A state government's web presence is often a loosely coupled network of websites that act as subsidiaries under an umbrella organization, which might be a separate state agency or some digital services governance group. This arrangement presents unique challenges because there are so many stakeholders involved, and the varying needs can conflict.

To make matters worse, the umbrella organization might be responsible for the overall web presence but has no real authority. It can entice, persuade, and cajole, but it cannot enforce any mandates.

In the words of one member of an umbrella organization: “All we have is carrots. We don’t have any sticks.”

Decentralization becomes a challenge when you need to ensure that:

• Consistent branding is applied at every level of the organization
• Content quality remains high across a variety of independent teams
• Accessibility requirements are met across every property

We call these decentralized organizations “archipelagos,” borrowing the word used for a collection of islands or sometimes the sea containing a small number of scattered islands.

Of course, state governments are not the only ones suffering from this problem. It can also be seen in universities, large media organizations, and sports leagues. But it shows up reliably in government due to the different ways that stakeholders, intended audiences, institutional conservatism, and agency politics can mix.