The document discusses different models of web governance: confederations, empires, and federations. Confederations have loose or formal decentralized standards and execution, empires have centralized standards and execution, and federations have centralized standards but decentralized execution. The models are evaluated based on when they may work best considering factors like business culture, need for control, scale needs, and opportunities for innovation versus quality control. Hybrid models are also possible.

1. @lwelchman
Empires, Confederations & Federations:
3 Web Governance Models that Work

2. Agenda
Lisa on Governance
Some Governance Models
Questions
© 2011 Lisa Welchman

3. Strategic goals
Accountability
Autonomy
Web Governance
Quality
© 2011 Lisa Welchman

4. Tactics
Formalization of Authority
Policy
Standards Standards
Policy
Governance
Framework
© 2011 Lisa Welchman

5. The language
Governance Model
Governance Framework
Formalization of Authority
Digital vs. Web
© 2011 Lisa Welchman

6. A governance model details
Who codifies policy.
Who defines standards.
How resources for digital development are allocated.
How disputes about digital are handled.
Who evaluates performance.
How “digital” relates to everything else.
© 2011 Lisa Welchman

7. Lisa’s answers
Who codifies policy? Legal and Sr. Management
Who defines standards? People who are experts
Where are development resources? Everywhere
How do we settle disputes about digital? Iron/Escalate
Who evaluates performance? Everyone
How does “digital” relate to everything else? Hmm
© 2011 Lisa Welchman

8. Let’s push through these concerns.
The challenge lies in figuring out exactly how these
answers will play out in your organization.
© 2011 Lisa Welchman

9. 2 points
In the following models, I will focus on decision-making
for standards and where digital work is executed
because that’s about feature, quality, and resource
control (and that’s what folks like to fight about).
I will try and convince you that where the web team sits
is less important than the above. Web team placement
is relevant because there are usually politics involved;
but, placement is usually not the first cause of
governance problems.
© 2011 Lisa Welchman

10. Confederations
© 2011 Lisa Welchman

11. Loose confederation
Organic standards
Decentralized execution
“Ring Leader”
“We’re not all the way sure
Web Manager how we’re going to do what
we’re doin’ but we’re doin’
it”
Ring-Leader’s “Come on in if you wanna
play. Just be nice.”
sidekicks
Cowgirl(s) Cowboy(s) Cowperson(s)
© 2011 Lisa Welchman

12. It could work when
You have an innovative business culture
You are mature about effectiveness measurement
When the business model or culture does not require
extreme control
You have a clear goal
Chief Benefits: Innovation; Development can be rapid
Chief Drawback: Can cycle through a lot of wrong;
Quality can suffer; Doesn’t scale well
© 2011 Lisa Welchman

13. Formal confederation
Decentralized standards
Decentralized execution
“Ring Leader”
“We’re not that connected but
Web Manager it’s in our best interest that
the other guys look good.”
“We care about brand
Ring-Leader’s integrity and not getting
sued.”
sidekicks
Cowgirl(s) Cowboy(s) Cowperson(s)
site social mobile
© 2011 Lisa Welchman

14. It could work when
You are a holding company
A university with large distinctly branded schools
A department in the Federal government
Chief Benefits: Execution localized to knowledge
experts; standards locally relevant
Chief Drawbacks: Could miss opportunities for
efficiencies; Organizational view of itself may not be
the customer view
© 2011 Lisa Welchman

15. Empires
We
are
Webmaster
© 2011 Lisa Welchman

16. Empire proper
Centralized standards
Centralized execution Emperor
“I make all the rules. I’ve got
Web Manager
all the money. Give me your
stuff and I’ll make good
digital out of it.”
The
“Now, go away.”
Web Team
Court
Minions who
Minions who Some other
provide
provide data Minions
information
© 2011 Lisa Welchman

17. It could work when
The website is small or not complex, or no one else
cares
When the business model or culture requires extreme
control
When digital is just a “side show”
Chief Benefits: Quality Control; Controls size
Chief Drawback: Production Bottleneck; Myopic view;
the organization stays in digital darkness; Doesn’t scale
well
© 2011 Lisa Welchman

18. Delegated empire
Centralized standards
Limited, decentralized Emperor “I make all the rules. I’ve got
execution Web Manager all of the money. I will set
things up so that my minions
can help out with the grunt
work I don’t want to do.”
The
“Now, go away again.”
Web Team
Court
Minions who can
Minions who can Some other
use a WYSIWYG
crop images minions
editor
© 2011 Lisa Welchman

19. It could work when
For all the Empire Proper reasons and
When everyday updates get caught in a production
bottleneck.
When editorial immediacy is required.
Chief Benefits: Quality Control; Controls size; puts
content in the hands of knowledge experts
Chief Drawback: Not a lot if the model works
© 2011 Lisa Welchman

20. Federations
© 2011 Lisa Welchman

21. The federation
Centralized standards
Decentralized execution Web “It’s important for business
President units to be free but there are
some common values that we
all share and it’s my job to
make sure we keep those in
focus.”
The Web
Cabinet “Now, go away but I’ll be
watching you.”
Mobile Web Social
States Provinces Territories
© 2011 Lisa Welchman

22. It could work when
You have a way to measure standards compliance
The organizational digital budget is rational
There is a culture of autonomy
Chief Benefits: No central production bottleneck;
Increased autonomy can increase business relevance
and reduce deployment time; Can scale well
Chief Drawbacks: Portfolio management can be
difficult; horizontal efficiencies not always realized;
uneven quality
© 2011 Lisa Welchman

23. The partially devolved federation
Some Decentralized standards
Some Decentralized execution Web “It’s important for business
President units to be free but there are
some common values that we
all share and it’s my job to
make sure everyone is able to
get their job done well.”
The Web
Cabinet “Now, go away but my door is
always open.”
Mobile Web Social
States Provinces Territories
© 2011 Lisa Welchman

24. It could work when
There is value in maintaining some horizontal
applications
The need for total standards compliance is limited
Chief Benefits: Allows sub-units to govern how they
like; Controls crucial quality elements; Scales well
Chief Drawback: Requires the most management
discipline; Digital budge may not be rational; May seem
fiscally unfair to some
© 2011 Lisa Welchman

25. Hybrids
You might have or need a hybrid model
© 2011 Lisa Welchman

26. Questions & Answers
© 2011 Lisa Welchman

27. Some news
Web Governance Journal
Because it’s not just about
pixels, prose, and platform
Coming Fall 2011
© 2011 Lisa Welchman

28. Lisa Welchman
@lwelchman
lisa@welchmanpierpoint.com
www.welchmanpierpoint.com
© 2011 Lisa Welchman