[Sigia-l] Fwd: Time for communications to take charge of your website

[Anne Hjortshoj]

One thing to note here is that for many companies, the marketing
department in in charge of corporate communications. 

-Anne

On Tue, 21 May 2002, Eric Scheid wrote:

> Gerry McGovern last week said "someone should be in charge of your 
> website" ... that is, someone to say "the buck stops here" and to end the 
> pastiche of design by committee.
> 
> This week he answers the question of just who... the "Communications 
> Manager". Not IT, not Marketing, ... Communications.
> 
> http://www.gerrymcgovern.com/nt/2002/nt_2002_05_20_ownership.htm
> 
> >The natural home for your website is within the communications
> >section of your organization. This is because the Web is first
> >and foremost a communications medium. To fully own the website,
> >communications managers need to stop being scared of technology.
> >They also need to get to grips with information architecture
> >design.
> 
> Huh? 
> 
> I've never heard of a Manager of Communications. Someone please enlighten 
> me here.
> 
> He then goes on to say some provocative things about Information 
> Architects...
> 
> >Another reason why communication executives have not embraced the
> >website is because they have shied away from information
> >architecture design. Again, the impression is that information
> >architecture is a technical discipline.
> >
> >It is absolutely not. It is a communications discipline. Those who
> >try to make it seem technical don't understand it properly or are
> >trying to protect their turf.
> 
> Comments anyone?
> 
> >Information architecture deals with the organization and layout of
> >content on a website. If a communications executive has ever managed
> >the publication of a magazine, large report, or book, they have
> >dealt with information architecture-type issues. Figuring out how to
> >lay out the front page of a magazine, the table of contents, the
> >index, the chapter structure; these are all information
> >architecture-type issues.
> 
> I thought those were page layout issues, more the domain of information 
> designers, not information architects.
> 
> >Yes, information architecture is quite complicated on a large website.
> >However, metadata, classification, navigation, search, and webpage
> >design and layout, are communications challenges.
> 
> and not logistics or interoperability or ... ?
> 
> >The person in charge of your website should be a communications
> >expert with strong expertise in editing and publishing content.
> >They should have control of the entire website, not just parts
> >of it.
> 
> Call me cynical, but is this guy in the business of content consulting?
> 
> >A website's core objective is? To communicate.
> 
> Tell that to eBay and Amazon. Communication, for those sites, is only a 
> *means* to an end -- their true core objective is to sell stuff.
> 
> <hurrumph>
> 
> Thats my gripe for the day.
> 
> e.
> 
> ______________________________________________________________________
> eric at ironclad.net.au                 i r o n c l a d   n e t w o r k s
> information architect                      http://www.ironclad.net.au/
> 
> 
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