Clients? As part of the project team?
But of course -- if it weren't for them, there wouldn't be a project in the first place.
Every client is unique in terms of the degree of involvement in a project and the talents they bring to the project team. Therefore, it's important for us to learn as much as we can about them (including how to work with them) and help them feel like valued members of our team, rather than outsiders. We bring them into the process, keep them informed through regular meetings and review cycles, and provide additional training to help them maintain and update their sites long after launch.
Team roles:
Here are some of the different roles clients have held on project teams:
Project Manager/Director
Nearly every project we've worked on has a Project Manager on
the client side. Often they are the primary point of contact
for the entire client team. They work closely with the Producer
at vivid, and sometimes mirror their responsibilities.
Art Director/Designer
Some clients like to include their own in-house/contract designers
and illustrators on projects, in either advisory or production
roles. This may be to ensure that identity standards are followed,
or to achieve a particular style. We provide them with training
in web graphics and interface development when requested.
Marketing/PR Director
Often, the marketing department oversees development of a company's
website. Even when they're not in the driver's seat, they still
play a welcome role in helping to create content and promoting
the site. Marketing directors and marketing communications managers
frequently provide copy and/or editorial direction, art direction,
and project management. Additionally, our PR staff works closely
with the client's PR department to publicize sites through press
releases, interviews, conferences, and other promotional activities.
Product Manager
In addition to a client-side Project Manager, some online ventures
will have an internal Product Manager. PMs can provide valuable
input on projects that promote/sell their products or speak to
their customer base. Because PMs are usually responsible for
a product's feature set as well as the marketing strategy, positioning
and core messages, their ideas must be articulated to the web
development team to assure alignment.
Commerce Director
A Commerce Director is essential for any venture that includes
ecommerce. Their duties typically include managing relationships
with product suppliers (negotiation, workflow, merchandising,
fulfillment, and accounting); defining the customer shopping
and order workflows with the design team; integrating the product
mix and editorial strategy; and validating revenue and margin
forecasts.
Editorial Director
Found most often on sites with frequently changing content, the
Editorial Director maintains the standards for written copy and
publishing processes. vivid works with client-side editors
to establish copy guidelines and editorial processes. On some
projects, vivid has helped to draft a job description
and qualifying criteria for the client to hire an internal editor.
Writers
Some clients prefer to provide their own copy, in final or rough
form. Our Creative and Technical Writing Directors work directly
with clients to help them shape their copy for the Web, providing
customized style guides, glossaries, and tutorials, and training
in editorial maintenance of moderated discussion areas.
MIS Director
MIS Directors can contribute to projects in two essential areas:
by overseeing engineering procedures (including integration with
or migration from legacy systems), and by authorizing asset acquisitions
(equipment, personnel, etc.)
Webmasters + System Adminstrators
We work with them to transfer builds to their server, or find
a host provider, or integrate customized technologies into their
existing structure. We also provide training upon request so
they can maintain their sites with the same degree of quality
that we do.
Stakeholders (Board Members,
Investors, VCs, Brand Managers, Misc. VPs and Managers)
Other "higher-ups" in the organization are sometimes
asked to give their blessing to projects (or be kept in the loop
throughout the project cycle). We arrange demos, conference calls,
and whatever preparation is necessary to assure that the right
people are seeing and signing off on our work.
|
|
Clients