Stap isi

4 January 2009

The importance of web teams

In 2007, Jeffrey Zeldman said let there be web divisions.

[A]lmost no one who makes websites works in their company or organization’s web division. That’s because almost no company or organization has a web division. And that void on the org chart is one reason we have so many bloated, unusable failures where we should be producing great user experiences.

The call remains pertinent, especially in local government where the extraordinary possibilities of digital information and communication technologies are often reduced to “website” with a single person in an essentially administrative role tasked with maintaining that presence.

The ability to innovate or communicate is limited by IT’s control over infrastructure and systems, senior staff’s patchy understanding of the opportunities available and a deeply conservative approach to managing information and risk.

The officer maintaining the web presence is often isolated and frustrated.

I think we can also build on Zeldman’s manifesto and extend membership of local government web teams not just to coders, designers and writers (dare to dream) but to the people who will represent your organisation on, say, blogs or Twitter – the social media spokesperson.

As Councils offer such a wide range of services across all sectors of the community, I’d say you could probably do with at least two or more of these voices.

They might come from IT or communications. But they might also be front desk customer service staff or librarians. Remember that libraries are often open on Saturdays and Sundays, and both front desk staff and librarians are accomplished referrers.

A good web team will not only build and deploy, they will

• respond and refer promptly and appropriately
• build community online through participation and moderation
• evangelise web-based communication in your organisation

We may be a few years off having web divisions but my suggestion doesn’t include hiring more people or creating new positions. It’s about writing the web into existing work plans and requiring supervisors to make the time and space available to those officers to participate online.

So, local government managers, find the people who are comfortable with communication online. Give them the guidance and authority to converse with your constituents. And formally recognise the web team in your organisation.

— b3rn   management, web teams   Jan 4, 10:11 AM   #

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