Timeless Perspective & Wisdom on Web Development & Information Technology

We find there is a continuous challenge in the workplace as Organization 2.0 continues to impact, morph and mashup disciplines that were without question very clearly defined. Take the evolution of the I.T. department, for example. I just came across Steve Smith's 2006 post, Web Development and Information Technology that posed the question: Should Web development be housed under I.T.? I recognize tremors can be felt along much of the organizational fault lines by even posing such a question in many structured organizations, but it's interesting to consider, particularly as new lines are drawn and cross-functional teams are formed in today's Web 2.0 organizational structure.

The essence of Smith's post notes that each discipline within the Web development lifecycle contributes to the process and that contributors must work "hand in hand" to fully create a successful online experience. The post breaks down the territorial stance of where "Web development" lies within the organization. It also clarifies, which is refreshing, the difference between "Web development" and "Information Technology," which seems to be a common identity crisis in many evolving IT organizations.

So, in 2008, is this question, "What does Web Development have to do with Information Technology?" still relevant, important, even controversial? Are organizations shifting and changing to create more cross-functional "interaction" teams or standing firm as independent skill-based silos?

What I love most in this post is Smith's take up front about Web development:

"IT is a necessary part of keeping the web alive, but one that is so separate from the creation of a website that it makes me laugh every time I think about it. Information Technology is, and always should be, concerned with the reliability, stability, and effectiveness of serving a website. Those creating websites should focus their complete attention on the effectiveness of the message, the design, the interface and the content."

What's your thought? How do you define today's Web Team? Does it reside in one camp or another other? Is the modern enterprise ready for dynamic, non-traditional organizational structure that is collaborative and multi-disciplinary lead by specialists and championed by "customer evangelists?" How far have we come?

Comments

[jaremy]

now web 2.0 has gone, web 3.0 has come.
information technology is based on internet and web is one part of it's service.

[Marketing Guru]

Aloha from Hawaii where I just attended a fabulous marketing party. I would post something on the web but I don't know Dreamweaver.

Huh? Um, really, still using 1990's generalizations?

Fast-foward please to the 21st Century which is all about collaboration - which includes not only all the divisions/departments of a corporation, but also their customers. We reside in a time where diversity of thought and collective intelligence will outperform any one person or department. So the challenge in a Web 2.0 or Org 2.0 world is creating a culture of collaboration, the systems to support it and nurturing the community of collaborators. The winners will be the companies that are adept at managing "petri-dish solutions" not departments.

[Heather]

Hi Jennifer - Interesting perspective and you have given me something to think about for a follow up post on organizational (mis)perceptions.

Sounds like you have had varied experience in various departments. I hope more will read this post and your comments and join the conversation.

I think your comments will provide CMOs an interesting perspective when considering hiring out of IT. I also think you may have CIOs wondering how they could move over to Marketing since it sounds like one big party.

Best of luck in your job search.

[Jennifer Kyrnin]

I worked as a Web designer in a Software R&D department, in the IT department (separate from R&D) and in Marketing. And let me tell you, the most fun to be had was in Marketing. Maybe not the best reason for a company to choose where to put the Web team, but frankly, as a developer, that's what I'd look for again.

In Marketing, you are automatically the "guru" - because no one knows more about computers than you do, even if you are a designer who can only make beautiful Web pages. The fact that you do it in Dreamweaver puts you head and shoulders above the Marketing folks - and they will revere you for it. And who can't use a little revering once or twice?

In Marketing, if you get a cold call from a tech company you can say "I don't know, I'm in marketing" and hang up. If you get a cold call from a marketing company, you can say "I don't know, I'm a Web developer" and hang up.

In Marketing you have the chance to be lumped in with Sales and end up going on achievers trips to places like Hawaii and the Caribbean. And even if you don't get lumped in with Sales, chances are your Marketing team will take trips to some place fun. IT tends to go to a movie once a year and call that their "offsite".

In Marketing you'll have parties, possibly as often as every week, but probably every month. In IT you get to stay late and come in early and you might get given time off for the company party, but not if the server goes down (or might go down).

I honestly think the Web team should live outside both departments - as it needs to work with both (or arguably all departments). But if I have to choose when looking for a job, I go for the Marketing department.