Managing a Dot-Com …collaboration is the key

1. Managing a Dot-Com…collaboration is the key http://www.mercynet.edu/faculty/dielsi/MISoverview John DiElsi jdielsi@mercynet.edu

2. “It’s easy to get good players. Getting ‘em to play together, that’s the hard part.” Casey Stengel John DiElsi

3. INBS 540 Website Management Process People John DiElsi

4. What Is It? • originally available at one site • popularity caused distribution to many • eventually settled at many sites • business focus on building repeat customers • used banners for publicity • browsers encouraged to visit site John DiElsi

5. A Circus!! John DiElsi

6. Distributing Information • media • natural (mountains, cave walls, sand) • manufactured (clothing, paper, billboards, instruments, monitors, TVs, ) • communication tools • natural (smoke, sand, charcoal, etc.) • manufactured (ink, paint, pencil, keyboards, cameras, electron beams, etc.) John DiElsi

7. Distributing Information • concerns/issues • using the media • distributing information • duplicating information • protecting the creator rights • quality of product • information channels • transforming the information for the media John DiElsi

8. The Web as Media • compare to software, advertising, traditional projects • development schedules • changes during implementation phase • pricing models • standards for development process • team roles, specialization • project manager responsibilities John DiElsi

9. Can you do it all? • time • to collect information • to organize information • to display information • quality • of information collected • of organization of information • of display of information John DiElsi

10. Design: An Art and a Science • must follow rules, guidelines • compare to building architecture • strategic values • long-range goals • tactical values • short-range goals John DiElsi

11. Strategic Values • branding • easy identification with service/site • impact/news • fresh, new – to attract new visitors and retain old ones • audience/community • give audience what they want • competitive • make site more attractive than competitors John DiElsi

12. Tactical Values • design • goals  visual experience • content • what site has to say • production • how site is put together • utility • what visitors can do on site John DiElsi

13. Why Design It Right • good design cannot guarantee success; poor design will make it difficult • usability an important factor • why build a site? • save money • make money • provide information, news • publicize cause John DiElsi

14. FAQs print/mailing costs of catalogues tracking packages phone center, help line direct capture of data; database Saving Money – Reducing Support Costs John DiElsi

15. Making Money – Sales and Distribution • decreased cost to process order • replacing expensive procedures • web advertising – careful!! • disintermediation • travel • car sales • office supplies John DiElsi

16. Solving the Business Problem • must know business objectives before using site effectively to meet them • best solution not always one using most technology – need strategic planning • must know marketing goals before knowing how web can be used to improve it • budget comes last John DiElsi

17. Align Business Goals With Usability • business goals • make money? • sell product directly? • support distribution/sales channels? • marketing goals • increase strength of brand • design goals • attractive, aesthetic John DiElsi

18. Site Business Goals • raison d’etre • design can’t begin until designers understand why site exists • knowing how site contributes to bottom line cues designers to design decisions • each design element should support goal John DiElsi

19. Business ModelsCommercial Site • sell products • goals: • help users choose products • speed users through process • help develop trust John DiElsi

20. Business ModelsAdvertiser Paid Sites • goals: • provide content that keeps users returning -- “stickiness” • provide outlet for advertisers • paid by impressions • integrated design increases ad impressions • 2 masters -- the user and the advertiser John DiElsi

21. Business ModelsCorporate Sites • promote business and brand • goal: • increase revenue via branding • reduce costs • improve communication between channels and consumers • reduce call center intake John DiElsi

22. Business Goals and Usability Testing • must know business goals to create aligned design • use goals to develop usability tests John DiElsi

23. How much is quality? • wide cost range for creating websites • Estimation, timeline based on • personnel • number of pages • complexity of pages • features • expensive functionality – database, shopping cart, etc. • expensive content – media used, expert advice, etc. • web price index • http://www.btobonline.com • http://www.brennerbooks.com/sampleprices.html John DiElsi

24. Communication is the Key • client-contractor relationships • internal or external client • broad expertise (business, tech, design) John DiElsi

25. Client Team • client team members • project leader (producer, team leader, …) • coordinates efforts of client organization • liaison to developer • decision maker(s) • needs information • webmaster(s) • manages/maintains site hosting John DiElsi

26. Client Team • client team members • contentmasters • responsible for providing content • other content contributors • writers, photographers, artists, designers, etc. • timely coordination important John DiElsi

27. Types of Developer Teams • proprietors • individual or small group • only interested in creating site • not much interest in administrative aspects • partnerships • more serious about developing sites • usually start with small projects John DiElsi

28. Types of Developer Teams • boutiques • larger partnerships (10+ people) that includes administrative and sales personnel • many design-oriented jobs or some technically-oriented jobs • agencies • multidisciplinary; go after larger jobs • usually outsource many design functions • look for accounts rather than single jobs John DiElsi

29. Development Team • formal teams more productive • IT or advertising often vie for site control • classification of team members • core • key personnel for all kinds of web development • examples: producer, designers • extended • personnel not always needed or have cross-functional roles • examples: programmer, network engineer • special • have skills not part of core or extended team • examples: audio engineering, security specialist John DiElsi

30. Developer Team • management • development team • client liaison • creative • design team • writers, illustrators • technical • hardware support • network support • programming John DiElsi

31. Building a Team • identify necessary skills • assessing skills of personnel • other considerations • critical deadline? • risks • interpersonal skills • cross-functional capabilities John DiElsi

32. Building a Team • professional motivation • task-oriented • motivated by work • self-oriented • motivated by personal success, recognition • interaction-oriented • motivated by presence, actions of co-workers John DiElsi

33. Building a Team • work habits • programmers • solitary, usually work alone • ask about risks, concerns • designers • usually perfectionists • keep on task • writers • solitary • must know who audience is, project objectives John DiElsi

34. Leading a Team • provide motivation and support • balance timeline with budget • keep goals in mind • don’t let personal attributes get in way of completing project John DiElsi

35. Management Musts • set clear guidelines • production guide that documents who does what, when, how • create project site • for development team and client • link to development site • work with client • collaborate John DiElsi

36. Outsourcing • hire outside resources or form strategic partnerships • use web to find contractors • check backgrounds • check quality of work • if use outsourcing firm, ask for client referral list John DiElsi

37. Business Cycle • periods of uneven workload • can be due to • lack of new jobs • too many jobs • delay in communication between client and developer • can be affected by e-commerce failures John DiElsi

38. The Business Goes Home at Night • very risky, labor intensive business • must be good to survive • generally creative but low profit • in smaller companies, team members many have multiple tasks • must know company strengths and go after customers that need those strengths John DiElsi

39. False Economies of Web Design • can adapt text, graphics from print pieces • more people, faster job • no planning involved, just try things and see what works • documentation is waste of time and effort John DiElsi

40. False Economies of Web Design • anyone can design site; just need someone to implement design • ask for price quotes and get ideas for free • maintenance is easy and fun; can do it ourselves • site producer not really that important John DiElsi

41. Talk the Talk, Walk the Walk • communication key to success • focus on process, not deliverables • good process is adaptable • deliverables just show progress made by process John DiElsi

42. Web Development • websites require frequent change, as do development tools • developers must be open to learning from clients, customers, other developers • structured process is important • being aware of landscape is critical John DiElsi

43. “Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.” Winston Churchill John DiElsi