Despite the word “project” in the name, Project Phoenix is not really a project or a series of projects. Rather, it is shorthand for the revitalization and renewal of STC. One of the results of these efforts is the launch of a new website supported by comprehensive changes in the way STC interacts with members, communities, and external audiences, and how it handles internal processes.
Project Phoenix is a revitalization process that requires consistent input from a unified team of staff who share responsibility for the outcomes. As a result, the Board of Directors approved a staff augmentation strategy to add two members to the Project Phoenix team for a period of approximately one year. The staff augmentation included an Interim Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) responsible for helping STC transform its internal and external marketing and all of the underlying processes and tools associated with marketing, in addition to providing leadership on product and service development. The staff augmentation also included an Interim Chief Technology Officer (CTO) responsible for helping STC to identify, select, and implement the necessary platforms for revitalization.
Because STC has been unable to reach consensus using an RFP approach in the past, a staff augmentation strategy was appropriate for a number of reasons:
- Timing: If we had approached each deliverable of the overall revitalization process as a singular project requiring an RFP, time requirements would have slowed implementation.
- Cost: Costs are fixed with a staff augmentation solution and thereby more cost effective overall.
- Responsibility and Interaction: This strategy increases a shared sense of responsibility and cooperation among the staff and allows for consistent, face-to-face interaction.
- Flexibility: Staff augmentation provides flexibility in responding to changes as requirements are refined based on feedback from various users groups.
The above list highlights the strengths of Project Phoenix and a staff augmentation approach rather than a traditional project perspective with a series of vendors. The current project plan is outlined below. (Click the image for a larger view.)
Phase I
Ongoing Initiatives
- STC Website
- Design and develop the STC public website on an Open Source content management platform.
- Design and develop the STC private social network on an Open Source platform.
Phase II
New Initiatives
- Constituent Relationship Management (CRM) Solution
- Integration between the CRM solution and STC’s financial management solution (Microsoft Dynamics GP)
- Career Center Solution
- Complete the development of the career center solution, populate the solution with content, and deploy the new solution on STC.org.
- Chapter & SIG Website Solution
- Complete the design and development of the Chapter and SIG website solution; provide Chapter and SIG webmasters with training and support required to migrate to the new solution if the Chapter or SIG elects to use the provided solution to manage their web presence.
Phase III
New Initiatives
- Business Intelligence & Reporting Solutions
- Design, develop, and implement budgeting, forecasting, and reporting solutions that leverage data from STC’s CRM, financial management, and associated management solutions.
Ongoing Initiatives
- Chapter & SIG Website Deployment
- Provide continued support to all of the Chapters and SIGs that wish to migrate their existing web presence to the new content management solution integrated with STC.org.
- Learning Management Solution
- Deploy LMS solution and integrate it with the STC.org website and private professional social network.