Web Team Roles

These are the main roles in a web team. Different web projects require different web teams. So you may not need all these roles filled for your web project.

• Content expert/client • Project manager • Information architect • Information designer • Instructional designer

• Interaction designer • Visual designer • Content developer/web writer • Programmer • Other web team roles


Content expert/client

The content expert is the person who knows the subject matter of the web site best. Very often the content expert is you, the client. The responsiblities of the content expert are to: determine the project objectives, target audience and user needs; contribute to site/information architecture; provide the content materials for the web site; provide additional resources; and provide feedback on content, design and interactivity development in relation to the subject matter.


Project manager

The project manager is responsible for planning and managing all the human and technological elements of a web development project, from concept to completion. These responsiblities include: liaising with the content expert or client; planning, budgeting and preparation; concept design and arranging user research; briefing and managing the rest of the web team; overseeing the content, creative and technical development; overseeing site testing, release and evaluation; bringing the project to completion, within the time-franme and budget; and trouble-shooting.


Information architect

The information architect is responsible for the process where we help our client determine the structure of their site. Information architecture includes deciding how to organise the content so that it makes most sense to the users; how to link the pages together; and how to navigate through the pages.


Information designer

The information designer is responsible for the process through which information is configured for effective communication. Information design helps make information understandable and easy to use by incorporating good-practice issues of graphic design, typography, systems and usability.


Instructional designer

Instructional design is a process whereby learning objectives are matched with the most appropriate instructional practices and strategies. An instructional designer is responsible for creating engaging learning activities.


Interaction designer

The interaction designer is responsible for developing the user experience in a website or other digital medium, focusing on elements such as navigation, layout and user interactions.


Visual designer

The visual designer is responsible for creating the overall look and feel of the web site and the visual style of the individual web pages. The visual designer solves problems relating to graphic layout of web pages, typography, colour selection, branding and overall consistency.

Common tasks include: image processing and web optimisation, developing HTML templates and browser/platform testing of the HTML layouts. Where necessary the visual designer may create original animation, illustration and photography.

During the concept design stages, the visual designer collaborates with the project manager, client and content developer to determine the information needs of the users, and to come up with a look and feel for the user interface that will work in an interactive form. During design production, the visual designer works with the content developer and programmer to build the web site.


Content developer/web writer

The content developer/web writer creates the web site content - the information presented on the web site. The content developer/web writer's responsibilities depend on what kind of content is required, and may include: assessing and analysing content needs and designing content layout solutions; researching content; developing and writing new content or rewriting/editing existing content into a form that is appropriate for interactive media and adds value to the content materials; html coding and validating; inserting copy into templates or content management systems; processing images; and maintaining live web site content.

During content production, the content developer works with the content expert, information architect, visual designer and programmer, and may provide advice relating to the presentation of site content.


Programmer

The programmer builds the web site's functionality - the things it can do. A web project may need just one or a number of different programmers, depending on the size of the site, what you want it to do, and which programming languages are required to make it work.

Programmers use authoring software tools to bring a web site to life and make it work. For example, they code web sites that can publish data dynamically to the web using combined html and database technologies, and they build roll-over and fly-out navigation, interactive elements like games and forms, and user interfaces like embedded content management systems.

The programmer may be involved during project planning, to provide technical advice on the proposed web site. During production, the programmer works with the information architect, content developer and visual designer.


Other web team roles

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