The Integrated Digital Plan

I have been noodling with Integrated Digital Planning approaches for around three years. I lead the digital planning effort for IBM Marketing and Communications globally which involves the ongoing creation and cross-functional coordination of methods, development of guidance and learning materials with stakeholders incl. discipline planning and skills leaders and the Talent and Learning organization.

The latest iteration of the 'Integrated Digital Plan' chart:

(View full size on SlideShare)

Some explanatory points:

• Listening, content, media selection, metrics and analytics are core pillars of digital marketing and communications.
• Other pillars listed (social engagement through to virtual events) to be selected as part of the Engagement Plan based on relevance to the Objectives, selected Constituents and their local digital usage behaviour (Insights). This list is not exhaustive, for example you could run a Digital Jam or use Collaborative Software. Technologies will emerge over time that facilitate engagement in new ways.
• Frequency of iterations to be decided (loop in orange along the base of chart). The more frequent the iterations, the faster the plan will become optimized.
• The Engagement Plan is required in order to define the Management Plan – and vice versa. Think of them as two sides of a coin.
• If resources are sufficient, more than one Business Priority (Input) could be addressed at one time.

 

First, thank you to George Gallate (Global Chairman Euro RSCG 4D) for tweaking my pencil drawing, turning it into the pretty colored chart shown above and creating a full sized billboard (for use at the Digital Strategy Workshops):

Second, I'd like input on this approach. Is anyone else out there attempting to operationalize this kind of planning process within a large enterprise / organization? If so, I'd love to hear from you.

IBMers can replay a presentation & discussion on the Integrated Digital Plan here.

Many of my recent posts relate to this approach, including:

• a conversation with Tony Zambito
• my post on Building Constituency: A communications approach for open leaders which overlays the Constituents, Listening, Engagement Plan, Measurement, Analytics and Iteration portions of the Integrated Digital Plan, but through the lens of building relationship (rapport) and co-creating value with Constituents.

Other posts describe the business transformation challenges involved in implementing this kind of approach including my latest ramble, on the parallels between:

• the internal transformation organizations must go through to keep pace with the external technology revolution we are all experiencing with digital/social communications and
• the outstanding strategic change plan Major James Gant outlined in 'One Tribe at a Time'.

I'm sure my thoughts on this topic will continue to evolve, as the transformation within IBM gathers further momentum and results - and as I learn more from others.

Input welcome via the comments section below.

 

Comments

[Tony Zambito]

Hi Rowan,

First let me say thank you for the mention and did enjoy our blog conversation. I like what you've done here with the digital plan in terms of looking at it from a feedback loop perspective. Incorporating two lenses to view and then measurement and analytics to provide the feedback for planning. I think this is a good framework to focus on a constant loop of feedback and insights. Of course, central to informing on what are the best ways to not only listen to customers but then best lay out a plan that engages them. At a time when most are struggling to figure this out, people like you are charting new thoughts and directions. I like where this is heading. Nice work Rowan!

Tony Zambito

[Rowan Hetherington]

Thanks for your feedback, Tony. Very much appreciated.

It's always a pleasure to 'listen' to and 'engage' with you!

[duncan w craig]

This engagement plan map is very interesting and has some of the same concepts behind the work that I am doing. Good to see this work. thanks.

[Rowan Hetherington]

Thanks Duncan! Interesting to hear you're using some of the same concepts. Let me know if there's anything I can take a look at online - I'm always keen to see other views, perspectives.