During the mid 1990’s it became apparent that not only was the Internet here to stay, but if you or your company were going to continue to grow, you needed to secure a presence on the Web. Individuals or small companies scrambled to learn how to design their own pages and find an place that would put them on a server. Larger companies either contracted out the work also, or if they thought their site would be an important part of their company’s growth, they may have put together their own team to design and maintain their site.
In the modern world, where almost everyone has Internet access in their homes, and all but a very few companies have representation on the Web, the Web Team is an entity found in a variety of places and with more than one description. The Web team in a large cooperation, or University is usually in charge of maintaining the company’s web site, the network, and data. They would be in charge of designing and developing new sections or projects on the site, as well as updating or improving existing data and programming. A more detailed description of this type of team can be found at the Marketingfind site: http://www.marketingfind.com/articles/building_a_good_web_development_team.html. Some of the key positions in this team are as follows.
- Web Master: This person manages all aspects of the web site and the team. They handle scheduling, finances, and coordinates contact with the rest of the company and the public
- Designer/Developer: Sometimes called a programmer/analyst, in a small team the not only create the pages (HTML), but they also design graphics, and do some of the content writing—jobs that may be done by another individual on a larger team.
- Application Developer: Another programmer, but this one writes the advanced code. They would do script work, interactive programming, and may create Databases and write access applications.
- Systems Administrator: This is your “Tech. Guy” in charge of the servers and network that supports the site and its applications. They may also provide some tech-support for the team.
The second type of Web team would be found either at a company specifically created to design and develop sites, or put together by someone for the specific purpose of performing a single Web project. The biggest difference is that this type of Web team is finished with the project as soon as it goes live in its final form. They do not stay and maintain or update the site. A very detailed description of the structure of this type of team can be found at the Web Style Gide: http://webstyleguide.com/wsg3/1-process/2-development-team.html. This team has some of the same members as the above, with a few more added.
- Project Manager: This position is the top of the food chain. This person coordinates the entire project. They make sure the budget is adhered to, creates the schedules and sets deadlines and acts as liaison between the team and the client. Nothing happens on the project without ging through them.
- Media Specialist: This is an added position like that of “Database Administrator,” a position that is filled based on need and budget. The Media Specialist handles all photography, Illustrations, and both audio and visual elements. With streaming video being so popular now this can be an important position.
- Art Director: Simply stated, if it has to do with the artistic, rather than the technical, or programming side of the project, it is handled by the Art Director. They make sure all the design elements keep an artistic cohesion and nothing strays from the central theme.
These two types of Web teams are not really exclusive. Mostly you will find combinations of the two. Each team must be put together specifically by need as well as by budget and availability. It is best to become familiar with all the members of a Web Design and Development team, if you plan a future career in this field. You never know—you may end up in one of these positions and it is important to be aware of the responsibilities of those around you.
John Adams Jr,
John is a free-lance author and journalist born and raised in upstate New York. He is currently living and writing in Saint Augustine, Florida where the temperature is a bit warmer and the lifestyle more relaxed. The move has allowed John to broaden his range as a writer and he now lends his unique voice to everything from news and review articles in print and on the Web, to a broad range of eBooks and creative pieces. John’s work is beginning to attract attention from a wide variety of readers, in many countries. See John’s Google Plus Profile.
