CDI Monthly Reports

Contents

1 About
2 Memos
3 Previous Reports
4 Report Overview: Quantitative (Monthly)
5 Report Overview: Qualitative (Quarterly)

About

The CDI team sends a report each month to TSG directors that provides updates and details on key CDI programmatic activities.

The expectation of a monthly report presents a prime opportunity to weave a narrative of the CDI program that communicates our social, economic and technical impact in the field to our internal stakeholders.

We have recently adopted a new approach that includes both a monthly “quantitative” frame and a quarterly “qualitative” frame that helps to provide contextualize and directional support for the quantitative.

Preparation & Input

Every team member contributes each month to the monthly info-gathering pages:

Monthly report input: December 2011
Monthly report input: November 2011
Monthly report input: September 2011
Monthly report input: August 2011
February 2011

Memos

We write memos each month to accompany the directors' report. All memos are kept in this google doc.

Previous Reports

Memos:

Memos to directors (gdoc)

Reports:

2011:

2010:

Report Overview: Quantitative (Monthly)

The monthly report communicates primarily quantitative data to TSG leadership. Through this report, we provide key details and progress toward defined metrics at the project- and program-level.

Included:

Although we don’t provide identical metrics each month, our report includes any of the following:

Project updates: recent outcomes and deliverables
Team updates: recent hires and changes
Site metrics on Net2.org, TS4L.org, and ts.org/greentech
Social media metrics on CDI’s Twitter, FB, LinkedIn and newsletters
Recent and upcoming project and programmatic milestones
CDI progress toward TSG Fy12 enterprise objectives

Format:

This report is provided to TSG directors in a powerpoint slidedeck, with an accompanying memo that summarizes the content.

Process

We send out directors' reports every month on the 15th. The process for aggregating and sharing all our team's exciting news is as follows:

One week before: Laney creates a wiki page to capture all relevant info from every CDI program (like this one from Feb 2011)
6 days before: Everyone on the team contributes reports, updates, and highlights via editing that page.
4 days before: Laney creates a draft slide deck based on the information contributed.
3 days before: The report is sent to Marc for review and feedback.
1 day before: Final changes are made, directors memo is drafted
Day of: BB ships memo and report to TSG directors
1 day after: Laney updates this page with the final slidedeck.

Report Overview: Qualitative (Quarterly)

We propose that the qualitative report be prepared and shipped once per quarter, replacing the quantitative report for that month.

The qualitative report will be shipped once at the beginning of each quarter: October, January, April, and July. We will link to each of these reports from our “About CDI” resource page, which stores CDI documents, presentations, and other resources for staff to leverage for talks, conferences, and other public-facing events.

Included:

A short compelling story about CDI activity, with a narrative and supporting media, such as:

Featured Projects. Net2 project profile. E.g., challenge winner or other Net2 success story.
Campaign Snapshot. Challenge profile. E.g., a project submitted to the current TSRomania challenge, or summary of the Challenge event and purpose.
Example of a nonprofit or library using an app for social good (in context of current App It Up project)
Organizer/Group Of The Quarter. Net2 Organizer/Local group profile -- recent, relevant outcomes from Net2 Local events.
Key Convenings. Event wrap-ups or highlights, e.g., Net2 Camps, hack days, etc.

Format:

The quarterly qualitative report is presented as a page on the CDI team wiki. Although the slidedeck format is appropriate for a quantitative report, we want to communicate the qualitative report in a format that is easily accessible from within and outside the team. Moreover, the wiki format enables us to easily reuse story components when they are applicable to a wider audience, e.g., as a Net2 Beta case study.

Process

Three weeks before the report is due: Marc asks the team to propose a recent story. Team members propose their ideas to Laney and Marc.
Two weeks before: Marc selects the most appropriate example based upon the themes we wish to highlight to TSG senior leadership while ensuring a diverse distribution of CDI voices and projects throughout the year. The team member who proposes the idea is responsible for drafting the initial copy. Marc reviews the draft and makes initial edits.
Three days before: Billy reviews the copy/story and provides feedback.
One day before: Marc creates a page on the team wiki to capture the story as well as related media, and drafts an accompanying memo.
The day of: Billy reviews report/memo and ships