We always optimistically embark on developing any new website full of hope and visions of greatness. As time passes and the spectrum of content publishers and managers increases, the site starts to suffer for ailments.

Inconsistent branding, unpredictable navigation, multiple content platforms, or poor search performance are typically the result. Brand degradation, legal and regulatory troubles, and low team morale are also common. But what can you do about any - or all - of these?

In this fun (and funny) session, you will be engaged in roleplaying and discussion on the most common and challenging issues a website faces, and how to leverage policies and standards – the do’s and don’ts of digital – that can nurse it back into good health. We will focus on proven tactics for creating and documenting sound policy and standards, applying design and development thinking across the organisation, and many other tools and tactics which will help nurse your website back to health.

‍Photo by Maarten van den Heuvel

This is a fun and engaging workshop that takes users on a bit of a journey around a topic that is usually hard to digest and explains how to break it down into a manageable process with realistic tasks. I use handouts with a checklist that asks users to reflect on their own organization, which quickly brings into focus their unique challenges and issues so that the rest of the workshop is personal for them. While we do discuss methodology, it is in the context of case studies and what works (and has been disastrous) in other organizations. Not only is this a learning opportunity, but an experience that inspires attendees to get back to their office and do something meaningful to enable digital operations.
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This article I wrote for Brand Quarterly gives a nice breakdown of the 5-day agile process:
The breakdown of the workshop usually is as follows:

1. Introduction: The case for agile digital policy development (10 minutes) a. Overview of traditional, extensive approach for enterprise digital policy development b. Advantages of the agile approach to policy & examples of success
2. Individual exercise and discussion: What digital policy does your organization need? (15 minutes) a. Handout where we inventory and discuss digital policy b. Typical pitfalls (over defining policy, not enough policy, sweet spot)
3. Group exercise: Let’s develop digital policy! (20 minutes)  a. In groups we work through roleplaying to define policy, overcome obstacles, reach consensus b. Participants are assigned perspective to represent in defining policy (marketing, UX/digital development, communications, IT, security & privacy, etc.)
4. Discussion: Where are our gaps? (20 minutes) a. The policy written in the group needs to work in a policy ecosystem and not have overlap or haps with other policies b. Invite group leaders to share their policy and help identify gaps or where their policies intersect with another group’s policy c. Summarize gaps and where we could iterate on the policies to bring them to finalization
5. Conclusion (10 minutes) a. With our policies developed, how do we extend them to the next level of policy? b. Review of the policy lifecycle for distributing and embedding policy into the organization (hint: it’s an agile approach!) c. Lessons to take back to the office

Please visit Agile2019 website for details.

Photo by Sharosh Rajasekher on Unsplash

Faced with complex multi-site, multi-language, multi-channel digital presences, many organizations struggle to provide exceptional digital customer experiences, especially those on a large, distributed digital team. With the growing number of compliance requirements and international regulations, can you successfully deliver a digital strategy with repeatability and integrity? This talk will define policies and standards that can be leveraged throughout the enterprise for digital success – whether that is a website redesign, technology re-platform or implementation of mobile applications and social software.

Washington D.C. Monday, April 29: 4:15 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Most global organizations struggle to produce consistently high quality content, especially when faced with complex multi-site, multi-language and multi-channel digital presences. Digital standards, whether they support web, social, chatbots, mobile applications, or other aspects of your digital presence, can often be seen as deterrents for innovation and creativity. But the opposite is true!  

Without standards, your organization will create uneven content and chaotic applications, resulting in poor customer experiences. Digital standards establish uniform design, editorial, and technical criteria, methods, and practices required for:

1. Improved user satisfaction as digital products and services consistently deliver what they promise,
2. Efficient and effective use of resources, and
3. Increased integrity of content.

Through anecdotes from real life experiences and proven best practices, this session will explore:

• What standards range is required to drive quality online content?
• What are the best ways to express standards so that they are an enabling mechanism and not an enforcement burden?
• How do you go about writing good standards both structurally and from a topic perspective?
• Who is the best person to create standards in your organization and who should author them?

April 4-5, 2019, Arlington, VA

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Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly invisible and assimilated into our daily lives as it quietly penetrates almost every major industry, from healthcare and finance to transportation and education. AI has many benefits, but brings with it a myriad of potential challenges and questions that will affect the future of work, privacy, and public policy. Understanding the models used to design new AI technology is essential to maintaining public safety. AI’s potential impact on innovation and its inherent risks require us to identify the role that policy and institutions play in promoting effective incentives for safety.

Join this panel session on April 14, 2019 to hear Kristina and her fellow panelists discuss AI’s potential of delivering benefits to society, increasing efficiency, improving quality of life, and the policies required to minimize risks and maintain safety.

Kristina will be sharing the corporate perspective and what digital policies ought to be considered if you are using AI in your enterprise – either in a public-facing capacity of as a means of extending your workforce.

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