Project Phoenix Week: “In Perpetual Beta”

We kick off Project Phoenix week with this post by STC CEO Kathryn Burton discussing the forthcoming new STC website and the concept of “perpetual beta.”

With all the talk about Project Phoenix these days, I think it’s important to note that this is about more than providing a deliverable with a fixed beginning and a definitive end.  While the most visible result of the process will be a new website for STC, the planned form, function and ongoing dynamic evolution of the next generation of the site signal an underlying change of mindset at the Society—a shift that will lead to greater transparency, accountability, and more fruitful conversations with members.

The new website is scheduled to be unveiled next month. Unlike the previous site, however, it should not be thought of as a finished product that will stand fixed in stone until it becomes outdated several years from now, only to have the process begin again. The fact is, the nature of the Web has changed drastically since the advent of social media, and even the former buzz word describing the interactive Internet—Web 2.0—has become something of an anachronism. From where I stand, it seems pretty clear that the only way to adapt to constant change is to implement a sort of institutional flexibility, one that anticipates fast-paced developments and can incorporate them as they arise.

For this reason, the new STC website will be in “perpetual beta.” When changes to the site have to be made, they will be able to happen in real time, without a major infrastructure overhaul. With a content management system in place, it will be easier than ever to publish new material, remove what is no longer current, and add modules that bring new functionality to the site as needed. The rebirth of STC’s website will be marked not only by a change in form, but also in function. We’re also bringing some new staff on board who will assist us in making the most out of the powerful new tools we’ll be implementing and help the Society to attain the vision I laid out for us when I joined STC.

Incidentally, when I was recently introduced to the term “perpetual beta,” I perked up, remembering a concept from my Japanese studies about kaizen, which means “continual improvement.” This practice, still used by companies like Toyota, was popularized in the United States during the Deming years via the implementation of quality circles. It’s a holistic approach to business and productivity that involves every member of an organization and seeks daily insight into areas where waste can be eliminated, processes can be streamlined, and performance can be elevated to a higher level. The ability to keep our staff and members engaged in the process of creating a better, brighter STC as we respond dynamically to the challenges facing our industry is an exciting development for all of us.

As I was thinking about kaizen, another Japanese concept came to mind: zazen, which means “opening the hand of thought.” It’s a form of Zen Buddhist meditation that uses intense focus to gain insight into the true nature of things. We can’t do that without taking into account the ideas and experiences of our members, which is why a critical component of Project Phoenix and the new site post-launch is the incorporation of your feedback. As we transform the Society together, perhaps we can think of STC’s new website as a pairing of kaizen and zazen, enabling us to both continually improve our processes while “opening the hand of thought” to those best tools and practices we can all contribute, mutually enhancing our mission of developing the profession of technical communication.