I started developing Web pages in the spring of 1993. After a couple of years I accepted that I was not a designer. For ten years I had overall responsibility for managing the Web sites of two different academic libraries. Now I’ve been thinking much more critically about advanced functionality through rich media than is generally seen in library Web sites.

The following (in no particular order) are the set of talents that I think are needed for a successful WebTeam, the group that manages not only the library’s Web site but the development of its digital library exhibits and other online presentations.

It may be that those functions have to separated in some organizations. The management of a library’s Web site is a massive responsibility and differs significantly from the development of one-off virtual exhibitions. However, the skill sets involve many of the same people.

The following skill sets are not likely to be found all in one person. Indeed, I have yet to meet anyone who possessed all of the following skills. Of course, that’s why a team of individuals is needed.

Graphic Design

Graphic design is about visual communication. More and more I’m coming to believe that every library needs a professional graphic designer on staff. And I’m not talking about someone who taught himself Photoshop in his spare time. Most Web designers are not graphic designers, though many Web developers have a hard time accepting that. A graphic designer is someone who has detailed knowledge of the principles of design, color, and typography. A graphic designer is not an artist but someone who knows how to visually convey the meaning of an organization’s message to its clients. A graphic designer is likely to be more comfortable with print formats than digital ones, but that’s okay if the other elements of a WebTeam below are available. Indeed, a graphic design is likely well versed in the practicalities of printing and color. A graphic designer probably prefers using Illustrator and InDesign rather than Photoshop. The talents of a good graphic designer are likely to be so apparent that other members of the WebTeam will be humbled and will clearly defer to the graphic designer’s choice of color, design, and typography. Look for real graphic designers to have graduated from some type of art school or program with a specialty in visual communications. Rarely, will this person also have an MLS though a few probably do exist.

Usability/Information Architecture

I consider information architecture and usability to be practically the same area. For a library, this person must be a librarian. In some situations, it may be helpful to have more than one person on the team who is focused on usability and information architecture. Information architecture specifies the functionality of a site and its strucutre. The usability analyst examines the ease-of-use of a site and its accessibility. These are areas where librarians generally excel. The information architect and usability analyst should prepare a “pencil & paper” layout that the graphic designer can utilize in preparing the design.

Programming/Scripting

Libraries seem to have been successful at hiring people with an aptitude for scripting languages such as Perl, PHP, & Python. PHP is the most common today while Perl seems to be fading. Python seems to be increasing popular, though it has taken a long time to catch on. Regardless of the scripting language, I do firmly believe that each academic library should have a person on staff who is good at scripting languages. Generally, a person with that aptitude can master any of these languages. Most libraries will not need someone with skills in advanced programming languages such as Java, though a person adept in scripting languages is like to be comfortable compiling programs and modifying the occasional header file. This person also is likely to have an understanding of XML and tools for manipulating XML files. If the library uses Flash extensively, then this person should have familiarity with ActionScript. The key role for this person on the WebTeam is to help the team understand the possibilities of the technology. It’s that understanding which may lead to new and innovative applications of technology for library services. For that reason, I prefer for this person to be a librarian or someone who has a good understanding of libraries. Except in rare cases this person should be kept away from decisions about color and typography of a Web site.

CSS

Knowing only HTML is not good enough anymore. CSS has become essential but also more complicated. Keeping track of techniques for displaying high quality designs via the Web is a full-time job. In many ways this position has become a coder. This person is likely no longer to be a librarian. This person should find satisfaction from being able to masterfully implement someone else’s design in valid CSS/HTML. Sometimes a CSS/HTML expert is combined with a graphic designer but that is unlikely in the library field. Anyone with those combinations can earn large sums of money on the marketplace. The person in this position should care mostly about producing good markup and is willing to leave the design and layout to others.

Interactive design

Interactive design is a new area and one that libraries are likely to have the most difficult time obtaining. This person has a solid understanding of how motion graphics can be used to enhance a person’s experience with a Web site. This person is more likely to be focused on developing specialized Web sites, such as online exhibits and digital documentaries. Flash is this person’s tool of choice. If this person is a librarian, then he could play a significant role in the development of digital scholarship - an area which will be dependent upon successful interactive design. This person will need to work in concert with the graphic designer, information architect, and usability analyst.

Manager

With this many talented individuals a good manager is needed to coordinate each project. The manager’s most important role is to ensure effective communication among team members. The manager also must ensure that productivity timelines and milestones are established. It’s very easy for projects to slip and fall behind schedule. The manager also will be the liaison for maintaining communications with the library’s administration and other stakeholders in the library. It’s important that the manager does not let stakesholders continually add features to a project if a site is to be completed on time. In addition to coordinating the work of the WebTeam the manager determines when to bring in other technical staff such as the server administrator or a streaming media specialist, when needed. The manager will need to serve as a decision-maker and arbitrate differences among team members. Finally, the manager will be the voice of the WebTeam to the rest of the library, presenting the team’s findings in public forums and defending the team’s decisions. This person needs to be an experienced librarian but not necessarily a systems librarian. In most cases, however, this function falls to the head of systems though that person generally is already stretched too thin. A public service librarian with excellent communication skills is often excellent for this role.

As an analogy I like to think about the members of a library’s WebTeam to those of a film crew. Each member of the team or crew has its specific responsibilities. the information architect/usability analysts are the screenwriters; the graphic designer is the cinematographer, the interactive designer is the special effects department (though may share cinematograhper roles with the graphic designer on some projects); the programmer is the technician behind the scenes, such as the lighting expert (much more important than it sounds); the CSS guru is the editor; and the manager is the producer. Whose the director?…the Web site’s stakeholders. Some would say that the manager functions as director, however, a library’s Web site should not be the vision of one individual.

Update: There’s a good post that most designers are not design thinkers over at a bplusd. The post includes a link to a really good PDF that visualizes the different aspects of design… framing, problem solving, function and form, style, and no conscious design. That entry is aimed mostly at freelance designers but I think that it also gets to the topic here. Yet, I don’t think that libraries should expect one person to have expertise in all areas. It’s difficult to find that kind of talent. And those that have it typically have their own design studios.