The Omnichannel Quad
The topics at OmnichannelX are organised around “The Omnichannel Quad”, which describes the four key domains that make an omnichannel strategy work.
No matter the size of the organisation or the scope of the initiative, a team will have to address these 4 areas: Content and design running in parallel, defining experiences, while governance and systems provide an enabling support layer beneath.
Content
Content is what’s in a container. The text, video, images, graphics, and tools that customers and staff want and need to have a good experience is managed and shipped in various types of content container.
Containers can be fields in a form, database, or document structure, or even the end deliverables users consume. Omnichannel content is inseparable from all the metadata, style guidelines, and standards that constrain and define all these containers.
Design
Design is the thinking behind and creation of the layouts, interfaces, and creative touches that make experiences efficient, familiar, enjoyable, and recognisable. As content goes omnichannel, design standards have to cater to diverse interfaces beyond the screen including physical environments, signage, augmented or virtual reality, and more.
Designs both take advantage of and have to respect the limitations of systems. Content containers themselves to be designed for omnichannel reuse and an effective governance framework keeps staff in compliance with design principles.
Governance
Governance focuses on establishing clear accountability for digital strategy, policy, and standards. A governance framework, when effectively designed and implemented, helps to streamline processes. When everyone knows the rules, and who owns what, everyone can work faster. Content itself must also be governed in compliance with standards the organisation sets.
Systems
Systems are the platforms and technology that make our digital lives possible. From content management systems, artificial intelligence, and data lakes to simple apps or just having the right editor, omnichannel experiences rely on software from creation to consumption to socialising.
Do better together
For success in omnichannel, you’ll need at least a working understanding of all the disciplines and interdependencies in the quad. The more you know, the better! But no individual can implement an omnichannel strategy on their own. OmnichannelX exists to help us learn from each other to understand how we can work more effectively not only as contributors, but as organisations and teams, in partnership with our audiences.