The Information School at the University of Washington Mandates Bob Boiko UW iSchool ischool.washington.edu Metatorial Services Inc.

The Information School at the University of Washington What we will cover What is a mandate? What are the deliverables? What does the plan look like?

The Information School at the University of Washington What is a Mandate? What’s a political mandate? Broad agreement on a project definition Levels of agreement –Complete consensus –Weak consensus –Tacit agreement –Acquiescence A contract or covenant The firmest foundation possible and a clear head about the cracks in that foundation

The Information School at the University of Washington What’s the Point? A clear and agreed upon: Statement or purpose Empowerment to pursue that purpose Boundary between what is and is not the project Evaluation criteria Ways to measure the evaluation criteria

The Information School at the University of Washington What’s a Sponsor A sponsor can: Help provide a mandate Truly offer support Get you beyond your organization Seriously hamper you A set of sponsors provide a mandate

The Information School at the University of Washington Sponsors vs. Stakeholder A sponsor is a key stakeholder A stakeholder has a stake, a sponsor has a say A sponsor works on your behalf You derive your legitimacy from a sponsor

The Information School at the University of Washington Where do you Find Sponsors? Organizational executives –The classic sponsor types –Sway in the organization –Promote ideas they believe in –Can get budget Key influencers –Opinion leaders –Respect and credibility Key outsiders –From important audience segments –Speak for the audience –Have some specific influence on an audience The person who initiated the project

The Information School at the University of Washington What Tools Do you Have? Education –Yourself on the Org and your sponsors –Your organization Data –The persuasive force of a readiness assessment –Survey –Research Consensus building –One-on-one meetings –Group meetings –Vibes watching Synthesis, analysis, and focus

The Information School at the University of Washington Using Data Management does not listen to people, it listens to data Who has authority to speak? –Internal credibility –External credibility Data provides external credibility What does your readiness assessment say? What semi-formal surveys can you create and quickly deploy? What research can you find and present?

The Information School at the University of Washington What To Get Consensus On? The Problem –What org goals does the initiative serve? –What exactly is our information management problem? –Who will the new system serve (audience)? –What is the information to be managed? The Project –What is the project’s mandate –Where are we now? –Who is responsible for the solution? –Upon what criteria will success be judged? –What organizational standards must be obeyed?

The Information School at the University of Washington Synthesis, Analysis, and Focus Your competitive advantage over non info types is your ability to wield information What issues are there? Document them What issues are the same? Lump them What issues are too complex? Split them What issues are settled? Praise them What issues bite? Defang them What issues are minor and major? Flag them

The Information School at the University of Washington What are the Deliverables? Sponsor profiles Notes and minutes Issues taxonomy Mandate process Mandate documentation

The Information School at the University of Washington Sponsor Profiles May be written or unwritten What: –A table of sponsors and their information –A strategy How to approach them How you will serve them How to relate them to other sponsors How –Interviews –Asking around –Asking them to review your strategy

The Information School at the University of Washington Issues Taxonomy What –MS Word outline –Capture, update, and resolution strategy How –Document analysis –Meeting notes –Debate in all forums –Analysis, synthesis, and focus

The Information School at the University of Washington Mandate Process What –Schedules –Venues –Attendance –Survey –Contingency plans How –Lots of time to schedule and plan –Getting sponsors to help you drive attendance –Doing a lot of advance education and hoopla building –Gathering survey info early and analyzing it

The Information School at the University of Washington Mandate Documentation What –Word Doc –Exec –Poster, Web page or something else to keep it in people’s faces Simple statement Goals Measurements How –The final synthesis of the consensus process –Harvesting the meetings and discussions –Much review up the sponsor chain –Advice and feedback from other stakeholders

The Information School at the University of Washington The Plan The team –Data gatherer –Scheduler –Facilitator –Note taker –Synthesizer/Politician Resources –Rooms –Collaborative software –External staff –Survey software or paper

The Information School at the University of Washington Obstacles and Change Obstacles –Inertia –Apathy –Ego –Entrenchment –Powerlessness Change –How will you change based on these obstacles