Are web managers still needed when everyone is a web 'expert'?

#P2 - Are web managers still needed when everyone is a web ‘expert’? Susan Farrell Susan Farrell Consulting Ltd

We’ll look at…
Why web managers are not valued.
Who are these web experts?
Do we need recognised qualifications?
How do we show the value we add to the Institution?

What is the perception of ‘web people’?
Techies in a cellar or higher profile?
Are staff and students aware of what will happen if you’re not there?
Does the VC understand your role?

Who are these web experts?
Indispensable
Have the ear of the senior management
No respect for skills
Hunt in packs

Librarians v web professionals Updating users on new content Updating users on new resources Adding metadata to facilitate searching Cataloguing resources to facilitate searching Information architecture – provides structure to web resources Classification of resources to provide structure Organising information so that it can be found easily by users Organising information so that it can be found easily by users Web professionals Librarians

The complexity of the web is not visible
Out of sight is out of mind!

Undermining of web professionals
User research / usability testing
Writing for the web
Design
H1 headings
SEO
Metadata
Information architecture
Search
From webprofessionals.org

The consultant knows best…
If you pay a fee for an opinion it must be better than one you pay a salary for!

What is a web professional?
Broad range of skills and experience
Softer skills less recognised
No set qualifications
Skills being absorbed by other roles.
?

There’s more to it than meets the eye Website CMS Static pages Applications Web 2.0 apps and services Multimedia streaming Prospectus Student applications Events booking Library catalogue Institutional Repository

There goes my reputation!
Heinz 57 website
Missing, duplicated, inaccurate content
Site structure falls apart
Stakeholders not involved
No standards
Lots of different technologies

Web at the heart of the business
Streamlining processes
Making tasks quicker to perform
Connecting business applications
Enabling fast access to resources
Personalised access

Promote yourself
Audiences
Messages
Methods

Audiences
Senior management
Advisory Board / Working Group
Web strategy / business case
Others in the Institution
… .but management changes!

Messages
Contributing to a successful Institution
Meeting objectives
Enhancing its reputation
Adding value
‘ We will attract the very best students in terms of ability and potential and provide those students with a world-class learning experience’

Helping the whole Institution
Marketing - prospectuses
Public Relations – internal and external communications, online branding
Development - fundraising
Alumni – social networking
Admin – online forms, online payments
Departments – elearning, current student communications
From webprofessionals.org

Getting recognised
Staff
Community of interest
Briefing sessions / seminars
Training the ‘experts’
Senior managers
Web strategy
Briefing notes
Get involved in committees

A professional body?
Represent the interests of the members of the professions
Set and maintain professional standards
Provide accredited qualifications
Members have chartered status
Promote public understanding
Facilitate networking of professionals
… but what is a web professional?

So…
Are web managers still needed when everyone is a web ‘expert’?
Yes, but we need to promote ourselves and…
be part of the solution in our Institutions, not part of the overhead Susan Farrell
[email_address]

Are web managers still needed when everyone is a web 'expert'?

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Are web managers still needed when everyone is a web ’expert’? Presentation Transcript

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