A strategic approach to online communication in an organization typically starts with talking to stakeholders in your organization. This can be two groups: policy makers and (end) users. Both groups have their own approach. The first benefits from a top-down approach (from mission and vision to strategy) and the second a bottom-up approach (from goal, target group to resource mix). Of course, both methods can be worked out in a process, in such a case it is interesting how the results differ from each other.
When we have done a number of interviews and joint sessions (for example with a group of press officers, content managers or the management team), we work these out on a global level. This results in a set of interview reports to which we are not yet trying to establish cohesion at that time. As the discussions (and the writing down of the conclusions) progress, the broad outlines become clearer.
During the implementation phase, but certainly also afterwards, new insights and a changed situation form input for an evaluation. Starting points, elaborations or the way in which an organization works with online communication can change, so that we have to go back to the design phase.
The evaluation phase after completion of the implementation is the time to redo a baseline measurement: What is the current status of the organization, what are the goals you have set for yourself and what are the reasons for a possible deviation?
With the results of the evaluation we start a (partial) redesign. Because your online communication strategy is alive!
