Becoming a Change Agent

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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.

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Becoming a Change Agent

Carrie Hane Dennison

@carriehd

#edui_change

done it that way.

Well, the way we do it now

We should put this up because

someone might want it.

True

But

Useless

1989 1995

250+ staff, 9 on web & social media team

> 145,000 members - 40% over 50 & male

Founded 1852

Hired Web Director January 2013

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

CHANGE MANAGEMENT LEADERSHIP

What this really is

Address emotional and rational sides of people

Elephant & Rider

Elephant Emotional Side

Lazy and skittish

Looks for instant gratification

Just wants to get things done

Rider Rational Side

Holds the reins & seems to be the leader

Spins wheels

Directing the rider

Motivate the elephant

Analyze-Think-Change

See-Feel-Change

GETTING PEOPLE TO CHANGE

Strategic Nagging

Patient but persistent repetition of a message

Vulnerability

Communication

Leadership

Patience

Vulnerability

Communication

Leadership

Patience

Vulnerability

Communication

Leadership

Patience

Vulnerability

Communication

Leadership

Patience

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

WHY UX, IA, & CONTENT STRATEGY?

We have the skills

Listening

Empathy

Organizational skills

Analysis

Translation

Diplomacy

Governance

We ask the hard questions

What are your priorities?

What are your business objectives?

What do our customers want?

It's easier to ask forgiveness than it is to get permission.

Grace Hopper

Only digital workers fully understand the problem and can see a solution.

Paul Boag

Digital Adaptation

PUTTING IT INTO PRACTICE Strategic Nagging

© Carsten ten Brink http://www.flickr.com/photos/77334245@N00/285048313

Us + Them Not Us vs. Them

Educate

Communicate

Evangelize

Define the vision

https://www.flickr.com/photos/boston_public_library/8630761583

Share your vision

Practitioners

Architects

Orchestrators

Enablers Executives

Senior

Manager

Middle

Manager

Worker

Worker

Worker

Middle

Manager

Worker

Worker

Worker

Senior

Manager

Middle

Manager

Worker

Worker

Worker

Middle

Manager

Worker

Worker

Worker

Celebrate short-term wins

Progress is more important than perfection.

DEALING WITH DETRACTORS

The best defense is a good offense.

http://bit.ly/badproblems

Empathize

Invite them in

Reframe

Let others speak

TAKE A SEAT AT THE TABLE

Be vulnerable

Lead the way

Recruit others

Work together

Be the man behind the curtain

Be a change leader

Where things are today

Think user first

Think strategically

Building digital team

Governance

Redesign

For the first time, I feel like

have a good website.

Can I come up and talk

to you

Can we triage [this problem]?

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

Thank you! (and Good Luck!)

Carrie Hane Dennison @carriehd http://www.slideshare.net/carriedennison