I’m a business-oriented guy. I see returns in dollars. When I get final feedback from a client about a web site project I want to hear “It’s working.”

In the development of a web site, participative democracy is not just something to consider – it’s a key factor for success. In my experience, more input is better and input can come from multiple sources. While marketing and technical staff provide valuable information, the gemstones are often uncovered after talking to non-marketing stakeholders.

There are no bad ideas

Ignoring ideas from different departments and expertise’s can be fatal to a site’s ultimate success.  All shareholders have frustrations, fears and ideas to offer.

As a proven methodology at w.illi.am, participatory democracy proves itself time and time again. We were recently consulting France Telecom on a web site revamp, and it was through a candid conversation with a call center employee that we learned the help desk used “scenarios” to reply to technical questions from clients.

Something we never considered in initial meetings, we integrated the scenarios in the technical support section of the web site. The bottom-line results were immediate, alleviating the load of help desk calls, and giving web-savvy clients the option to help themselves. Had we worked in a web strategy “bubble” we never would have put the scenarios online.

Why involve multiple stakeholders?

• It allows the web site strategy team to collect a lot of data and opinions, gaining insight on the true workings of a company, and the industry. Just when you think you know exactly what is needed, new information adds depth to the shortcomings of a current site plan, helping everyone gain a deeper understanding of what the site can –and should– accomplish.
• Giving everyone a voice means better buy-in on the final product. It allows people to voice their concerns and be part of the web revamp process, ensuring the site will be a company-wide communications channel and a tool for smoothing operational processes.

Three types of consultation:

Meetings

Meetings involving multiple stakeholders are a good starting point for a global idea of what is needed. Key people at an initial meeting would be:

• Marketing staff
• Product Managers
• Someone from each division (verticals ie B2B, B2C, etc.)
• HR people (if needed)
• Customer care managers

Face-to-face

The next line of consultations should be face-to-face interviews with internal users and stakeholders. Sometimes, in a large meeting, people are afraid to say things or –conversely- are “louder” than others lobbying for their department. One-on-one face time helps put things in perspective and offers a safe way to express ideas.

Focus Groups

Focused meetings with the customer care center or with specific departments or verticals helps define the scope of what is needed, what directions the company is moving in, and where the web site needs to evolve.

Some people may think too many cooks spoil the broth – but we’ve learned otherwise. We’ve revamped web sites for AT&T, Astral, Cogeco, Cyberpresse, Workopolis, Duproprio.com and thousands of others. By digging deeper to find information about the company as a whole, we are able to propose web solutions that are in line with business objectives, users’ expectations and a company’s reality.

Participatory democracy is part of a proven methodology in our consultation process – and our clients are telling us our process gets results. They’re telling us “It’s working.”