The nine pillars of a successful web team

16 nov 2006

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The most successful Web teams build their team structures and their processes on these nine essential competencies. Most corporates have their own internal Internet and Intranet teams. What is the basis for a successful team, and how many FTE do you need?

In its benchmark study on the quality of Dutch financial websites Jungle Rating performed for the Henri Sijthoff Prijs 2006 the consultancy agency concluded that many well-known companies like Philips, Shell, Heineken, ING Group, AEGON, DSM and Rabobank Group have their own internal Internet & Intranet teams. For example Philips has several Internet departments with 10-20 employees, fully working to improving there corporate and product and services websites.

TNTs secret to success

TNT, ranked number one in the benchmark, has a web team of 3FTE’s. What is their secret to success? According to TNT Manager Group Internet Strategy Gary Hartmann: “This involves obtaining an intimate knowledge of the group’s operations, its business performance and strategies, and the multitude of issues that affect it. It is necessary to understand how the market views such matters, and how they affect the share price. It then involves communicating this information in the market in a manner that is clear and succinct, and shows the group in a positive way. This must be done in an open and transparent market and in compliance with legal requirements. Our objectives for the future are to constantly improve the corporate TNT site, year after year. TNT aims for a ‘best in class’ website of Europe.”

TNT has drawn the responsibilities for its online media, based on its 3 FTE’s capacity:

Manager Group Internet Strategy

Project Management
Content Production
Content Strategy
Site Strategy

Creative Coordinator

Concrete Design
Abstract Design
User Research

Technical Coordinator

Technology Implementation
Technology Strategy

Hartmann: ”We will ensure that all Internet sites have a high quality level of usability and are compliant with Web Standards. We would like to ‘use’ the Web Standards as the maximum achievable technical quality standard for all Internet websites. We will also improve the quality of our content according to the results of the national, European and global Webranking.”

The nine pillars of a successful web team:

The nine pillars of a successful web team

Source: Jesse James Garrett

Project Management:

The hub that binds all the tactical competencies together as well as the engine that drives the project forward to completion, project management requires a highly specialized set of skills all its own. Neglecting this area often results in missed deadlines and cost overruns.

Concrete Design:

Before the abstract design can become a fully realised user experience, you must determine the specific details of interfaces, navigation, information design, and visual design. This realm of concrete design is essential to creating the final product.

Content Production:

Knowing what content you need is not enough. You also need to know how you will produce it. Gathering raw information, writing and editing, and defining editorial workflows and approvals are all part of content production.

Technology Implementation:

Building technical systems involves a lot of hard work and specialized knowledge: languages and protocols, coding and debugging, testing and refactoring. The more complex your site, the more important a competency in technology implementation becomes.

Abstract Design:

Information architecture and interaction design translate strategic objectives into a conceptual framework for the final user experience. These emerging disciplines addressing abstract design are increasingly recognized for their value in the Web development process.

Content Strategy:

Content is often the reason users come to your site. But what content can you offer to meet your users' expectations? How much content is appropriate, and what form should it take? What style or tone should it have? Before you can produce that content, you need to answer fundamental content strategy questions such as these.

Technology Strategy:

Websites are technologically complex, and getting more intricate all the time. Identifying the technology strategy for the site – platforms, standards, technologies, and how they can all interoperate – is essential to avoiding costly mistakes.

Site Strategy:

Defining your own goals for the site can be surprisingly tricky. Arriving at a common understanding of the site's purpose for your organization, how you will prioritize the site's various goals, and the means by which you will be able to measure the site's success are all matters of site strategy.

User Research:

User-centred design means understanding what your users need, how they think, and how they behave – and incorporating that understanding into every aspect of your process. User research provides the raw observations that fuel this insight into the people your site must serve.

With courtesy to TNT Group