(FYI: Looong extended entry, but don't let that freak you out, go an and read it.)
How the hell did I get to "serious organizational problem" from a sub-par website? When you look at everything put together, it's actually quite evident. Let's begin with Dianne's diary. In her diary, Dianne identifies four individuals that she feels should or could be working on the website and solving this debacle. Using common sense these are the four individuals anyone would assume could be responsible for the website.
DPVA Organizational Structural Problems
The four staffers by title are, Deputy Technology Director, Technology Director, Political Director and the Executive Director. At this point, everyone in the room turns and looks at the technology guys. It is a logical assumption that the technology division would have domain over the daily operations of the website.
But delve a little deeper, and it becomes clear that we're barking up the wrong tree. It is my understanding and experience (3 campaigns in VA with access to DPVA voter files) these two gentlemen spend 99% of their time working with the voter file. They spend that time doing things such as creating unique voter tags for the every campaign that requests them (and almost all of them do). They make sure the system stays up and running, which can be difficult as there are peak times throughout the week in which many campaigns across the state all try to access the same database simultaneously, training and fielding trouble shooting calls at any given time (imagine trying to do your regularly scheduled job with people calling you all day expecting immediate help). And this year, the DPVA switched voter file software from Prevail (it actually hurt my soul to us prevail) to the VAN, which I have only heard good things about. Great decision by whomever made that call, but it has added a ridiculous work load to the technology guys as every field operative in Virginia gets used to the new software.
So the techies are out, they're too busy making sure tens of thousands of volunteers around the commonwealth are equipped with the most up to date information at the doors and on the phone. Perhaps we can ask the tech guys to keep the servers up, but the website is probably not hosted locally, so actually, they get off scotch free.
The problem continues to be the content on the website, not server reliability, and website content is usually considered a communications job. So who do we turn to from here, do we consider the website to be external communications and thus hand it over to the Communications Department, or is it internal so we give control to the Membership Department? Here is the scary part, at the current time the DPVA does not list either a Communications Director or Membership Director on the "Our Staff" section of the website. Maybe they have someone doing those jobs and haven't updated the website but that might almost be worse. (I think this is why Dianne omitted these possible operators of the website, because they simply don't exist at DPVA).
So who is left, the party Executive Director and the Party Chairman. With all due respect to my fellow netroots activists, I would really like to hope that they have better things to do with their time than trying to personally update the website. Does that absolve them, no it does not. These two are responsible for everything the party does, and that includes its crappy website. They obviously shouldn't take the time update the website themselves, but they sure as hell better make sure that someone is doing it and getting weekly briefings.
Additional DPVA Online Outreach Problems
So now that I've told you why exactly I believe that fixes to the website have been so slow (if ever) in occurring. Let's discuss broader online outreach problems within the DPVA.
RaisingKaine (in case you weren't aware yet) is in the top tier of state blogging (some even consider RK a pioneer). RK is joined by very few elite blogs such as My Left NutMeg of Connecticut and Burnt Orange Report of Texas, in the top teir of state blogging. Couple that with all the tools Waldo Jaquith (the VA blogosphere's godfather) has created such as his Rss feeders and Richmondsunlight (legislative tracking system), add Jim Webb's recent victory assisted by the national Blogosphere puts DPVA smack in the middle of a "perfect storm" for online outreach and organizing that may have already peaked.
It her diary Dianne's directly and unequivocally challenges the DPVA to either make the necessary changes, or explain to us, its members, right here on RK why they were not able to improve the website (that'll be a fun read).
This lead me to realize another major problem that hasn't really been talked about, the enormous potential loss by not engaging the blogosphere. DPVA rarely ventures out int the blogs and tend to be very scripted when they do so. So by default, our RaisingKaine community is not currently engaged with DPVA. The Loss here is tremendous if not incalculable. Here you have a self organized group of core Democrats that come to RaisingKaine for the very same endgame that the DPVA has, getting as many democrats elected as possible.. In the past week, RaisingKaine averaged over 2,100 unique visitors a day stoping by and average of 6,000 times a day. I say self organized because no one has to give us reminder calls to swing by, Lowell doesn't write me a postcard, we show up on our own because we care and we want to make a difference.. And the DPVA is nowhere to be seen
Think about that for a second, a pre-made, SELF organized, no cost (for DPVA) communication tool to engage over 2,100 active Democrats a day just going to waste due to lack of use by DPVA. We have to beg for morsels of information, it's like bizarro world were everything is reversed.
Again, I think this happens for the same reason the content on the website is horrible at best, lack of a dedicated staffer to do this. At this point I'm just curious who "in theory" is responsible for updating the website and what weird Org Chart they had to draw to rationalize sticking that guy on website detail.
Proposal for Effective Use of Website and Internet by DPVA
Obviously we would all like the DPVA to have a 100 staff member internet department headed up by Joe Trippi or Jerome Armstrong, but that's not going to happen. What I will instead propose is actually feasible and realistic.
If I were Amy Reger (Exec. Director of DPVA) I would immediately put the following plan into action:
First and foremost, The DPVA needs to hire an experienced Internet Director (note this is different from traditional off-line communications, and different from simply blogging that is just one aspect). This person needs to have enough experience to potentially run the entire program solo at least through the end of the summer.
The Internet Director's job description would require the following actions to be taken and in the following order:
1) The Internet Director needs to do a full debrief with each division head or deputy (or organizational equivalent) within DPVA as well as the Exec Board to find out what each division is up to, what their goals are, what they need and the best way to utilize the internet (website, e-mail, blogs, etc?) to reach these goals and needs. At this meeting the Internet Director would let it be known to the divisions that the Netroots community is not an ATM machine or a soulless list of e-mail address. The internet is merely a communication tool to ease traditional organizing, but all the old rules regarding establishing rapport, identifying natural leaders and opinion makers and so on still apply. A standing, once-a-week meeting should be set up between the Internet Director and a representative of each division to ensure that communications lines stay open. This allows the Internet Director to report back what he/she is hearing and seeing directly to the person best able to use that information as well as allowing the Internet Director to address the campaigns most immediate needs.
2) Engage the Virginia netroots
This isn't actually that hard and this is something that we have been asking the Party to do for sometime now. I think a standard day and time (something like Tuesday's at 7PM) weekly blog post followed up by 1-2 hours of direct engagement at RK using the comments to have a direct conversation between the Internet Director and Netroots activists.(call it Q & A or live blogging). The obvious benefit here is the instantaneous opening up of direct lines of communications between the DPVA and thousands of Democratic Activists around the state. I would even recommend that the Executive Director sit in on the first Q & A session to get an immediate pulse regarding what's going on in her organization at the most decentralized levels.
3) Fix the Website
A lack of usability and resources on the DPVA website is what started this whole discussion in the Virginia blogoshpere that ended up exposing a much bigger organizational problem. This "step" is an entire other diary unto itself. In case you missed it, I point you to Lowell's Grading the RPV and DPV Websites and Dianne's DPVA: Here are our website requirements!!! both published on RaisingKaine.
In addition to what those two authors already covered, I want to emphasize the need for a brand new "our candidates" section. Right now, there is a "candidate focus" section with a whopping three candidates out of the thousands that are running this year across the Commonwealth. Two big changes recommended here. First, include all the candidates, with a useable search function. Put in your address and it spits you out a 1 paragraph profile for the Democratic Nominee in each election you are voting in that year. So simple, and would help so many down ballot candidates. Speaking of which, let's keep the candidate focus but put names up there that people don't already know. Skip some of the obvious candidates and put up a mayor from SW Virginia that gives me hope that even in the conservative parts of the state Democrats can win.
Use this section to highlight the highest quality and most inspirational candidates, not just those with the biggest names. Or put up a candidate for a week or a few days with an immediate call for action infusion of cash by a certain day or if there is a huge County Fair in two weeks and need a couple hundred vols, this would be a great way to introduce those candidates to Democrats statewide that are willing to help out . Point is, use this section smartly and don't be afraid to change whose on the list from time to time.
Obviously the Internet Director would here more than a few suggestions during the first live Q & A and as new problems or suggestions came up, they could be addressed as they occurred.
4) Begin introductions and start courting the National Blogosphere. There exists a large potential for the National Netroots to rally around Virginia in 2007 as there is very they're electoral competition for their attention combined with the fact that we have a realistic chance to take back the State Senate just in time for redistricting and for 2008 momentum. Remember, it's just potential for now, maybe more later. As mentioned earlier, the national blog readers and writers have to be inspired to take action like every other human being on the planet. There is not a set amount of out of state volunteers or money that would come from the national net roots it's highly elastic.. So, the relationship building with the key players and opinion makers is of extreme importance. Outreach to start in May (after problems at home taken care of, with an assessment mid June to plan national strategy moving forward.)
That's the plan, all it takes is one full time staffer.
So use the comments and I'll correct as I can.
I have classes today until 10PM so I might take a second to make an update or change, but I'll check throughout the day every couple of hours.
-Nate
A real treasure!
Everything I added can be someone up in two sentences:
1) Whose doing the job of maintaining the website and generally using the internet as a communication tool?
2)Oh, no one? Really? Well then let's get someone to do it.
At least you seem to recognise there is a problem.
Now, to DPVA's credit, they have hired their Deputy Internet Director (Mike Sager from NGP) to manage VAN (voter file) and The Donkey (volunteer DB). And he's doing a great job writing manuals (his VAN manual is being used and distributed by the DNC) and doing training sessions around the state. However, there's still a lot of work to be done. The NoVA Dem Committees have banded together for the Coordinated (calling themselves 21/51) to do volunteer management, but still nobody seems to be able to get a Donkey account. That's something that I'm 100% sure will be addressed, but it's time-consuming.
Anyway, all of that is a long-winded way of saying that, yes, you're absolutely right, and I think it would benefit at least the 2007 Coordinated, if not the DPVA to have an Internet Director / CRM Czar. They need more IT staff/support, and it's too specialized of a skill to be all-volunteer-based.
Problem (or great thing about the VAN) is that it lets campaigns move around items on the walking sheets and create their own template, and sometimes that cuts some of the voting history off the walk sheet, but should be in database for campaign to pick targets
That being said the tools in the VAN far surpass those that were available in Prevail with out question, and as Brenner and Mike spend more time with the VAN and more campaigns give them feed back and take advantage of all the new tools the data in the voter file and it usability will skyrocket.
In a cycle or two talking about having to use Prevail will be like reminiscing about walking two miles to school, in the snow, uphill, both ways.
P.S. Brenner and Mike do a great job already so don't think I trashing on them, but it is a big system with a multitude of facets and that takes time to get the full benefit of.
The essence of Nate's diary is something that should not get lost in discussion -- that is how he proposes that the collection, management and dissemination of information is implemented. That is what this is all about.
I agree with your conclusion that is shouldn't be volunteer-based. Didn't DPVA raise record amounts of money last year?
UPDATE: He is the leader of the Virginia Democratic Party
Justin@justin.net
703-299-1576
Virginia is the nexus.
An active Virginia Netroots will push us over the top.
The Party needs to get with it.
Without the Netroots, I don't join the Loudoun County Democratic Committee. Without RK and DKos, I am not a voluneer for Kelly Burk this year.
The party should just print Nate's plan, start interviewing candidates and implement it whole cloth in the next month.
The DPVA is really an old line organization that is structured and responds to a political universe that is fading and giving way to new forms of communication. Not everything is changing, but access to a vast amount of new information and the ability to provide feedback has dramatically changed.
The way the DPVA is structured to reward those who have come up through the ranks and have chosen wisely in lending their support. As one group of leaders hands off to the next it is mostly an insider's game that tends to self perpetuate structure and process.
It was noted recently that the Rs have a better web site than the Ds. This makes perfect sense. The Rs are no more willing to change things than the Ds. The reason the Rs are learning faster than the Ds is that they were hurt by the netroots campaign.
If you go to a Democratic black tie event you'll see Jim Webb there and all of the Democrats patting themselves on the back for his victory. As an early Webb supporter I remember the room not being so crowded with party apparatchiks, before the primary and even after. Jim Webb was not the pick of the party insiders - he was the pick of the majority of Democrats in the party. The netroots community was a vital component in imposing Jim Webb on the existing bureaucracy.
While the netroots community poses a threat to Republican candidates, they also represent a threat to existing power structures in the Democratic Party. It's all about power. Let's not pretend that the netroots community is not demanding a place at the table - they most certainly are. Let's also not get all in a huff when you are told to go screw yourself.
When the DPVA had that phone call and stroked your egos and told you this was confidential and made you feel like you were a real insider, you bought it hook line and sinker. You thought they were buying and they were selling the whole time.
It seems that DemPAC is the right idea for today. Kind of like, build it and they will come. The internet components should be doable. The real key is the other part of what the DPVA does not do and that is real grassroots organizing. On that score, you may want to continue to think your approach some more. Particularly if you find that recruiting is a tough slog. If the locals invest in this and hand over their key lists, will there come a time that someone in NoVA will be calling the shots in their backyard? Will locals have any more leverage with DemPAC than netroots has with DPVA?
Can DemPAC provide real hosting services and allow locals to manage an organization? Not just a web site but a real content management system that allows folks to organize events, do on-line fundraising; gives them a real listserv with a neat letterhead? Can you give them a "how to" organizing kit for their precinct? Can you tell them how to get a traffic pattern study and match that against volunteers and Democratic list to develop a sign strategy database well ahead of the next campaign? ? stuff like that
You can begin to build something that works, and if it is successful, even to a small degree, will lead the way for change. Even if the party never sees the value, Democratic rank and file will. If Democrats see the need for this kind of change, that can be a question posed to the next person who wants the Democratic nomination for Governor. If the blogosphere does nothing else, it asks tough questions and demands real answers - so why aren't we asking potential candidates their strategies for revamping the party?
Just for the record, I didn't participate in this call in large part because I thought it was way too late in the process for any meaningful input. No "hook line and sinker" for me.
Good point, I'm going to start asking that right away. Thanks.
Frankly, it's both efreshing and stimulating to see the intelligent comments in this and related diaries. I have so long wanted to help turn my county blue. I've worked on campaigns (on my own....committee didn't participate even though the race was in their district) and would really welcome some support since I can't get any from the committee and therefore the DPVA.