Organization Planning of Web Presentations

Organizational Planning of Web Presentations:
A Handbook for Web Managers

LIS 385T - Donoho

Spring 1996

Jane Bomberger

Preliminary Planning
Critical Questions
Structure: Anatomy of a Web Presentation
Plotting Navigation
Storyboarding
References
Appendices

Organizational Planning of Web Presentations:
A Handbook for Web Managers

On the Web, the only thing coming to those who wait is likely to be anonymity.

- Jim Sterne

It is little wonder why organizations of all types and sizes are turning to the World Wide Web to carry out their marketing objectives. Web publishing allows for internal control of documentation as well as addresses larger marketing and operational conce rns of cost, quality, and efficiency. Web publishing saves cost by reducing labor and production time, processing information electronically, and reducing or eliminating the use of outside vendors.

Publishing organizational material on the Web also provides for improved efficiency in the production of the document, resulting in a streamlined process and greater control over the development of the publications. By enabling users to share and reuse th e information, electronic publications eliminate redundancies and improve document accessibility. Moreover, the most current information can be distributed and publishers can continually update the data (Rosenthal, 7). P erhaps most importantly, Web publishing allows for faster turnaround time between user and publisher, greatly increasing the efficiency in the production of organizational materials.

At the same time as saving an organization time and funds, electronic publishing has its own disadvantages. Members of organizations considering electronic publishing should consider several variables, such as the size of the materials, the complexity, t he compositional richness inherent in professionally, paper-printed materials, and graphics capability--all the most challenging aspects of designing a web presentation.

The develoment of a web presentation only begins with the initial planning stage. Moreoever, before designing a presentation, organizational staff members should understand that a presentation is never actually finishes; even once the information is displ ayed electronically, it still requires maintence and should naturally grow into the marketing and operational strategies of the entire company. A common peril companies face is underestimating the cost of online marketing (Seminerio, p. 1). Therefore, it is especially important that organizations, and their web managers in particular, pay meticulous attention to the pre-planning and planning stages of the development of the presentation.

The purpose of this paper is to examine, in light of the advantages and disadvantages of cost, efficiency, and quality, the planning stages necessary to produce an effective organizational web presentation. It is also my purpose to provide a step-by-step guide helpful for the individual or individuals responsible for creating and maintaing the site. While a small organization may not require an extended planning stage--and a one-person organization perhaps none at all-- a mid- to large-sized organization must address many structural, aesthetic, and maintaince issues before the presentation becomes available to consumers. The planning stages can be divided into categories: preliminary planning, questioning, structuring, and plotting the navigation.

Preliminary Planning

A web presentation is an individual's or organization's collection of web pages containing text and graphics, linked together in a meaningful way, which, as a whole, describe a body of information or create an overall consistent effect (Lemay, 24). The success of a Web presentation depends primarily on the extent of the web manager's planning stage. In order to conform to marketing objectives, a web presentation needs to be carefully planned before becoming available to user s on the Web.

The foremost marketing concerns for publications include critical concerns of the material, specifically integration, quality, and management (Rosenthal, p. 13). Web publications should also address concerns of content, system orientation, system configuration, system functionality, and networks.

One of the primary concerns for web managers is that of compatibility of files. Information can be character, graphic, tabular, or mathematical in nature, may be created in any number of applications, and may be saved in any number of formats. The web man ager must be able to manage the different formats, such as with converters or filters. When implementing conversion or import filters, a webmanger should consider the type of information and its data formats; the availability of the filters or conversion software; and the effectiveness of the converter or filter. During conversion, for example, files may be at the risk of losing content. (Rosenthal, 12-13).

Many factors contribute to original document quality. Files placed in a web presentation should be uniform in page design, graphic arts, and typography in order to produce a consistent, flowing presentation. One way to ensure consistency is to create temp lates or style sheets for a class of documents, such as product catalogs, background information, or contact directories. Web managers creating templates should consider every typographical tag, including:

paragraphs, headings, subheadings, and bulleted items;
fonts and font sizes for text when applicable;
margins, alignment, indentation, vertical spacing, and tabs; and
columns, rules, boxes, pagination parameters, and graphic placement.

Generally, pages in a web presentation should be similarly structured, reuse the same design, and require a consistent look.

The materials to be included in an organization's web presentation are most often divided among a wide variety of divisions and staff. In order to manage documents originating from multiple, often unrelated sources, web managers should account for all phases in the document development style. Specifically, the web manager can facilitate the development process by:

defining the job responsibilities;
establishing standards for file naming so that information is documented and can be shared among multiple contributors;
specifying revision methods; and
specifying the methods by which tasks can be tracked. (Rosenthal, 17)

By defining job responsibilities and revision methods, speficying exactly whom will be involved and what responsibilities will arise, the web manager completes perhaps the most crucial step to the effective development of an organization web presentation.

Software packages are available that help manage multidimensional projects by tracking the workflow and status of projects, providing revision control and documentation of changes and annotations, and providing search and retrieval capabilities based o n keywords, dates, or other criteria, as well as previewing images at low resolution and providing limited file security and access control (Rosenthal, 18). These packages are especially helpful for web projects that inc lude multiple contributions from a variety of organizational departments, consist of diverse document pieces, and undergo extensive review and revision cycles.

Web managers also need to assess the capabilities and features of their existing software, most notably in terms of content creation and system orientation. Not all publishing applications allow for the creation and manipulation of all types of content , such as text, graphics, tables, equations, and images, within the application environment (Rosenthal, 18). Many applications lack word processors, sophisticated draw and paint tools, and spell and grammar checkers. Con tent is generally created in another application and imported into the publishing system.

Web managers should consider several factors when evaluating the publication software:

how important is each function
how well is the function performed
how is the function implemented
how powerful are the automatic functions
how much control does the user have
how easy is it to use, and
will the user be more productive with this function.

Managers may wish to create an evaluation matrix to assist in listing capabilities and functions and assigning weighted value to indicate desirability, degree of user control, and easy of use (Rosenthal, 19).

One of the greatest challenges a web manager faces when designing a web presentation is configuring and coping with existing file formats and the organization's hardware and software. In order to integrate systems, the web manager should:

understand the requirements, capabilities, and limitations of the hardware and software,
acquire all of the appropriate components and required subcomponents to run the systems,
ensure that the appropriate versions of the software are used,
acquire the necessary device drivers and conversion software to support the different components, and
install, initialize, and tailor the system. (Rosenthal, 19).

In addition to configuring the system and its components, the web manager should also ensure that the components will function appropriately for the tasks included in data manipulation and conversion. In order to include the the image of a black and wh ite photograph, for example, the web manager will need a scanner, software to manipulate the image, publishing software that is compatible with the scanned image's format, a high resolution monitor that distinguishes the varying levels of gray, and suffi cient memory in the overall system (Rosenthal, 21).

Because a web presentation will likely draw from materials produced by a number of individuals or work groups, the web manager will need to form a network to improve productivity. In order to integrate information, it may need to be converted into a st andard format to be included in the web presentation. Moreover, the web manager will need to ensure that multiple contributors are not editing the same file simultaneously.

Critical Questions

In order to create a web presentation, web managers need to obtain an overview of the project and its potential components. To do so, a series of critical questions concerning the materials to be included, the organization of the presentation, and the mai ntenance of the presentation need to be addresses and considered, especially concerning equipment, staff, design and content, marketing objectives:

The manager must consider the software and hardware questions:

What type of publishing tools, personnel skills, and output media depend on the application?
What software applications are used to create information and what file formats are produced?
Where are the systems located?
Are the systems networked?
Are information and/or peripherals shared through networking?
What level of output quality is acceptable (laser output, typeset output)?
How many fonts and what font sizes are needed for the graphics?
What level of typographical quality and control is required (e.g., minimal or extensive line and word spacing)?
Is color required and if so, what type (e.g., one color, two colors, full color, named color)?

Content and design, especially in light of marketing objectives, must also be addressed:

What are the types of publications in their original forms (e.g., manuals, reports, books, newsletters, newspapers, magazines, catalogs, memorandum, presentations, images)?
Who is the audience and what is the intended message (e.g., to inform, to sell)?
What image does the web manager wish to leave in the reader's mind?
Where does the information originate?
How many original designs will the presentation contain?

Staff responsibilities and theworkflow process must be defined:

Who will be doing the work?
Where do the documents originate?
What are the steps or processes for producing the document and what are their purposes?
Are there bottlenecks, redundant steps, duplication of effort?
Is input being generated by multiple sources? by multiple people?
What are the document review and proofing procedures?
How many documents are being produced each month?
Are several documents being produced at the same time?
Will the document be a collaborative effort involving several writers, editors, an illustrators?
Are the production tasks divided among several people and if so, across different organizational divisions?
Will there be an organizational division responsible for producing all finished documents?

When the material is derived from existing organizational materials, it is important to ask specific questions concerning the format and content of each individual document. This is especially important for materials that are available only in print.< p>

What is the length of the document?
Are the pages unique, one of a kind, or standard design?
What mix of information comprises the document (e.g., text, graphics, images, tables, illustrations)?
How complex are the graphical elements (e.g. line art, charts, photographic halftones, three-dimensional drawings, variable image rotation)?
What file format is the information in?
What degree of typographical control and composition quality is required?
How often is the document produced?
What is the turnaround time for producing the document?
How often will the document be revised?
Is the document updated and reissued periodically?
Will there be derivative products produced from the master document?
What are the storage requirements for maintaining and processing the document? (Rosenthal, 9-11)

Structure: Anatomy of a Web Presentation

Once an organization's web team has answered initial questions concerning materials, policy, and task distribution, the web manager should focus on designing the web presentation itself. The manager will need to make decisions on four specific fields: dec iding what content to present; devising a set of goals for the selected content; determining a set of topics; and, lastly, organizing and storyboarding the presentation.

The manger will want to decide what content will be included not only in the entire web presentation but on the initial home page as well. Because it is the page where consumers begin exploring the presentation and because the organization will be using t he URL in its marketing materials, web mangers should pay particular attention to the design of the home page. The home page should generally contain an overview of the content available from that starting point; it frequently includes a table of contents .

The previous section on the planning stage of designing a web presentation describes the questions concerning content the web team should consider when designing the presentation. Some of the general information most commonly included in organizational we b presentations include the missions statement, contact information, publications, online documentation, catalogs, sample forms, and a list of services offered. A link which provides direct email access to the company, either to the web master or other di vision, such as marketing or sales, within the organization, is also often included. A notation, somewhere near the top or bottom of the home page, that indicates the date the presentation was last updated is, additionally, helpful to the consumer.

Web managers will need to spend considerable time and effort setting the organization's goals for the presentation. Specifically, they should consider the following questions:

What does the organization hope to accomplish in the presentation?
What does the organization want consumers to be able to accomplish in the presentation?
Will consumers be looking for specific information on how to complete a certain task?
Will consumers read through each page in turn, or will they move quickly throughout the pages, hitting on sites about which they have particular interest?

After considering these questions, the web master will have a better understanding how consumers will be using the presentation.

The web manager will then consider how to divide the content into main topics and subtopics. Exactness at this point is not essential; changes can be made when the pages are actually being written. Managers may wish to consider the task-oriented format , which could include topics such as "Meet the Staff," "Browse the Catalog," or "Contact Technical Assistance." An alternative is a subject-based format, which would take the form of such titles as "The history of our organization," "Our staff directory," or "Technical Assistance Department."

Managers may determine as many topics as they wish, but topics should be kept short. Single topics that seem to require a significant amount of text or graphics should be divided into subtopics. At the same time, web managers should avoid too many smal l topics, which should be grouped into more general headings. The goals is the have a set of topics that are roughly the same size and that group together related bits of the information the organization has to present (Lemay, 29).

Plotting Navigation

Web managers need to keep in mind that consumers will be moving throughout their presentation and will need navigation clues. The information should be structured to permit easy navigation, and there are standard formats commonly used for online tools and help systems.

A hierarchy (see Appendix A) is an easy and logical way to structure a presentation because they lend themselves well to online and hypertext documents. In a hierarchical organization, it is easy for readers to know the ir position in the structure: up for more general information, down for more specific information. Providing a link to the top level, the home page, on all pages enables the reader to return to a known position quickly and easily. The home page provides t he most general overview to the content below it and defines the main links for the pages further down in the hierarchy as well.

Another way to structure a presentation is to use linear or sequential organization, similar to the way printed materials are written. In a liner structure (see Appendix B), the home page is the title, or introduction, a nd each page follows sequentially from that structure. In a strict linear structure, there are links that move from one page to another, typically forward and back, and perhaps a link from each page to the home page. Content is generally easy to determine in a linear structure because there are so few choices from which to choose. A linear organization is very rigid and limits the consumers' freedom to explore and the organization's own freedom to present information. It is, however, a good structure for putting material online when the information has a very linear structure already, such as a catalog of products not organized by subject but by name or number. It's also helpful if the manager does not want the consumer to be skipping around, such as a pr esentation that showed consumers how to complete a certain task.

Linear structures may be altered to allow the reader to deviate from the main path (see Appendix C). For example, an alternative from a single point may be offered, or alternate tracks may be designed that all end on the same page.

Web managers may also wish to consider a combination of linear and hierarchical structures, a popular form of documentation on the web (see Appendix D). This combination works well as long as clues are provided that rega rd content. Because the consumer is able to move up and down as well as forward and back, he or she may lose a sense of positioning. To avoid confusion concerning direction, the page could not use "forward" and "back" icons in the hierarchy, nor use "up" and "down" in the linear structure.

The web structure actually has little or no actual design; pages are connected by links alone (see Appendix E). The consumer is free to wander through the content, which is useful if the organization wants to encourage browsing. To avoid disorientation, pages may include a return link to the home page on all pages, or a link to a map with a "you are here" indication.

Storyboarding

The next step in designing a web presentation is the storyboarding, or determining which content will be included on which page and what links will be included for navigation within the presentation. Storyboarding provides an overall rough outline of wha t the presentation will look like, including which topics belong where, the primary links, and perhaps a conceptual idea of what sort of graphics will be used. With that visual representation, web managers will be able to develop each page in turn withou t having to remember exactly where that page fits into the overall presentation and its often complex relationship among other pages.

A storyboard also allows different individuals within the organization to develop different portions of the same presentation. With a clarified storyboard, duplication of work and contextual information can be minimized. A bulletin board, index cards, and string can be effective tools in storyboarding. The primary questions to be considered are:

Which topics will go on which page? Web managers should try to have each topic represented by a single page. But if one has a large number of topics, maintaining and linking them can be daunting. Consider combing smaller, related topics onto a single page.
What are the primary forms of navigation between pages? What links will you need for the reader to navigate from page to page?
What alternative forms of navigation will be provided? Clear presentations include extra information that is parallel to the main web content, such as a glossary of terms, an alphabetical index of concepts, and a credits or contact page.
What will be included on the home page? Moreover, the web manager should review the organization goals, making sure they are not being obscured with the extra information and content.

Conclusion

Web publishing has many advantages for organizations: creating a web presence, reaching a greater audience, and broadcasting in a new medium, all of which may lead to the fulfillment of marketing goals. Internally, web publishing addresses operational con cerns of cost, quality, and efficiency, and, in many cases, need not be handled be out-of-house vendors.

It is not, however, without challenges. Successful web publishing requires particular scrutiny of a large number of variables. Staff issues must be addressed concerning project leadership, workflow, and responsibilities. In-house software, hardware, and n etworks need to be evaluated, as well as file compatibility, and project workflow should be clarified as much as possible in the planning stage. Meticulous preparation of content and design can greatly improve the finished product.

References

Lemay, L. (1996). Teach yourself web publishing with HTML 3.0 (2nd ed.). Indianapolis: Sams.net Publishing.

Rosenthal, L.S. (1989). Electronic publishing: guide to selection, June 1989 (NIST Special Publication No. 500-164). Gaithersburd, MD: National Institute of Standards and Technology.

Seminerio, M. (1996, April 18). Intelligent planning amid web gold. PC Week Online [On-line]. Available: http://www.pcweek.com/news/o415/ 18eberio.html

Sterne, J. (1996). Easy doesn't it. Webmaster Magazine Online [On-line]. Available: http://www.cio.com/WebMaster/wm_notebook.html