Web Management

[emiller at smtpgwy.isinet.com]

          I am a WWW coordinator for a corporate web site - the
          Institute for Scientific Information.  Our site is a little
          on the complicated side as my company offers specialized
          information research tools that defy easy explanation.

          Some observations and comments:

          o    I suggest having one person actual coordinate the
               site. This is an advantage in maintaining as much
               consistency as possible, particularly if many
               people are contributing to the site.

          o    Each department or group can write its own material.
               We have purchased enough copies of an easy-to-use
               HTML editor that each department owns a copy and one
               person in that group is responsible for tagging all the
               copy from that group.

          o    We meet regularly with the department representatives
               (here they are the product managers) to discuss what
               their plans and needs are regarding the web. This makes
               planning upgrades and large file additions much easier
               to handle.

          o    We are in the process of establishing an oversight
               management committee, which includes some of those in
               senior management, along with members of Corporate
               Comm, Systems, and new product development.  This
               committee will be responsible for making decisions
               regarding policy - such as links to other sites,
               inclusion of product pricing, and the like.

          o    I would certainly consider hiring one person to oversee
               the whole site if you are going to include registration
               information, info on programs (academic and otherwise).
               Students, however, can be encouraged to get involved in
               pages that focus on student activities and
               organizations.

          As one who manages a site, I have to say that one of the
          things that keep people coming back to a web site is new
          material.  Keep college calendars of events, including the
          meetings and activities of student groups posted.  That kind
          of weekly updating really requires the attention of one
          person.

          Good luck,

Elisa Miller                            "Whatever you can do or 
Institute for Scientific Information    dream you can, begin it.
3501 Market Street                      Boldness has genius, power
Philadelphia, Pa 19104                  and magic in it."
(215)386-0100 x 1395                                   Goethe
emiller at isinet.com
URL - http://www.isinet.com