Dr Lisa Wise 9/08/2002 The Evolution and Devolution of the Webmaster Role Dr Lisa Wise.

Dr Lisa Wise 9/08/2002

The Evolution and Devolution of the Webmaster Role

Dr Lisa Wise


Abstract

This presentation examines the changing role of the webmaster from the master of all things web-related (server setup and maintenance, site architecture, site design, writing, marking up and authorisation of content, scripting, user support) to the manager and coordinator of people who are specialists in each web-related area or the initial contact person for web-related issues.


Remember that the Web is very new

• World Wide Web proposed in 1990• There were 50 webservers in 1992• Graphical web browsers appeared in 1993• There were 2500 webservers the end of

1994, including www.monash.edu.au• There are very very few webmasters with

10 years experience …


Evolution of the Web

www.dejavu.org


Webmaster as innovator

• Websites were first made by people with– access to the internet

– some technical skills

– an interest in information sharing

• Generally no institutional support– webmaster not recognised as a proper role

– usually an individual with reasonably free access to resources to host a webserver


Webmaster as sysadmin

• Innovators encouraged others to provide content for the web

• People wanted access to the webserver to serve their content

• Sysadmins provided access to webserver– defacto information architecture based on

directory structure and file permissions

– people put content where they were able to


Webmaster as all-powerful

• Webmaster (sysadmin) controlled– who had access to webserver

– where they could put things

– what they could put there

– navigational structure

– interactivity via CGI scripts

• No institutional recognition, so content providers at the mercy of webmaster


Webmaster as marker-upper

• Around 1996, the web became more generally accepted as more than a toy

• More people wanted to put content on the web but without having to learn HTML

• People were employed to “mark up” content for their department’s website – converted existing documents into web format

– not much concept of coherent website


Webmaster as hobbyist

• WYSIWYG HTML editors, easy drawing programs and HTML conversion utilities

• anyone could make web pages without knowing HTML or graphic design

• information proliferated as anyone could publish content with no editorial process

• interest in the web spread beyond academia to the commercial world . . .


Webmaster as policy enforcer

• Web more visible and with more content• Web used as marketing tool• Enough time elapsed for web content to

become outdated and original content publishers to have lost interest

• Webmaster responsible for authorising content and maintaining site according to emerging web guidelines and policies


Web guidelines and policies

What role is webmaster?– technical

– content

– marketing

– admin


Webmaster as manager

• Webmaster’s role shared across team of– server admins

– site information architects

– web page and user interface designers

– web developers (scripters, programmers)

– database designers

– business analysts

– customer service staff

… and CONTENTPROVIDERS


Devolution of Webmaster role

• Most business units at Monash have– webmaster / web designers / technical support

• often non-specialist “computer people”

– content providers• often administrative staff with no web training

• Not clear who is supposed to think about– overall site information architecture, navigation

and design of content for target web audiences


Role of Monash Website

• expect to find information on the web• corporate information repository • > 200,000 static pages on Monash site• does not include 600+ courses on WebCT• diverse user base and business needs• overwhelming complexity • content and technology a moving target


Some Areas for Web Policies

• visual identity and design guidelines• standards compliance• navigation and usability guidelines• accessibility requirements• quality control of content• intellectual property and copyright• contact information for website


Role of a Monash Webmaster• Webmaster > IT manager > Executive• Web group responsible for webserver and

website maintenance, but not information architecture, visual identity or content

• User experience relates to latter three• Departments provide content• Marketing provides visual identity• Who drives information architecture?


Who makes Web policies ?

• Managers want strong web policies but don’t really understand the web

• Standard rhetoric:– “if you are > 30 you don’t know about the web”

• However - note the converse:– “if you are < 30, you only know about the web”

If you are > 40 and you have > 5yrs web experience, you also have > 5 yrs experience of something else . . .


Who makes Web policies (cont) ?

• Webmaster input needs to come from broad range of expertise within web team

• Management often unaware of expertise available within Monash web community

• Management often have unrealistic expectations of web competency of users

• Advice about web and online services often derived from inappropriate sources


Some thoughts on webmastery

• No one person has complete web skillset • Few people have > 6 years experience• Web people have diverse backgrounds• Web team members need

– complementary skillsets and good teamwork

– good communication skills and user focus

– a willingness to share information and to learn

– a respect for different perspectives


Web issues

• Importance of website is growing more rapidly than allocation of resources

• Information architecture and user interface design are not trivial issues

• Content management and preparation of content for different media is not trivial

• Need to blend technical skills with an understanding of business requirements


Future Directions

• Website is becoming the major interface to the university’s teaching, research and administrative services

• Web presence is increasingly tied to complex backend information systems

• Scope and magnitude of managing web presence is same scale as managing the knowledge assets of the university


Some books

• Webmaster skills– Spainhour and Quercia, Webmaster in a

Nutshell, O’Reilly, 2000

– Niederst, Web Design in a Nutshell, O’Reilly, 1999

• Huge array of specialised O’Reilly books on web technology and database driven websites

Dr Lisa Wise 9/08/2002 The Evolution and Devolution of the Webmaster Role Dr Lisa Wise.

Documents

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