How to Use Website Strategy to Rise to New

HeightsWednesday, July 20th

Drupal Gov Con 2016

David Minton @DH_David@DH_Stephen

@DesignHammer1

Overview

• Introduction

• Ten questions to start your strategic plan

• Conclusion

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“Why, I just shake the buildings out of my sleeves.”

Frank Lloyd Wright

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Part 1: Introduction

Introduction

• Who are you?

• Why architecture?

• Different types of agencies

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Who are you?

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Introduction

• Site owner?

• In-house developer?

• External agency developer?

• Freelance developer?

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Introduction

• Use strategy agency

• Perform strategic planning internally

• Don’t now, but need to

• What is strategic planning?

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Why architecture?

Websites are often likened to the field of architecture, whether in describing content organization (i.e. site architecture) or the act of “building a website” akin to that of a structure.

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A tale of two architects

• Louis Henry Sullivan

• called the “father of skyscrapers” and “father of modernism.”

• Frank Lloyd Wright

• arguably the greatest American architect

• also interior designer, writer, & educator

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Isn’t it obvious?

“Form follows function.”

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“Form ever follows function.”

— Louis Henry Sullivan

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“Form follows function — that has been misunderstood. Form and function should be

one, joined in a spiritual union.”

— Frank Lloyd Wright

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“Far too often site owners focus exclusively on the appearance of their website, and only

consider what problems the website needs to solve as an afterthought, if at all.

This makes me sad :-(”

— David Minton

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Two types of developers*

• Order takers

• Partners* We’ll talk in terms of agencies & partners, but this can apply to in-house staff as well.

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Order takers

• Many agencies start, and some don’t change

• Follow client instructions without question

• Can lead to expensive rebuilds

• Only works well if site owner provides instructions based on sound strategy coupled with an understanding of possible technological solutions

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Order takers

Client Add more photos.

Why? Agency

Client Because we said so!

OK (I hope?) Agency

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Order takers

Client Why didn’t donations increase?

You only told us to add photos! Agency

Client This is all your fault! Your fired!

Why? We did what you said! Agency

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“An architect’s most useful tools arean eraser at the drafting board, and a wrecking bar at the site.”

— Frank Lloyd Wright

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Partners

• Collaborate with client

• Identify organizational problems

• Propose technological solutions

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Partners

What is your problem? Agency

Client We want to increase donations.

What motivates your donors? Agency

Client We don’t know. Maybe photos?

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Partners

Why do you think this? Agency

Client Lucky guess?

How about doing user survey? Agency

Client We can do that? Let’s try it.

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Partners

Donors: Where does $ go? Agency

Client We can write case studies.

We can build a searchable DB. Agency

Client Can we add photos to the DB?

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Part 2: Ten Questions

“Form and function should be one, joined in a spiritual union.”

Frank Lloyd Wright

Questions

• Goals

• Obstacles

• Solutions

• Metrics

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Do Gooder Network

• Our imaginary organization for this talk

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Do Gooder Network

• Connects people who are interested in volunteering with nonprofits that are seeking volunteers

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Goals

What are your organization’s Mission Statement and Vision

Statement?

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Goals

• Your Mission and Vision statements guide your organization and shape your organizational goals

• Your website is an extension of your organization, so start here!

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Goals

We use this as a qualification question. If your client contact can’t answer this question, they are

probably not the right person in the organization to lead strategic planning.

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Do Gooder Network

• Mission: To connect volunteers with nonprofits who need their help.

• Vision: Fulfilled volunteers doing Good Work.

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Goals

What are your organization’s goals for the next 6–24 months as they align with your Mission and

Vision Statements?

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Goals

• Your organization’s Mission and Vision statements often are too broad to provide explicit direction for a website redesign

• Focus on your organizations goals for the next 6-24 month

• Keep in mind how these goals align with the Mission and Vision statements!

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Do Gooder Network

• Connect new volunteers with nonprofits.

• Increase existing volunteer involvement.

• Establish new relationships with nonprofits.

• Increase donations.

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Obstacles

What obstacles are preventing your

organization for achieving these goals?

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Obstacles

• Think above and beyond specific problems with your existing website.

• If there were no obstacles, you would already have achieved your goals!

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Do Gooder Network

• Nonprofits do not understand how we can help them connect with new volunteers.

• Potential volunteers do not quickly grasp they can find volunteer opportunities.

• Potential donors do not understand how donating to DGN benefits many nonprofits.

• Donation process is difficult.

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Obstacles

Who are the website stakeholders?

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Obstacles

• Chances are there will be several internal and external groups that should be involved in the process.

• Unsurprisingly, these groups may not all agree on what is important and why.

• Maintain focus on your goals and obstacles while considering input!

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Do Gooder Network

• Participating nonprofits

• Participating volunteers

• Donors

• DGN board

• DGN staff

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Obstacles

What are the audience segments?

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Obstacles

• Once you know your goals and obstacles, you need to define who you expect will use your site.

• Think of both your primary audiences and any secondary audiences.

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Do Gooder Network

• Participating volunteers

• Potential volunteers

• Nonprofit partners

• Potential nonprofit partners

• Media

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Obstacles

What would each audience segment like to do on the

website?

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Do Gooder Network:Participating Volunteers

• Find nonprofit volunteer opportunities

• Share stories of volunteering

• Invite friends to volunteer through DGN

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Do Gooder Network:Potential Volunteers

• Learn how to join DGN

• Learn about volunteer opportunities available through DGN

• Sign up for DGN

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Do Gooder Network:Nonprofit Partners

• Advertise volunteer opportunities on DGN

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Do Gooder Network:Potential Partners

• Learn how to join DGN

• Learn how DGN has helped other nonprofits

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Do Gooder Network:Media

• Learn about DGN

• Learn volunteer stories

• Learn nonprofit stories

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Obstacles

What do you want each audience segment to do on

the website?

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Obstacles

• Often not identical to what each audience segment may want to do on the website.

• Can even be contradictory to what you want from that segment.

• Keep your goals in focus!

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Do Gooder NetworkParticipating Volunteers

• Find nonprofit volunteer opportunities

• Share stories of volunteering

• Invite friends to volunteer through DGN

• Share DGN on social media

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Do Gooder Network:Potential Volunteers

• Sign up for DGN

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Do Gooder Network:Nonprofit Partners

• Advertise volunteer opportunities

• Share DGN on social media

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Do Gooder Network:Potential Partners

• Join DGN

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Do Gooder Network:Media

• Learn about DGN to write stories about DGN

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Solutions

How can we apply technology to overcome

these obstacles?

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Solutions

• If functionality is specified before obstacles are identified, it is not really a solution.

• Don’t get fixated on the latest whiz-bang technology.

• Expected ROI can guide choices.

• For long-term success, technology should overcome obstacles to achieve goals!

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Do Gooder Network

• Volunteer showcase optimized for social

• Gamification of volunteer system to encourage projects/hours

• Automated system to communicate with active/inactive volunteers

• Donation showcase with call-to-action

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Metrics

How and what can be measured to determine the success of the technological

solutions proposed?

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Metrics

• Define metrics used to measure site success. If you don’t measure, you don’t know.

• Positive metrics indicate that an obstacle is being overcome. User transactions are a good focus!

• Page views, sessions, bounce rate can be deceptive. Decreases can be positive!

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Do Gooder Network

• Increase in volunteers registering

• Increase in volunteer hours

• Increase in volunteer projects

• Increase in donations

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Metrics

When do you expect to see to see a measurable

change?

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Metrics

• When will you check your metrics?

• Be sure to schedule reviews to document your success or correct course!

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Do Gooder Network

• Would like to see volunteer registration increase 25% by Q2

• Would like to see donations increase 10% by Q3

• Would like to see volunteer hours increase 10% by Q4

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“A proper building grows naturally, logically, and poetically out of all its conditions”

Louis Henry Sullivan

Part 3: Conclusion

Conclusion

• Websites are tools for solving problems

• “Look and Feel” should be secondary to functionality

• You must be able to measure to determine success

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Special thanks

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David Minton Stephen Pashby

Follow us!@DesignHammer

facebook.com/DesignHammerwww.designhammer.com

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