How can we secure our financial future? It’s a question constantly on New Internationalist’s mind in an era of falling media subscription rates. New Internationalist is an independent, non-profit media co-operative that reports on human rights, politics, and social and environmental justice. For 40 years they have provided an alternative perspective on important issues, covering stories overlooked by the mainstream media. The United Nations recognized their ‘outstanding contribution to world peace and development’.
ThoughtWorks was brought in to develop their website and digital platform, due for release in July 2017. Working closely with NI teams, we realized there was an opportunity to change the way they prioritize and invest in projects by focusing on outcomes and potential business impact. Using lean portfolio management, value based prioritization and an adaptive approach to product validation, we helped New Internationalist shift toward a culture of experimentation and rapid learning so they can make better, data-based decisions.
Funding in a flash
The organization is almost exclusively funded by subscriptions and donations. Purely ad-supported operations aren’t an option for a media house that so fiercely believes in independence. New Internationalist used this lean portfolio management approach to quickly test and validate a new way to gather funding. The result? The successful introduction of their Community Share Offer.
