Implementation

Table of Contents

Stakeholder Buy-in
Developing an Engagement Plan
Managing Technical Implementation
Determining the Software Feature Set
Who Governs? Technical, Administrative, or Political
Make or Buy?
Low Tech versus High Tech
Generating Compelling Content
Compelling Content versus Eyecandy
Promotion and Recruitment
Conventional Advertising and Promotional Approaches
The Power of Social Networking (and its Limitations)
Managing Risk
Security
Moderation

Having developed an approach for the eEngagement, the implementation phase represents the realisation of this vision. Often, this will require stakeholder input – across government and outside of it – and necessary adjustments to the initial plan in the light of unforseen eventualities. In this way, implementation is just like any other process for project delivery.

Rather than provide a summary of issues associated with standard project implementation and management issues, this section (and the later discussion of post-implementation issues) focuses on aspects of specific, or particular, relevance to the manager engaged in eEngagement activities.

Stakeholder Buy-in

The first step in successful realisation of the eEngagement approach is ensuring appropriate commitment from key stakeholders. This may entail a new process of negotiation, ‘selling’ and discussion, or may reflect the formalisation of processes already undertaken as part of the visioning process.

Four important considerations are:

  • managing upwards by ensuring appropriate commitment from senior policy makers (managerial or Executive). This will be of particular importance where the process has a deliberative element, where for all intents and purposes, the project team is asking for the engagement process to be delegative in character;
  • managing sideways by intra- and inter- governmental stakeholders may need considerable persuasion, either to establish their commitment to the process, or to provide resources and participation within it, or because of the need for their (possibly long) approval and authorisation processes to be undertaken;
  • managing outwards by identifying and ensuring commitment from members of the community to the process and approach to be taken;
  • managing inwards by ensuring that staff are committed to the process and the approach. Internal resistance can be one of the least-well-managed factors in the successful realisation of the plan.