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Creating A Presence On The World Wide Web - Some Key Strategies
Introduction
Elaine Lawrence
Lecturer, School of Computing Sciences
University of Technology Sydney
AUSTRALIA
email: elaine@socs.uts.edu.au
Robert Hudson
Web Design Consultant
Web Obsession, Tampa, Florida
USA
email: robi@allworld.com
'Change is at the very root of business' [ Hill 1993] and one change, with which businesses in the 90s are
grappling, is the World Wide Web. Because the technology has a half life of about six months and usage is
growing at about 30% per month, any organisation with a planning time line of a year is going to find itself left
behind [ Lanfear 1995]. This paper explores key strategies for organisations which want to create a presence
on the World Wide Web. It draws on some principles of business and information technology management,
including Total Quality Management principles, to provide a theoretical basis to the practical insights gained
by the authors from their consulting practices, both in the United States and Australia.
Key Strategy 1 - Plan But Do Not Over Plan
Work involves planning, organising, controlling and monitoring activities [Hill 1993]. Creating a presence on
the Web involves all of the above but with important variations. The traditional paradigm of gather data,
evaluate alternatives and select plan, does not work with the World Wide Web [Lanfear 1995]. Companies
need to adopt an evolutionary and flexible approach for setting up a web site. Because many companies have
1950s work philosophies they react to the World Wide Web by setting up large committees to discuss World
Wide Web policies, content and implementation strategies. They often lose strategic advantage by taking too
long to get a web site online. It is better to get some web experience and projects online quickly and constantly
improve them instead of spending months arguing over policies and content. Rather than setting up large
committees, the authors advise running strategic planning workshops which should be conducted by
professional web consultants and should assist interested participants, including senior management, to become
aware of the potential of the medium. It is vital to have a senior person on side if the web site is to get approval
quickly. The first step in achieving quality excellence is the decision to make quality leadership a basic
strategic goal [Hill 1993]. One half day could be spent training the participants in the World Wide Web and the
next day working out strategies for how the company could create its presence on the web. Try to build quality
into the page at this early design stage to conform with the principles of Total Quality Management.
Key Strategy 2 - Organise But Don't Over Organise
The authors believe that the web site should be thought of as a continually growing and informative picture of
the company. As such it is essential that it is updated and constantly improved in quality levels as part of total
quality management. There must be some hook to get people to return to the site otherwise it will not be
revisited. Some companies are now adding in small advertisements for their and for others' products. It is also