As stated earlier, reviewing the workflow processes that content follows from creation to Web will help identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and potential areas for improvement. As a Webmaster of a large agency mentioned, “We needed to fix what was broken first, and then make it a lot easier to succeed. Instead of just using the XML and putting all these fixes, just look for the problem in the first place. And not only will that help with [one] process; it’s going to help with many, many other projects along the way.”

Analyzing the workflow process identifies inter-organizational hand-offs and helps individual units see beyond their own boundaries. As one member of the Testbed stated, “I never knew exactly what happened once it left our office. I am amazed at the work they [the other unit] have to do with it once we think it is final.” This acknowledgment helps organizational units see all the parts in a larger picture. It also removes the emotional connection or ownership many have to the final product. Through this analysis, the individuals involved saw how their roles fit within the larger organization. This factor alone can help eliminate or reduce the number of turf conflicts and ownership issues that can and do occur.

In addition, it is an opportunity to reflect on the current processes and think about ways to improve them. A public information officer from a medium-sized agency clearly highlighted this opportunity: “Whenever you have an initiative like this and you’re starting a process, a new one, it forces you to reexamine where the old processes have developed faults or developed problems ... So it would be beneficial, because the agency as a whole would have to kind of undergo a self-examination ... So this would give us an excuse to take a closer look and see where improvements might be made.”