A presentation by The Chronicle's publisher, Mireille Grangenois, and CTO, Don Sargent: The Chronicle of Higher Education has been serving the higher ed and philanthropy communities for more than 45 years. Higher education has so many new challenges today that the Chronicle had to find ways to solve the biggest problems now. Traditional product teams and methods trying to grow the company as a "side of the desk" activity weren't moving the needle fast or boldly enough. This session will reveal how Don and Mireille are accomplishing this by fusing the business, editorial, and technology organizations into a startup team that's creating Vitae, the career hub for higher education professionals. Using Lean Startup methods and blending in the best parts of Chronicle's unique culture, they are creating new products that weren't possible in the past.

1. A
VERSE
STARTUP WITHIN A
TO
VITAE
45-YEAR-OLD
PUBLISHING COMPANY
AGILE DC EXECUTIVE SUMMIT

2. MIREILLE GRANGENOIS,
PUBLISHER
DON SARGENT,
CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER
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3. HISTORY OF THE CHRONICLE
47
43
YEARS AS THE MOST TRUSTED AUTHORITY
IN HIGHER EDUCATION
YEARS AS THE MOST TRUSTED HIRING SOLUTION
IN HIGHER EDUCATION
ONE OF THE FIRST MEDIA COMPANIES ON THE INTERNET
18
YEARS AS THE MOST TRUSTED AUTHORITY IN
HIGHER EDUCATION ONLINE
MOST TRUSTED SOURCE FOR HIGHER EDUCATION DATA &
ANALYSIS COMPARATIVE TO THE WALL STREET JOURNAL &
THE NEW YORK TIMES

4. WHAT IS VITAE?
VITAE IS THE ONLY ONLINE CAREER HUB DEDICATED TO
MAKING IT EASIER–AND MORE REWARDING–FOR FACULTY
AND ADMINISTRATORS TO DO THEIR JOBS EACH DAY.
4

5. WHAT IS VITAE?
VITAE DELIVERS:
•
A COMMUNITY OF ACADEMICS AND ADMINISTRATORS
•
CAREER MANAGEMENT TOOLS
•
CAREER ADVICE & NEWS FROM INSIDERS
•
A FREE DOSSIER SERVICE
•
THE BEST JOBS FOR HIGHER ED PROFESSIONALS
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6. THE CHALLENGE

7. THE CHRONICLE…
•
A STORIED JOURNALISM BRAND
•
STEEPED IN TRADITION AND VALUES
• MISSION
• QUALITY
• INDEPENDENCE
•
DELIBERATIVE, SLOWER PACED
•
HISTORY OF INVESTING IN JOURNALISM, BUT NOT TECH
AND BIZ
•
REPUTATION MAKES RECRUITING NON-JOURNALISM
TALENT DIFFICULT
7

8. WHAT MAKES THE CHRONICLE GREAT CAN
MAKE IT HARD TO INNOVATE
•
FOCUS ON BEING GREAT TODAY MEANS “SIDE OF THE
DESK” WORK ON NEW PRODUCTS
•
TEAMS ORGANIZED IN TRADITIONAL PUBLISHING
COMPANY ARRAY
•
PRESSURE FOR EVERYTHING TO BE PERFECT
•
BUILDING THINGS HAD BECOME AGILE, BUT NEW
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT WAS NOT
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9. VITAE IS THE PIVOT POINT FOR THE
CHRONICLE
•
IT’S A LEAP FOR THE CHRONICLE IN SCALE AND
RISK/REWARD
•
VITAE IS THE TECTONIC FORCE CHANGING HOW WE WORK
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10. WHAT WE DID

11. FOUNDED A STARTUP WITHIN THE
ENTERPRISE
•
TEAM IS “ALL IN” AND “ALL TOGETHER”
Product
Mgt.
Technolo
gy
Design
Editorial
Marketing
Dev
partners
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12. FOUNDED A STARTUP
•
EXECUTIVES ARE FULL-TIME PART OF THE TEAM
•
WE RECRUITED TALENT WITH THEME “WORK LIKE A
STARTUP WITH ESTABLISHED COMPANY STABILITY”
•
REST OF COMPANY AWARE BUT SEPARATE
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13. …AND BECAME AGILE EXECUTIVES
•
PROCESS MATTERS BUT “BEING THERE” AND
COMMUNICATING RIGHT MATTERS MOST
•
BEHAVE AS IF VITAE WAS YOUR OWN STARTUP USING
YOUR OWN MONEY
•
ENTIRE EXECUTIVE TEAM TOOK STEVE BLANK’S UDACITY
MOOC
•
HAD TO WORK HARD TO GO FORWARD WITH ONLY
HYPOTHESES ABOUT WHAT IT IS, COSTS, AND REVENUE
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14. OUR APPROACH
•
RESEARCH CENTERED ON:
• HIGHER ED AND RECRUITING/CAREERS ECOLOGY,
PERSONAS, AND PROBLEMS
• “GET SMART” SPEAKERS
• ADVISORY BOARD
•
ART AND SCIENCE IDEATION AND RANKING
•
FORM TEAM AND APPLY LEAN STARTUP PRINCIPLES TO TOP
OPPORTUNITY (VITAE)
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15. CULTURE

16. CULTURE KEYS
•
IT LIVES AND DIES BY EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP
•
MAKE THE FIGHTS BE ABOUT THE WORK
•
BE THE WASP KILLER FOR YOUR TEAM
•
HIRE GROWN-UPS WHO THRIVE AT THE INTERSECTION OF
INNOVATION AND THE LEGACY/ENTERPRISE BUSINESS
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17. RESULTS

18. •
VITAE IN BETA
•
A BLENDED, AND BONDED, TEAM
•
JOURNEY IS STILL UNCOMFORTABLE, ESPECIALLY AROUND
PROJECTING AND CONTROLLING INVESTMENT/COST
•
THIS IS HARD AND SCARY; NOT FOR WIMPS
•
NO ROOM FOR POLITICS; CRYBABIES IGNORED OR
PUSHED OUT
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19. QUESTIONS