From Verse to Vitae – How a 45-year-old Publication is Adopting Silicon Valley’s Lean Startup Method for Growth in the Digital Era (The Chronicle for Higher Education)
A presentation by The Chronicle's publisher, Mireille Grangenois, and CTO, Don Sargent:
The Chronicle of Higher Education has been serving the higher ed and philanthropy communities for more than 45 years. Higher education has so many new challenges today that the Chronicle had to find ways to solve the biggest problems now. Traditional product teams and methods trying to grow the company as a "side of the desk" activity weren't moving the needle fast or boldly enough.
This session will reveal how Don and Mireille are accomplishing this by fusing the business, editorial, and technology organizations into a startup team that's creating Vitae, the career hub for higher education professionals. Using Lean Startup methods and blending in the best parts of Chronicle's unique culture, they are creating new products that weren't possible in the past.
International Business Environments and Operations 16th Global Edition test b...
From Verse to Vitae – How a 45-year-old Publication is Adopting Silicon Valley’s Lean Startup Method for Growth in the Digital Era (The Chronicle for Higher Education)
3. HISTORY OF THE CHRONICLE
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YEARS AS THE MOST TRUSTED AUTHORITY
IN HIGHER EDUCATION
YEARS AS THE MOST TRUSTED HIRING SOLUTION
IN HIGHER EDUCATION
ONE OF THE FIRST MEDIA COMPANIES ON THE INTERNET
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YEARS AS THE MOST TRUSTED AUTHORITY IN
HIGHER EDUCATION ONLINE
MOST TRUSTED SOURCE FOR HIGHER EDUCATION DATA &
ANALYSIS COMPARATIVE TO THE WALL STREET JOURNAL &
THE NEW YORK TIMES
4. WHAT IS VITAE?
VITAE IS THE ONLY ONLINE CAREER HUB DEDICATED TO
MAKING IT EASIER–AND MORE REWARDING–FOR FACULTY
AND ADMINISTRATORS TO DO THEIR JOBS EACH DAY.
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5. WHAT IS VITAE?
VITAE DELIVERS:
•
A COMMUNITY OF ACADEMICS AND ADMINISTRATORS
•
CAREER MANAGEMENT TOOLS
•
CAREER ADVICE & NEWS FROM INSIDERS
•
A FREE DOSSIER SERVICE
•
THE BEST JOBS FOR HIGHER ED PROFESSIONALS
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7. THE CHRONICLE…
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A STORIED JOURNALISM BRAND
•
STEEPED IN TRADITION AND VALUES
• MISSION
• QUALITY
• INDEPENDENCE
•
DELIBERATIVE, SLOWER PACED
•
HISTORY OF INVESTING IN JOURNALISM, BUT NOT TECH
AND BIZ
•
REPUTATION MAKES RECRUITING NON-JOURNALISM
TALENT DIFFICULT
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8. WHAT MAKES THE CHRONICLE GREAT CAN
MAKE IT HARD TO INNOVATE
•
FOCUS ON BEING GREAT TODAY MEANS “SIDE OF THE
DESK” WORK ON NEW PRODUCTS
•
TEAMS ORGANIZED IN TRADITIONAL PUBLISHING
COMPANY ARRAY
•
PRESSURE FOR EVERYTHING TO BE PERFECT
•
BUILDING THINGS HAD BECOME AGILE, BUT NEW
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT WAS NOT
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9. VITAE IS THE PIVOT POINT FOR THE
CHRONICLE
•
IT’S A LEAP FOR THE CHRONICLE IN SCALE AND
RISK/REWARD
•
VITAE IS THE TECTONIC FORCE CHANGING HOW WE WORK
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11. FOUNDED A STARTUP WITHIN THE
ENTERPRISE
•
TEAM IS “ALL IN” AND “ALL TOGETHER”
Product
Mgt.
Technolo
gy
Design
Editorial
Marketing
Dev
partners
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12. FOUNDED A STARTUP
•
EXECUTIVES ARE FULL-TIME PART OF THE TEAM
•
WE RECRUITED TALENT WITH THEME “WORK LIKE A
STARTUP WITH ESTABLISHED COMPANY STABILITY”
•
REST OF COMPANY AWARE BUT SEPARATE
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13. …AND BECAME AGILE EXECUTIVES
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PROCESS MATTERS BUT “BEING THERE” AND
COMMUNICATING RIGHT MATTERS MOST
•
BEHAVE AS IF VITAE WAS YOUR OWN STARTUP USING
YOUR OWN MONEY
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ENTIRE EXECUTIVE TEAM TOOK STEVE BLANK’S UDACITY
MOOC
•
HAD TO WORK HARD TO GO FORWARD WITH ONLY
HYPOTHESES ABOUT WHAT IT IS, COSTS, AND REVENUE
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14. OUR APPROACH
•
RESEARCH CENTERED ON:
• HIGHER ED AND RECRUITING/CAREERS ECOLOGY,
PERSONAS, AND PROBLEMS
• “GET SMART” SPEAKERS
• ADVISORY BOARD
•
ART AND SCIENCE IDEATION AND RANKING
•
FORM TEAM AND APPLY LEAN STARTUP PRINCIPLES TO TOP
OPPORTUNITY (VITAE)
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16. CULTURE KEYS
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IT LIVES AND DIES BY EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP
•
MAKE THE FIGHTS BE ABOUT THE WORK
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BE THE WASP KILLER FOR YOUR TEAM
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HIRE GROWN-UPS WHO THRIVE AT THE INTERSECTION OF
INNOVATION AND THE LEGACY/ENTERPRISE BUSINESS
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18. •
VITAE IN BETA
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A BLENDED, AND BONDED, TEAM
•
JOURNEY IS STILL UNCOMFORTABLE, ESPECIALLY AROUND
PROJECTING AND CONTROLLING INVESTMENT/COST
•
THIS IS HARD AND SCARY; NOT FOR WIMPS
•
NO ROOM FOR POLITICS; CRYBABIES IGNORED OR
PUSHED OUT
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Find mentors and people to mentor; stay in touch with collaborators, co-authors, alumni, understand the academic tapestry (who are the best people advising?)
Focus on being great today means “side of the desk” work on new productTeams organized in traditional publishing company arrayWhen you are “the bible” for higher ed, you feel pressure to have perfect products
Focus on being great today means “side of the desk” work on new productTeams organized in traditional publishing company arrayWhen you are “the bible” for higher ed, you feel pressure to have perfect products
How we are solving via lean startup and enterprise agile methodsProcessTeam
Editorial “is” a major contributor to product research
Chronicle already followed scrum and a “big board” enterprise agile portfolio. Now we’ve extended it to executive level new product bets.
Chronicle already followed scrum and a “big board” enterprise agile portfolio. Now we’ve extended it to executive level new product bets.
Chronicle already followed scrum and a “big board” enterprise agile portfolio. Now we’ve extended it to executive level new product bets.
Chronicle already followed scrum and a “big board” enterprise agile portfolio. Now we’ve extended it to executive level new product bets.