Businesses want return on their web investment. To do that, user experience professionals need to step out from behind the screen, take a seat at the table, balance user and business needs, and create a positive environment for change. Armed with an approach I sometimes call “strategic nagging,” this is the story of how I became a change agent using IA and content strategy to transform the 160-year-old American Society of Civil Engineers for a digital-first world.
Let’s talk about honing the empathic, organisational, and analytical skills we already have to diffuse disruption and work with people and processes, as well as information. Patience and persistence makes our message pervasive so we can motivate decision-makers, find allies, persuade detractors, and provide direction to practitioners.
When I became ASCE’s Web Director in January 2013, I thought I’d tinker with some content management issues, help rewrite some content, and provide governance guidance. Little did I know that I would use change management tactics disguised as web strategy, design, and development to get them to adopt an overarching digital strategy to better reach its members, grow revenue, and start to make stuff that really matters. We’re reaching a pivotal moment, and this is the story so far.
5. 250+ staff, 9 on web & social media team
> 145,000 members - 40% over 50 & male
Founded 1852
Hired Web Director January 2013
6. Rewriting content
strategically
Updating CMS
Revise website section by
section
Implementing governance
Building on established
user experience practice
What I am doing
Redesigning website
Introducing the concept of
strategy & UX
Pushing change
/disrupting everything
Creating a UX practice
Pushing for digital strategy
21. Portrait of a change agent
Thick skinned
Open minded
Willing to listen
Passionate
Believes in expertise
Willing to take a seat at the
table and speak up
56. Where things are today
Redesign
Governance
Building digital team
Think strategically
Think user first
57. For the first
time, I feel like
have a good
website.
Can I come
up and talk
to you
Can we
triage [this
problem]?
58. What can you do tomorrow?
Invite yourself to a meeting or speak up
Talk to someone who you have never talked
to before
Ask more questions
Think about where someone else is coming
from
59. Thank you!
(and Good Luck!)
Carrie Hane Dennison
@carriehd
http://www.slideshare.net/carriedennison