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Website planning: resourcing your website (screen 7 of 9)
When you plan a website make sure that your resources, both human and financial, are adequate for its maintenance. The resources required for any site are determined by its design and the range of services you provide.
Staffing models for maintaining the website
Many organisations create a position of 'Web manager' and it is this person who is responsible for maintaining the website. There are other models:
- The administrative assistants in different areas of an organisation are made responsible for screens related to their area.
- Each program or project is responsible for maintenance of its own screens.
- An information technology (IT)/website team is responsible for the whole organisation.
- Maintenance of the website is contracted out.
- A person in a small organisation maintains the website as a normal part of their duties.
Software
There is quite a lot of freeware and shareware on the Web and this can be very useful in developing additional functionality, adding extra management utilities and so on, for your website.
However, it is worth purchasing fully featured commercial software designed for specific tasks. It is often more flexible, and will deal with the growth of your website better, than the freeware/shareware programs. It is more likely to be regularly upgraded to utilise the new developments in Web technology, and the vendor is more likely to provide software support. Use shareware and freeware for the little extras.
It is not unusual to use twenty or so different software programs in the maintenance and development of a website.
You will need to ensure you purchase enough licences to cover the number of people who will need to use the software and that you pay the licensor for your shareware. Read the licensing agreements to establish what you can and can't do and what you are legally allowed to do.
You will need to factor upgrades of software and purchasing of new software into your budget.
Hardware
Hardware is developing all the time - microprocessors are getting faster, and machines are getting superseded more quickly. Generally, what is state of the art today will be old hat within a year. As part of your whole management system it is worth developing an obsolescence plan for your computer hardware. If you have an IT section, ask them to develop a plan of regular upgrades which take into account what you need and can afford as an organisation and what you need to be able to deliver to your audience.
Alternatively, consider leasing your hardware and upgrading your leased equipment regularly.
Automate your site where possible
Automate as much of the site maintenance as possible. For example, if you have a number of staff updating the site, perhaps develop a website model which does not require much HTML programming ability. In addition:
- Use standard templates.
- Develop easy-to-read user documentation.
- Use software which automatically detects broken links.
- Plan your website maintenance as part of your organisation's usual workflow.
Use standard 'mailtos'
Use standard 'mailto' addresses (for example,
webmanager@company.com.au), rather than directing mail to individual
email addresses (such as jsmith@company.com.au). Staff come and go,
but generic addresses are relevant forever and can simply be redirected.
Make your 'mailtos' descriptive. The list of email addresses
for contacting a specific area of the 
National
Museum of Australia(1) is a good example.
A site such as this one, with lots of links to maintain and with lots of information that needs to be updated, requires more time and effort than a simpler site.
Remember also that the maintenance costs of your site are ongoing. If you have your site with an ISP, there are monthly charges. These could be related to the success of your site, and may escalate alarmingly if your site is very popular. The issue of costs is covered in a later Guide(2).
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References
- National Museum of Australia contact details http://www.nma.gov.au/about_us/contact_us/index.html
- Guide 6 screen 1 http://culture.gov.au/resources/guides/g6/s1.htm
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