1. Designing
Alister Webb
Collaboration Manager
36,000 full time staff
“We offer a full range of services and compete in all
telecommunications markets throughout Australia.”

2. Who am I?
Some key dates:
• Joined Telstra in 1995
• Created an Intranet site -building tool in Cold Fusion in 1999
• Intranet Site Manager tool launched early 2000s
• Joined Intranet & Knowledge Services (I&KS) team mid-2000s
mid-
• Includes governance of the Intranet
• Chaired governance group of early SharePoint Pilot 2007-8
2007-
• I&KS team managed global rollout of SharePoint doc mgmt system 2010
• Part of core team managing the rollout and governance of ‘Our Knowledge ’ *
* Winner (out of a field of 3,000 entries globally) of the 2011 M icrosoft Partner of
* Winner (out of a field of 3,000 entries globally) of the 2011 Microsoft Partner of
Microsoft
the Year Award in the category 'Portals and Collaboration'
the Year Award in the category 'Portals and Collaboration'

3. Rabbit in the headlights moment
You meet the CEO in the corridor:
“We have some resourcing issues.”
issues.”
“I need your top three governance priorities – things which
will make our Intranet one of the most significant assets of
the organisation .”
organisation.

4. Did one of them look like this?
Or this?

5. The Story of Governance – Part 1
The dawn of time.
9:00 am on the first day of civilisation
A tribe of diverse, competitive individuals have to find
a way to live together for common survival – without
killing one another!
A debate between freedom and constraint takes place...
For the sake of the common good, rules are agreed
The story of Governance begins…

6. The Story of Governance – Part 2
Fast forward to the modern world.
Tribes have evolved into complex societies.
Diverse, competitive groups still have to find a way to live
together for the common good.
The debate between freedom and constraint rages on.
Rules are agreed – and written down as documents.
They are called Constitutions.

7. The Story of Governance – Part 2
Constitutions aim to:
constraints
strike a fine balance between freedoms and constraints
provide a minimum, non -negotiable governance
non-
non-negotiable
structure to provide for the common good
provide detailed direction regarding ‘universal’ domains –
universal’
‘universal’
e.g. citizen rights, customs and excise, taxation, who can vote, etc
vote,

8. The Aspirational Constitution
ON
• USA constitution goes one step
VE TI
further.
TI NCto:
EC
• It declares the fundamental
J LE principles itFU aspires
OB LAB • TheO
T values of the individual.
S AI TYTheOUPof the group.
IE R
• values
AS C G
UN SO •S It has a ‘vibe’!
A vibe’
ES A
BL
NA
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perf ect Union, establish Justice, insure
perfect
domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence , promote the general Welfare, and secure the
defence,
E
Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain a nd establish this Constitution for the
United States of America.

9. The Constitution isn’t…
• A handbook of specific, detailed procedures required to
run a country (that’s what the public service does).
(that’
• A mechanism to flatten differences and enforce conformity.
• A mechanism to constrain individual expression.

10. The Good Governance Pyramid
Guardians of the Constitution

11. has
Each tier
specific de
rights
cision
Real world example
11

12. Speed Lists
Examples of ‘universal’ Intranet Governance Domains
Examples of Guiding Principles for your Intranet
Examples of Decision Rights for each tier of Governance

13. Black Hat Session
Identify reasons why this model will NOT work in your
organisation.

14. The Final Word
If there is one key message you should take away today:
“Start governance from a lofty height”
• Articulate a set of fundamental principles that ensure the commo n good is not undermined by
common
individual self-interest.
self-
• Those principles will determine the road rules.
• Every rule must relate back to a principle.
• Make sure this Intranet ‘Constitution’ is understood by everyone.
Constitution’
• The Guiding Principles should carry you through new Intranet models that include collaboration
models
and social networking .
networking.

15. The Final Final Word
“Like a well- written Constitution, a good Intranet
well-
governance structure will live on well after those who
designed it have gone.”
gone.”
• A good Governance structure is not a LIMITER
• A good Governance structure is not an ENFORCER
• A well -designed Governance structure is an ENABLER
well-

16. Any final points or questions?
alister.webb@team.telstra.com