and is no longer a functional silo.
The digital team is clearly identified, organized, and funded.
Accountability for digital strategy is clearly placed.
A guiding principle for digital development is established.
Performance indicators are defined, and mechanisms and programs for quality and success measurements are in place.
Digital policy stewards and policy authors are identified.
The process for external and internal policy review is in place.
Digital standards steward(s) and authors are identified, and standards compliance and measurement mechanisms are implemented.
Summary
• Digital governance is a framework for establishing accountability, roles, and decision-making authority for an organization’s digital presence. It addresses three topics: strategy, policy, and standards.
• Digital strategy articulates the organization’s approach to leveraging the capabilities of the Internet and World Wide Web. It is authored by those who can evaluate the impact of digital on your marketspace and come up with an effective strategy for success.
• Digital policies are guidance statements put into place to manage the organizational risk inherent with operating online. They should be informed by digital, organizational, and legal experts.
• Digital standards are guidance statements for developing the organizational digital presence. They should be informed and defined by subject matter experts.
• A digital governance framework delegates authority for digital decision-making about particular digital products and services from the organizational core to other aspects of the organization. This allows the organization to effectively decentralize production maintenance of its digital presence.
CHAPTER 2
Your Digital Team: Where They Are and What They Do
I’m a real fan of music—any kind of music, as long as it’s got some soul to it to. But, if I had to play favorites, I’d have to say that I like symphony orchestras and small jazz ensembles the most. In my mind, they represent two ends of the musical spectrum—like the yin and yang of music. Jazz seems on the surface to be highly unstructured and free. Alternately, orchestral music has a reputation for being really prescribed and controlled. But it’s not that simple. Embedded in each of these styles of music is its inverse—so, orchestral music at its best can be wildly evocative and free, and improvisational jazz, that sounds so unformed, usually operates over a mathematical grid of tonality. Thus, the symphony has the emotional richness we associate easily with jazz music, and within jazz lies the discipline we associate with orchestral music, as shown in Figure 2.1.
