Not every archipelago suffers from this “all carrot, no stick” problem. There are three types of governance models we have identified.

Centralized

The umbrella organization is strong. It holds sway on the technical platform and its implementation across all the subsidiary organizations. Everything from the content model, branding, design, style guide, content management system...all of it flows from the top down.

Typically in a centralized model, most of the staffing in terms of development, design, and strategy also lives in the umbrella organization. There will be subject matter experts acting as editors and content authors in the subsidiaries. Still, to ensure consistency and adherence to standards, their content will often be subject to further review by the editorial staff at the central organization.

Decentralized

The umbrella organization is weak and subject to very strong subsidiaries. Everyone owns their own properties, and there is no centralized authority whatsoever. Subsidiary organizations will have their own staff, their own rules around content authoring, and in some cases, even their own branding and design systems. Each island is its own fiefdom.

Harvard University is one example of this model. Departments run Drupal and share a small amount of common code, but aside from the 100 or so pages of the main website (harvard.edu), everything else is 100% autonomous. Each site chooses its own look and feel, branding, and messaging.

Mixed

The umbrella organization maintains some level of control, and the subsidiaries maintain some level of independence. This is the most common scenario and the one that potentially presents more challenges.

Typically, the umbrella organization owns the technology platform, and the subsidiaries own the content. In some cases, the subsidiaries even have complete control of their branding and design system, but it is more common that they conform to some sort of design consistency.

On the surface, this model makes a lot of sense. Each entity is owning the piece of the pie that falls within their area of expertise. But problems occur when the umbrella organization wants to have a coherent content strategy across all these sites or maintain certain standards and they don’t have the authority to make it happen.

Investing a lot of money in a new strategy or platform comes with many risks if the subsidiaries can just take their toys and do their own thing. You must take care not to give them excuses to leave. If too many subsidiaries avoid the new standards, the whole project might end up being a waste.

Not to mention the potential human cost involved. At state agencies, for example, an ideal platform is responsive and accessible so that it can serve the most vulnerable of the population. If an agency decides not to use that platform and its own solution fails to live up to certain standards, it can leave many people in the lurch. As one end-user answered, after being asked what would happen if she couldn’t access certain state services: “Then I guess I don’t eat.”

How do you succeed in a “mixed” model environment? How do you solve the various challenges and juggle conflicting demands when you have no authority to dictate terms and solutions?

You have to build the most enticing carrot you can possibly imagine.