Gina Pearson Director National Energy Information Center

1. Introducing Web & Communications Management & Governance to the Energy Information AdministrationMay 13, 2009 Gina PearsonDirectorNational Energy Information Center

2. Today’s Presentation • 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?

3. Energy Information Administration: Mission, Program & Resources 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) 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

4. EIA’s Core Program 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

5. EIA’s Role in Current Energy Markets & Issues • 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.

6. 10:30 am EIA data released EIA 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)

7. 10:30 am EIA data released 10:30 am EIA data released EIA 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)

8. EIA - “Small But Mighty” The Energy Ant Mascot of EIA’s Kids Energy Website

9. ADMINISTRATOR VACANT DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR Howard Gruenspecht, 202 586-6351 Office of Resource Management Director Stephen Durbin Office of Information Technology Director William Underwood National Energy Information Center Director Gina Pearson Statistics and Methods Group Director Stephanie Brown Office of Oil and Gas Director Steve Harvey 202 586-5986 Office of Coal, Nuclear, Electric and Alternate Fuels Director Scott Sitzer 202 287-1990 Office of Energy Markets and End Use Director Margot Anderson 202 586-2589 Office of Integrated Analysis and Forecasting Director John Conti 202 586-4430 Demand and Integration Division Natural Gas Division Electric Power Division Energy Consumption Division Collection and Dissemination Division Coal and Electric Power Division Coal, Nuclear and Renewable Fuels Energy Markets and Contingency Information Division Petroleum Division Oil and Gas Division Systems Support Division Integrated Energy Statistics Division Reserves and Production Division International Economic and Greenhouse Gas EIA’s Organization

10. Role of the National Energy Information 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

11. Current State of the EIA Web • 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

12. Current 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”

13. Current State of the EIA Web www.eia.doe.gov circa 2008

14. The Many Faces of the EIA Website Current State of the EIA Web • 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

15. Current State of the EIA Web The many faces and voices of EIA: • A digital manifestation of the Agency’s organizational structure • A product of the duplicative web operations and product teams throughout Agency • 70 employees authorized to post directly to the website

16. Current State of the EIA Web The many faces and voices of EIA: • 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 • Too many basic inquiries from customers; website did not adequately facilitate self-service • Content too often reflects an insider, industry or expert perspective These shortcomings may be limiting the agency’s potential to achieve its mission to promote sound policymaking, efficient markets, and public understanding.

17. Phased Evolution of NEIC: 2006 to Present

18. Phased Evolution of NEIC: 2006 to Present Communications & Outreach Services Division • To be led by a Division Director • Includes: • Customer Contact Center • Web Content Manager (3) • Web Editor in Chief (function) • User Experience Advocate • Media Relations Lead 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)

19. Improving www.eia.doe.gov Through User-Centered Design User-Centered, Research-Based Activities: • 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 Research-based – Decisions about www.eia.doe.gov (architecture, navigation, terminology, graphical interface, etc.) will be based on data, not opinions User-centered – www.eia.doe.gov will be based on users’ needs and wants, developed with continuous user input, and tested with users

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

21. Improving www.eia.doe.gov Through User-Centered Design Each EIA “user persona’ represents one of our major customer groups

22. Progress 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

23. 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

25. 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.