HOW GITLAB TURNED THE TABLE WITH THE DATABASE INCIDENT

During the first semester in Hanze university of applied sciences, my teammates and I wrote a case study about Gitlab crisis - how the company handles its database incident and saves the brand reputation using social media. It is part of Corporate Communication module.

GitLab is digital software company providing repository data platform for individual customers and companies. As an open software for public contribution, GitLab has been facing the problem with management strategy regarding the concern of cyber privacy and data protection. On 31st January 2017, an employee accidentally deleted client's data in the database server and GitLab lost the majority of intellectual data. GitLab addressed its crisis on social media, gave a detailed explanation of recovery plan and publicly seek for advice from professionals. GitLab performed a communication strategy in the effort of recovering the data as well as saving the company’s reputation and credibility.

The main methodology we used in exploring the case is purely desk research. We were breaking down each stage in the Gitlab's crisis to analyse to see which strategies the company might apply in crisis and social media management. We also use seven Arthur W Page principles as a criteria to evaluate the way Gitlab dealt with the incident.

my team with Professor Wim Elving - Our lecturer

What have I learnt from the project?

Research skills - Analysing secondary data

Every member in my team has own equally duties in the project and I was mainly working on analysing the Gitlab's transparency approach and stakeholder management in its crisis. A number of theories on stakeholder management were used to analyse Gitlab's responses from its public, clients and employees.

Communication skill - Presentation

The case was also graded a presentation. In the end, I was also in charge as a presenter for the case in front of my classmates and professors.

Some screenshots from the presentation

Unfortunately, this case was not among the Arthur W. Page Case Competition's winners selected, even "it was highly competitive and seriously considered".  I believe that other communication practitioners and social media managers still find this case analysis helpful and learn some lessons from Gitlab's mistake.