4 Strategic Foundations of Effective Websites

The 4 Strategic Foundations Of Effective WebsitesTM An Integrated Approach for Multi-Disciplinary Collaboration

Presented To Nonprofit Technology Conference 2016 San Jose, CA · March 23, 2016

#16NTC4foundations

Designing a New Way Forward

The 4 Strategic Foundations Of Effective WebsitesTM An Integrated Approach for Multi-Disciplinary Collaboration

Presented To Nonprofit Technology Conference 2016 San Jose, CA · March 23, 2016

#16NTC4foundations

Designing a New Way Forward

The 4 Strategic Foundations of Effective Websites / 2016 NTC, San Jose / constructive.coThe 4 Strategic Foundations of Effective Websites / 2016 NTC, San Jose / constructive.co

So Who Are These Guys… And What’s Their Angle?

Matt Ian


Strategic Planning

Building Partnerships

Cultivating Community

Sharing Knowledge

Elevating Issues

Raising Awareness

Operating Programs

Mobilizing Audiences

Fundraising

Grantmaking

Publish Reports

Reporting

Influencing Policy

Holding Events

Making Change Possible is No Small Task!

The 4 Strategic Foundations of Effective Websites / 2016 NTC, San Jose / constructive.co

WWW

Brand Ambassador

24/7/365

Community

Events

Intranet

Fundraising

eMarketing

Social

CRM

Publishing Platform

Reporting

Tools & Resources


The Usual Suspects

Confusing Navigation

Unclear Message

Crappy CMS

Cluttered Design Clunky

Integration


Can You Imagine if People Had as Many Complaints About Other Critical Parts

of an Organization’s Operations?


So, Why Do So Many Websites Fail to Accomplish Their Most Basic

Goals & Objectives?


So, Why Do So Many Websites Fail to Accomplish Their Most Basic

Goals & Objectives?

ProcessBudgetPriority


Strategy Execution

So, What Are the Big Disconnects That Are Keeping Us From Realizing

Our Full Potential?


Multi-Disciplinary Teams Need An Integrated Approach That Keeps Us

Pulling in the Same Direction!



Brand Strategy

Content Strategy

Technology Strategy

Design Strategy

Every Website is Made With 4 Essential Ingredients

They Are Its Strategic Foundations


The 2 Primary Goals for Effective Practice

Increase Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration, Shared Learning & Awareness

Translate Organizational Strategy Into Effective

Brand Experiences Online

1 2

Bridging Silos & Filling Knowledge Gaps

Focus Multi-Month Engagements with a

Brand-Driven Approach to Goal Setting

Understand Priorities of Each Discipline While

Emphasizing Their Relationships & Influence


Breaking Down The 4 Foundations

Core Principle

of Disciplines

Primary Contributions of Disciplines

Key Questions in Process

Examples of Impacts & Influences



1ST FOUNDATION

Brand Strategy

An internal & external understanding of an organization that informs every experience it creates for audiences


What Does it Contribute to the Process?• Clarify an organization’s core

purpose and how it’s fulfilled

• Understand mission’s importance to audiences and to the world

• Develop visual, verbal, and experiential framework for expressing it

1ST FOUNDATION

Brand Strategy


What Questions Does it Help Answer?• What’s our mission & vision?

• How does change happen?

• What roles do we play?

• Who’s in our brand community?

• What values bind & guide us?

• What differentiates us?

• What’s the journey like?

1ST FOUNDATION

Brand Strategy


What Are Some Examples of Influences & Impacts?

1ST FOUNDATION

Brand Strategy


2ND FOUNDATION

Content Strategy

The ways and means of creating meaningful, cohesive, engaging, and sustainable content


2ND FOUNDATION

Content Strategy

What Does it Contribute to the Process?• Identifies content goals & gaps

• Make sure content is accessible & useful

• Creates consistent tone & structure

• Delivers right content to right audience at right time, in right format


2ND FOUNDATION

Content Strategy

What Questions Does it Help Answer?• What content do we have?

• What about it needs to change?

• What content needs to be created?

• How will content be created & maintained?

• Who will use our content, how, and why?


2ND FOUNDATION

Content Strategy



3RD FOUNDATION

Technology Strategy

An understanding of the technical landscape and capabilities of an organization that defines the digital solution.


3RD FOUNDATION

Technology Strategy

What Does it Contribute to the Process?• Defines platforms, frameworks & tools

• Identifies key integrations & administrative and operational needs

• Provides cross-checks that inform content and design execution


3RD FOUNDATION

Technology Strategy

What Questions Does it Help Answer?• What CMS, systems & platforms will be used?

• What’s the development effort & timeline?

• What are implementation challenges & risks?

• What’s the content migration effort?

• How do we accommodate operational needs?

• What can we do to future-proof?


3RD FOUNDATION

Technology Strategy



4TH FOUNDATION

Design Strategy

Deciding what to create, what to do, and why to do it, both now and for the future.


4TH FOUNDATION

Design Strategy

What Does it Contribute to the Process?• Deepens understanding of context,

relationships, patterns, and pathways

• Balances absolutely everything!

• Synthesizes and unites brand, content & technology strategies

• Makes brand experiences tangible


4TH FOUNDATION

Design Strategy

What Questions Does it Help Answer?• Which audiences are we designing

for and what are their mindsets?

• How can we meet their needs & advance our organizational strategy?

• What’s the visual language consist of?

• What results are we looking for—both online and in the world?


4TH FOUNDATION

Design Strategy



Tying it All Together

• Start with brand strategy

• Involve everyone early!

• Refer back to a Strategic Brief

• Start cross-disciplinary stand-ups, lunch & learns; share resources

• Check-in before committing to a decision

• Discuss trade-offs & ramifications, offer alternatives


Thanks a Lot!

Get in Touch!

Matt Schwartz [email protected]

Ian Mariano [email protected]

Web: constructive.co Twitter: @constr_ctive

More from NTEN!

Review Our Session! http://po.st/NCPbwd

Materials & Collaboration Notes http://po.st/4foundations-16NTC

Use the Hashtag! #16NTC4foundations