introducing web & communications management & governance to the energy information...

Introducing Web & Introducing Web & Communications Management Communications Management & Governance to the Energy & Governance to the Energy Information AdministrationInformation AdministrationMay 13, 2009

Gina PearsonGina PearsonDirectorDirector

National Energy Information CenterNational Energy Information Center

2Energy Information Administration | www.eia.doe.gov

Introducing the Energy Information Administration (EIA)

Why EIA needs web and communications management and governance?

Progress made since 2006– Restructuring of the National Energy Information

Center– Implementing user-centered, research-based web

design– Developing an overall Agency web strategy

What’s in store for the future?

Today’s PresentationToday’s Presentation


Energy Information Administration: Energy Information Administration: Mission, Program & ResourcesMission, Program & Resources

Mission Provide high-quality energy information

to meet the requirements of the Congress, the Federal Government, markets, and the public in a manner that promotes sound policymaking, efficient markets, and public understanding.

Resources $110.6 Million in FY 2009 375 employees

National Energy Information Center– 23 employees – 18 Federal & 5

contractors– $825,000 budget – FY 2009

Program Collect, compile and publish reliable

energy data, information and analyses. In FY 2009, EIA will operate 65 surveys

and data forms:• Petroleum (27)• Natural gas (7)• Ethanol (2)• Oil and natural gas reserves

and production (5)• Electric power (7)• Uranium (3)• Coal (3)• Renewable and alternate fuels

(5)• End-use consumption (3)• Greenhouse gases (2)• Finance (1)


A wide range of data, analyses and projections

Weekly Reports - This Week in Petroleum ♦ Weekly Petroleum Status Report ♦ Natural Gas Weekly Update ♦ Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report ♦ Weekly Coal Production Report ♦ Coal News and Markets

Monthly Reports - Short-Term Energy Outlook ♦ Natural Gas Monthly ♦ Electric Power Monthly ♦ Petroleum Supply Monthly ♦ Monthly Energy Review

Annual Reports - Annual Energy Outlook 2009 with Projections to 2030 ♦ International Energy Outlook ♦ Annual Energy Review ♦ Natural Gas Annual ♦ Electric Power Annual ♦ Petroleum Supply Annual ♦ Petroleum Marketing Annual ♦ Annual Coal Report ♦ Emissions of Greenhouse Gases in the U.S.

Special Reports - A Primer on Gasoline Prices ♦ State Electricity Profiles ♦ Residential Natural Gas Price Information for Consumers ♦ Country Analysis Briefs ♦ Energy in Briefs ♦ Analysis of Oil and Gas Production in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge ♦ Energy Market and Economic Impacts of S.2191, the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act of 2007

EIA’s Core ProgramEIA’s Core Program


When energy issues are front and center, America looks to the Department of Energy to interpret the current energy market situation.

EIA is the main U.S. government entity involved in current energy markets and issues.

In many settings, such as the situation following the 2005 and 2008 hurricanes, the MTBE/ethanol transition in the spring of 2006, and the oil price increases in late 2007-mid 2008, both the Congress and the Administration directly rely on and benefit from EIA’s role as a trusted source of policy-neutral energy information and analysis.

EIA’s Role in Current Energy Markets & IssuesEIA’s Role in Current Energy Markets & Issues


10:30 am EIA data released

EIA Impacts Energy MarketsEIA Impacts Energy Markets

EIA’s release of its Oil Inventory Data has immediate impact on the oil markets

Data reflect NYMEX Light, Sweet Crude Oil (WTI) Near-Month Futures Contract January 16, 2008; Source: Bloomberg Finance LP (2/13/08)


10:30 am EIA data released10:30 am EIA data released

EIA Impacts Energy MarketsEIA Impacts Energy Markets

EIA’s release of its Natural Gas Storage Data has immediate impact on natural gas markets

Data reflect NYMEX Henry Hub Natural Gas Futures Contract Price for April 2009 Delivery, March 26, 2009; Source: Bloomberg Finance LP (3/30/09)


EIA - “EIA - “Small But MightySmall But Mighty””

The Energy Ant

Mascot of EIA’s Kids Energy Website


ADMINISTRATORVACANT

DEPUTY ADMINISTRATORHoward Gruenspecht, 202 586-6351 Office of Resource

ManagementDirector

Stephen Durbin

Office of Information Technology

DirectorWilliam Underwood

Natural Gas Division

Office of Oil and GasDirector

Steve Harvey 202 586-5986

Energy Consumption Division

Office of Coal, Nuclear, Electric and Alternate

FuelsDirector

Scott Sitzer202 287-1990

Office of Energy Markets and End Use

Director Margot Anderson

202 586-2589

Office of Integrated Analysis and Forecasting

DirectorJohn Conti

202 586-4430

National Energy Information Center

DirectorGina Pearson

Statistics and Methods GroupDirector

Stephanie Brown

Collection and Dissemination

Division

Petroleum Division

Electric Power Division

Coal, Nuclear and Renewable Fuels

Systems Support Division

Energy Markets and Contingency

Information Division

Integrated Energy Statistics Division

Demand and Integration Division

Coal and Electric Power Division

Oil and Gas Division

International Economic and

Greenhouse Gas

Reserves and Production Division

EIA’s OrganizationEIA’s Organization


Role of the National Energy Information Role of the National Energy Information Center (NEIC)Center (NEIC)

Media relations Customer contact center Customer / market research and

analysis Communications, marketing and

outreach (including print publications)

Some internal (employee) communication

Graphic design and production Content operations and oversight

for the Agency’s public website 23 employees – 18 Federal & 5 contractors

$825,000 budget – FY 2009


30.4 million visitor sessions to the site, from January – December 2008

2.5 million visits per month, on average

Approximately 500K files of all types

1,300 publications and products, 47 email subscription lists, and seven RSS feeds

279,000 total subscriptions to EIA’s email updates

Current State of the EIA WebCurrent State of the EIA Web


90% of customers satisfied or very satisfied

71% said they found what they were looking for

Google rankings indicate very high performance on relevant key topics, such as “energy prices” and “greenhouse gases”

Top three words customers used to describe EIA are “informative,” “objective,” and “expert”




www.eia.doe.gov circa 2008



www.eia.doe.gov has been severely limited by a lack of: Standards & consistency

Print and paper-based modes of presentation

Interpretive content that fosters knowledge, understanding and insight

Cross-cutting web products and content; standard product lines

An overall unified, corporate approach The Many Faces of the EIA Website



The many faces and voices of EIA: A digital manifestation of the Agency’s organizational structureA product of the duplicative web operations and product teams throughout Agency70 employees authorized to post directly to the website



User experience - like “drinking from a “fire hose”Homepage did a poor job in highlighting announcements, hot topics, special features, and other new and timely information, and in serving as a portal into different dimensions of available information These shortcomings may be

limiting the agency’s potential to achieve its

mission to promote sound policymaking, efficient

markets, and public understanding.

Too many basic inquiries from customers; website did not adequately facilitate self-serviceContent too often reflects an insider, industry or expert perspective

The many faces and voices of EIA:


Phased Evolution of NEIC: 2006 to PresentPhased Evolution of NEIC: 2006 to Present


Web Services Division Led by a Division Director Includes:

– Web Project Manager (3)

– Multimedia Specialist

– Web Application Developer / User Interface Designer (2)

– Web Analytics (function)

– Web Accessibility (function)

Communications & Outreach Services DivisionTo be led by a Division DirectorIncludes:

– Customer Contact Center– Web Content Manager (3)– Web Editor in Chief

(function)– User Experience Advocate– Media Relations Lead

Phased Evolution of NEIC: 2006 to PresentPhased Evolution of NEIC: 2006 to Present


Improving www.eia.doe.gov Through User-Centered Design

Research-based – Decisions about www.eia.doe.gov (architecture, navigation, terminology, graphical interface, etc.) will be based on data, not opinions

Defining a “user experience” vision for the EIA website Conducting interviews with EIA staff and external

customers Analyzing contact center call logs and emails Conducing web traffic and search log analysis Implementing annual and product-specific customer

satisfaction surveys Conducting formal audience analysis and persona

development Performing card sort testing and analysis Conducting one-on-one usability testing

User-centered – www.eia.doe.gov will be based on users’ needs and wants, developed with continuous user input, and tested with users

User-Centered, Research-Based Activities:


“EIA’s public website is tailored specifically to meet the core needs of the agency's most important customers, with users relying on the site to provide knowledge, understanding and insight on important energy topics and issues. The site delivers just the information customers need, when they need it, in the right amount, and through the appropriate communication channel. It serves the needs of both novice and expert users equally well. Users also find the content, presentation, format and structure of EIA’s web products to be consistently high quality and easy to use. The site allows users to easily locate all products that are available across multiple dimensions, including topic, type of document or product, time, geography, and other key variables or facets that are found to be important to them. And users regularly benefit from the agency’s pro-active efforts to enrich site content and expand reach through the strategic use of new technologies and communications tools.”

User Experience Vision

Adopted by the “EIA & the Internet” Strategic Planning Study Group

October 2006



Each EIA “user persona’ represents one of our major customer groups



Progress Made Since 2006Progress Made Since 2006

New Content & Sections Frequently Asked Questions Careers Site Home Page Redesign Press Room Redesigned “About Us” section “Energy in Brief” series

– Explains important energy topics in plain language

– 2,500 visitors per day – one of EIA’s top 20 products

– 6,000 email subscribers – EIA’s fastest-growing list


What’s In Store for the Future?What’s In Store for the Future?

Planned Improvements & Enhancements

Re-architecting of site and implementation of global navigation

Technical infrastructure upgrade and consolidation

Launch of “Energy Explained”

Agency-Wide Web Strategy Featuring a large focus on

management and governance issues and structures

May recommend:– Consolidated / centrally

managed web contracting– New roles & responsibilities –

“Product Development Directors” in each program office

– Improved content management and oversight

– Formation of a high-level web governing body

Wish List Strategy for both

multimedia & social media Data integration


Energy Explained

EIA’s best energy education content in one place.

Usability research helps us deliver a great user experience.

User rating and commenting facilitates continuous improvement.

Viral marketing tools are built in to get the word out.

Pages direct visitors to related content from EIA and other DOE and federal agencies.

introducing web & communications management & governance to the energy information...

Documents

neutral energy information

department of energy

reliable energy data

gas production

natural gas reserves

briefs analysis of oil

oil inventory data

efficient markets