One Web site, hold the Web 2.0

I write about Web 2.0, and I understand the business sense behind it. But recently I’ve been putting my own site together, and it’s brought up a lot of issues that I’m sure many IT managers out there are facing.

In the past, the IT department was responsible for All Things Internet. But today, it’s more likely that someone in the marketing department is responsible for the company’s Web site and is probably contracting the design and hosting out to a third party – and these decisions may be out of the IT manager’s hands.

And, perhaps, into the hands of someone who doesn’t know a heck of a lot about IT. That VP of marketing or other line-of-business manager probably doesn’t have an IT background, and they may not know the right questions to ask when contracting a designer or hosting company.

It’s the IT manager’s job to keep the project on track and provide technical guidance, such as how to choose and register a domain name (and whether they should register different versions of that domain name). For example, I chose a domain name for my Web site, only to find out a similar domain name existed – for a porn site. So the IT manager should make sure the VP of marketing doesn’t get into the same pickle.

The IT manager should help design policies around blogging, podcasts and other Web 2.0 technologies to ensure an employee doesn’t inadvertently leak information or, say, post inappropriate photos (like drunken staff Christmas party shots). In fact, HR may have to sit in on this discussion.

The discussion should also include social networking, from Facebook to Second Life, as options for marketing or building a customer base – but only when (and if) it makes sense for the business. The IT manager should step in here to provide guidance on issues like privacy and measuring ROI. Also, if they have big plans for the site, how will that impact the corporate network? How fast will pages load? Security, of course, is also an issue, and the IT manager has to make sure the site won’t compromise the corporate network in any way.

But when it comes to content, don’t be surprised if the VP of marketing expects IT to butt out – and that’s perfectly okay, so long as the project isn’t spiraling out of control.

A friend of mine who designs Web sites told me about one client who spent two years trying to launch her business Web site. She had a raft of items she wanted to include that was as long as Santa’s wish list – and she just couldn’t seem to get it off the ground within her budget. He told her to take a big step back – and then to start small, to take baby steps.

How many times have you gone to a flashy Web site and couldn’t find the company’s phone number or location, and eventually gave up and went somewhere else? Only once the basics are covered (contact information, the products or services you offer, what sets you apart from the competition) should you look at Web 2.0. An IT manager should make sure that these basics haven’t been overlooked – even if that advice is unsolicited.

The IT manager’s role in Web strategy may be changing, but it’s critical to stay involved in the process to keep line-of-business managers in line.

Himmelsbach is a regular contributor to ComputerWorld Canada. vawn_h@yahoo.ca

Comments (2)

President

by dara ohuiginn 2/19/2008 12:00:00 AMYou address many of the important elements of the development of next generation of web interactivity for companies. There is however a tone of IT control to the article as in ?it is the IT Manager?s job to keep the project on track?. This is not the best direction or where I see the direction of strategic thinking reside. As you later mention IT should participate in the setting of policies for usage relating to blogging and bandwidth usage and security. Marketing managers should have web capability as part of their core competencies given how crucial it is for the company. There is excuse for a marketing manager not to be familiar with domains and their registration, the basics, and the content and overall architecture. What has been traditionally destructive is the approach you suggest where IT managers think it is their job to keep ?line-of-business managers in line?. This is the very controlling approach that has lead organizations to take IT out of the loop due to their efforts to be controlling, obstructive and not innovate in areas outside their competence. IT should play a critical role in supporting and participating in the area of available network technologies, infrastructure requirements and security but should as you put it ?butt out? of trying to define blogging, content, domain, and content management and indeed ?what sets you apart from the competition. These marketing issues must be driven by highly competent marketing managers and not by technological oriented IT departments.

The new C word

by Dean Owen 2/19/2008 12:00:00 AMHere's the conundrum - web 2.0 is all about collaboration (the new C word) but old business management models are all about control (the old C word). I find what you say ironic but very true. I've seen it myself. Three old time managers attempting to implement a technology based on a new culture using the old rules of ownership and control. Blogging and podcasting was never implemented because no one would collaborate on the vision. To them it meant relinquishing control.