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Similar to Web technology becoming mainstream within IT, Web management roles have evolved to earn a spot at the table within most senior and executive management teams. Those in Web management roles are generally responsible for developing and operationalizing the organization's Web strategy and ensuring the Web strategy is in alignment with the overall business strategy. The following are just a few of the job titles in use today in the area of Web management: 1. Web Operations Manager/Director. 2. E-Business Manager. 3. Web Project Manager. 4. Web Product Manager. Job roles existing within the Web design area include: 1. Web Designer. 2. Web Programmer. 3. Quality-Assurance Web Developer. 4. Web Services/Integration Engineer or Architect. 5. Usability Engineer or Analyst. 6. Information Architect. Two positions quickly gaining acceptance in the job market are: 1. Web Marketing Manager. 2. Search Engine Optimization Engineer.
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Thinking that I alone am the "master" of anything other than my dogs (on a good day) or entertaining the idea of me mastering very large Web sites and associated services is ludicrous.
In the early 1990s, the role of Webmaster generally encapsulated all things Web. The title was unique and somewhat mysterious. Had any of us ever heard of anyone with "master" at the end of their title? Plus, what were we the master of, anyway? It sounded more like a Dungeons & Dragons character than a legitimate title. I remember quite vividly being introduced as the Webmaster. The introduction was received with perplexed silence as the person tried to assess whether I was, in fact, serious. Too often, introductions were met with "Web what?"
But over time, the title grew beyond just a small group of IT hobbits. Those of us who actively worked in the role were proud to bear its name and all things included in it. I remember once debating a colleague who, as the administrator of our single Web server, suggested we both be called Webmaster since we each played a role in managing the site. At the time this seemed utter nonsense. Surely the person who developed and managed the Web pages was the only one who could legitimately be called the Webmaster. Little did I know. Even then, the role of Webmaster was expanding. The title itself was actually better-suited for a team rather than one somewhat-shortsighted individual.
Today the role of Webmaster can be ambiguous, especially for very large Web sites that run smoothly only because of the participation of many individuals, including content coordinators, server administrators, writers, and editors. While I carry the Webmaster moniker, I consider it more symbolic than anything else. To me, it says simply, "The buck stops here." Thinking that I alone am the "master" of anything other than my dogs (on a good day) or entertaining the idea of me mastering very large Web sites and associated services is ludicrous.
As Internet and, specifically, Web technology have evolved, so too have the roles and responsibilities of those who work within these mediums. While some of the job titles remain virtually the same, such as business analyst, Web technology has spawned new jobs that didn't exist before. No doubt this is analogous to the boom of jobs following the launch of radio and television. The following is a list of some of the core positions required for any strong Web team, along with several of the more unique positions that are gaining prominence within the Web development process.
WEB MANAGEMENT
Similar to Web technology becoming mainstream within IT, Web management roles have evolved to earn a spot at the table within most senior and executive management teams. Those in Web management roles are generally responsible for developing and operationalizing the organization's Web strategy and ensuring the Web strategy is in alignment with the overall business strategy. The following are just a few of the job titles in use today in the area of Web management:
Web Operations Manager/Director: Responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Web site and related services, including oversight of the overall Web strategy, staff, and budget. This position is responsible and accountable for the design, development, implementation, and maintenance of the organizational Web site(s). This position works closely with customers, colleagues, and other stakeholders to identify and maximize opportunities to utilize Web-based technologies to improve business processes and support critical business strategies, provide information access, promote the strategic use of information technology, and enable the workforce to use Web-based technologies and new media applications. This position provides organizational leadership, vision, and direction for Web-based activities, ensuring support of the organization's mission. If the Webmaster title is used at all, it is often this person who bears the name.
E-Business Manager: Generally has broader responsibilities than that of the operations manager, often responsible for developing the organization's strategic approach for an entire vertical market on the Web, including electronic commerce, marketing, and communications. For example, in health-care, this person's title may be director or vice president of e-health.
Web Project Manager: Responsible for planning and directing projects that invest in Web approaches that expand organizational capabilities. Web project managers coordinate the activities of a team composed of Web developers, designers, administrators, content specialists, and other specialists who work closely with end users to define customer requirements, design and build Web sites, and implement Web-empowered business application systems. Like any project manager, regardless of the medium, this person has formal project-management education and/or PM certification.
Web Product Manager: Often responsible for a single product or product line within a larger product portfolio. This position is generally responsible for coordinating all development and staffing related to this specific product area, including quality assurance and integration of new product enhancements, in line with production and client requirements. The role often has an operational or maintenance focus with the goal of keeping the engine running smoothly.
WEB DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT
Confusion often exists between Web designers and developers. The lines blur between the two areas, and job titles can often read the same. I've always considered designers responsible for the look and feel of the site, the aesthetics; developers are responsible for how the site works, the functionality. However, this distinction is certainly not a rigid one. Without getting into a philosophical debate of form versus function, here are some of the job roles existing within the Web design area:
Programmers work closely with Web designers to implement user interfaces, tying Web applications to backend databases.
Web Designer: Sometimes referred to as a Web interface designer, this person is responsible for overall aesthetic appearance of the Web site or application, including all visual components of the site such as colors, graphics, topography, and navigation. Designers are also responsible for the overall "feel" of the site. While more subtle than visual cues, this requires expertise in user-centered design techniques and in stepping clients through an iterative design process. This position requires extensive experience in dynamic HTML, JavaScript, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), and XHTML and cross-browser variability. Depending on the skill level of the Web designer, additional design team members may include graphic artists, animators, and multimedia designers and producers for DVD, CD, graphic, and video production. People in this area sometimes have a formal art or instructional design degree and experience with applications such as Photoshop, Fireworks, ImageReady, Flash, Illustrator, and Director.
Web Programmer: Sometimes referred to as a Web applications or Web software developer, this position hasn't changed much over the years, although the programming languages used to support Web have evolved greatly. Some of the more popular languages include Active Server Pages (ASP), Cold-Fusion, Java/J2EE, PHP, XML/XSLT, and .NET. This role is responsible for translating system requirements into code and for developing, testing, analyzing, troubleshooting, and maintaining complex Web-based applications. Programmers work closely with Web designers to implement user interfaces, tying Web applications to backend databases. In large companies that rely heavily on the Web to provide services, developers are often focused on product or service areas such as e-commerce.
Quality-Assurance Web Developer: This position generally has a similar skill mix as the Web developer but focuses less on hands-on programming and more on workflow design and production/implementation processes (code versioning, release management). Eesponsibilities often include the development of programming standards and procedures to assure adherence to standards and workflow to facilitate use, documentation, QA testing, and debugging procedures.
Web Services/Integration Engineer or Architect: As Web technology is more broadly adopted within IT, organizations are using the Web as an integration platform in order to better consolidate systems and services. Doing so requires technical oversight by someone with extensive technicalarchitecture experience and development and integration of Web services. This position is sometimes filled by the chief technology officer (CTO) or someone with broad oversight of the overall IT integration strategy who directly reports to the CTO.
Usability Engineer or Analyst: This person is responsible for designing and conducting usability tests, including developing test scripts, surveys, and scenarios, and establishing the test environment. Due to the enormous data analysis required, usability engineers are versed in a variety of usability methods, interpretation and analysis of results, and the ability to translate findings into actionable steps that are then integrated back into the final product.
Information Architect: This is one of the more interesting positions to watch as it gains recognition. While many of us may have been assigned IA duties as Webmaster or Web manager-defining site mission, vision, content, functionality, organization, navigation, labeling, searching systems, and long-term growth-the role of information architect is now becoming a formal role, one bestowed upon those with formal training and/or a degree in the field. Interestingly, a handful of institutions with library science programs are beginning to embrace this area as a specific focus within their larger program. This only makes sense given how the foundation of information architecture is based on the premise that well-organized information facilitates identification and usage, two core elements of library science. Experienced IAs have considerable insight in large-scale Web site design with the ability to show, through site maps, process flows, wire frames, and user interface prototypes, the structure and flow of the site before a single Web page is ever developed. IAs specify site structures based on human cognition, making even complex content accessible and comprehensive. Not surprisingly, the IA often has a background in library science, cognitive psychology, or human factors engineering. For more on information architecture, consult Information Architecture for the World Wide Web: Designing LargeScale Web Sites, by Louis Rosenfeld and Peter Morville (2nd edition, O'Reilly and Associates, 2002).
WEB SITE/PRODUCT MARKETING
Another area of increased focus is in promotion of Web-based services and products through search engine optimization (SEO) and search engine marketing (SEM). While the core concepts of marketing still apply on the Web, increasingly, marketing personnel must increase their understanding of the Web in order to play in the game. Here are two positions quickly gaining acceptance in the job market:
Web Marketing Manager: Responsible for promoting products and services via the Web and assuring that marketing efforts align with the overall marketing strategy for the organization. This person is responsible for establishing metrics to gauge Web site success and for making adjustments as needed to maximize site usage and conversion of customers. For this reason, this person must have considerable experience with Web site analysis, or the collecting, analyzing, and reporting of Web site activity with a specific focus on visitor behavior and integration into broader business initiatives.
Search Engine Optimization Engineer: This is a position that continues to evolve and grow in popularity. The role is often combined within a marketing position or works closely with the marketing team. This position may also be referred to as an SEO/Internet marketing specialist or SEO specialist. Organizations relying heavily on the Web to do business also rely heavily on search engine rankings to drive traffic. While some companies contract with third-party SEO service providers, others are choosing to hire their own SEO to plan their search engine strategy. This role is responsible for the optimization of the corporate Web site to effect search engine rankings, pay-per-click (PPC) keyword ad buying via dot-corn search sites, and working with internal copy writers and Web designers to assure templates are designed and copy written to facilitate internal and external search engine indexing. The SEO must have extensive experience of dot-corn search engines, including PPC such as Google Adwords and Overture, and data analysis expertise to assess ad campaign ROI and to continually refine the overall SEO/SEM strategy.
TECHNICAL AND CONTENT
Web Technical Administrator: This role, sometimes referred to as a server administrator, is responsible for the overall technical integrity of the site, including the technical architecture of the hardware, hardware and software upgrades as necessary, and the monitoring of systems and services to ensure efficiency and performance. Security on the Web is sometimes managed by this person, or, in larger companies, fulfilled by a Web security administrator or someone with security responsibility across all servers and products/services.
In many cases, the roles related to content development for the Web are indistinguishable from those related to producing content for television, radio, or traditional print. Successful Web sites are all about content, so it makes sense for successful Web sites to employ writers, editors, and producers. Browsing Monstor.com and Web jobs via Google, I found very few Web content positions that were any different from those writing for any other medium. Suffice it to say, content is king, and successful Web sites with a high volume of repeat visitors require good writers who are writing good content. There's just no substitute.
MAINSTREAMING WEBMASTERS
A review of current job roles after a decade of Internet and Web evolution shows that the more things change, the more they stay the same. The Web is now so mainstream within IT that in many cases unique job titles specific to the Web have reverted back to some of the more familiar titles we knew pre-Web. The role of business analyst, writer, or project manager is still the same, but today just plays in a different space and/or medium. However, there are a few jobs that remain unique to the Web. One need only browse the vacancies posted at some of the surviving dot-corns to see these new roles.
So, where have all the Webmasters gone? Clearly we are still here-just using different titles, with different duties to match.
Kim Guenther
Director, University of Virginia
Health System Web Center
Kim Guenther [[email protected]] is the director of the University of Virginia Health System Web Center and Webmaster for the UVA Health System.
Comments? E-mail letters to the editor to [email protected].
Copyright Information Today, Inc. Mar/Apr 2005