Web Governance Use Cases

A lack of cross-functional representation is a surefire way to undermine your Web governance framework. Often organizations will default to the Web team as the group responsible for policies and standards; after all, they are the experts on Web technologies and best practices.  However, having only "Web people" seated on the governing bodies means you may lose the perspective from the lines of business.

Business stakeholders have a vested interest in how the Web impacts "the bottom line," and therefore should have a seat at the table when defining Web policies and standards. Without representation from the lines of business the governance framework will lack legitimacy.

In helping clients to define a well-rounded Web governance framework, I've found that use cases are a good way to test whether or not there is adequate representation. Use cases are often utilized for technology selections and usability testing. Essentially, you develop a narrative that describes a very specific scenario relevant to your business. You then work through that scenario to determine if the tool (or site) meets the expressed need. 

Using use cases to define a Web governance framework can help you connect the abstract of governance to everyday scenarios. I find that it makes it easier to explain the concepts to stakeholders and to ensure that the framework can stand up to real-life situations. Further, use cases allow me to clearly illustrate roles and functions specific to Web governance (i.e. rule making) versus the roles and functions related to execution (i.e. implementation). 

When creating Web governance use cases, I make sure I account for the four drivers that impact Web policies and standards:

(click here to download a PDF copy of the diagram)

1. Changes to strategy - as management makes changes to the overall business strategy, how will that impact Web policy? For example, if senior management decides to go international, how will you ensure that the Web policies align with that strategy?
2. Government mandates - how will your organization respond to laws that impact the Web presence? For example, if there is a change to the Children's Online Privacy Act, how will you go about updating relevant policies and standards?
3. Changes in Web technology or best practices - this will be the most common driver for Web standards and policies. For example, as Twitter becomes more prevalent, what is the process for creating standards that govern how Twitter will be used? Are there broader policy issues to be considered (in this case, do you need a social media policy before you define Twitter standards)?
4. New projects/initiatives - as the lines of business develop new projects, they may include a Web component that triggers a need to create or modify standards. A typical example is what happens when a program office decides they need a 'micro site' that does not have the same look and feel as the main site?

By taking these drivers into consideration, we're able to develop a comprehensive set of use cases that illustrate real-life situations and help identify who in the organization needs to provide input and make decisions related to Web policies and standards. Overall it's a good way to test drive the framework before it's ratified. If you'd like to learn more about Web governance use cases or Web governance in general, feel free to contact us or subscribe to our newsletter.