Team

Designing the right team is important, too.

First, you need an executive-level sponsor to integrate creating content for the website with the project management of the company. Part of every project should be the related content for the web. Web content needs to be made important in evaluating projects.

If you follow a publishing model, the UNIX or NT system administrator is like the guy who fixes your copy machine or printing press. That isn't the person you want designing your corporate report, or your corporate website. System administrators can't be expected to design effective publishing automation systems, either. That's not what you learn as you become an expert sys-admin. Some may be effective at creating the tools to make the publishing system work, however.

So you need an "architect" to create the design, perhaps build it, and to find high-leverage uses of new technologies -- and to exclude technologies that don't provide value. Ideally, you would have a separate position for a programmer to implement the design.

You need a publisher who manages content production.

Editors can be responsible for departments of the website. Project managers throughout the company would have responsibility for departments, as well.

Content developers might be graphics people and writers hired specifically for the website, or already on staff. Other content probably comes from employees throughout the company. You need some executive in the organization making web content important enough that employees can create quality content, on schedule.

Finally, you probably need someone to promote your website internally. That is to say, to "schmooze" with folks throughout the company to find out what the website can do for them, and to help them feel excited about working with the website.

Obviously this is a different vision from just putting your corporate report and catalog online....