24 May 2008

I was living in Illinois when I was 16 so that's where I learned to drive and where I took my Driver's Ed class.

Of course the majority of the "rules" I learned I've since forgotten. But one thing that stuck was the IPDE method of driving. And while this may have been specific to Illinois, I'm sure every state has at least a similar version.

So the other day I was thinking about it (for some odd reason) and quickly saw the application to web strategy:

• Identify: See the big picture. Think outside the box. Know your audience. Dream "down the road" rather than just reacting to the needs of today. Make educated guesses as to what people will be using, wanting or needing a few months down the road.
• Predict: Determine what the potential outcomes of your decisions will be. What will the financial burden look like? How might these decisions enhance the mission, vision and values of the church?
  
• Decide: Develop your plan/strategy. Call it a "timeline," "roadmap" or whatever works for you. Have short term and long term goals with objectives and action steps under each. Determine who is responsible for each action step and set target dates.
  
• Execute: Make it happen. Secure the necessary influence, financial backing and or sign off from the leadership. Put you plan into action.
• Assess: (I know this isn't part of the IPDE Method but I'll throw it in for free...). I'm not sure why it wasn't included. I mean every time you do something you SHOULD learn from it - regardless if it was a mistake or a success. Mistakes should suggest changing something about your method. Success should let you know that there is something about your method that really works. Regardless, look at your execution and assess the results. Then start the process over with this new piece of information.