I build websites. Well… I work for a company that builds websites, but when I meet people who ask me what I do for a living I tell them − “I build websites.”
But I don’t really anymore.
I used to build websites. And I mean really build them. I would take the designs from the designers and use HTML and CSS to build out web pages using those designs. Usually, I would add a little JavaScript for rollovers, dropdown navigation, modal windows, slideshows, etc. I would then build out pages of content, review, test, post them to a web server and…
A new website was born.
Making a website was a complex process that required expertise and knowledge of web technology. Maintaining a site demands the same set of skills which not all site owners have. Even simple changes would require them to rely on a third party, which is why Verndale uses Content Management Systems (CMS).
CMS implementation allows site owners, without HTML expertise and knowledge, to update their own content, change their own dates, create their own events, rearrange home page content, and more. All of these things are easily done if they are configured properly − but implementing a CMS means I’m not actually building the website anymore.
When a CMS is implemented, I still take the designs and convert them into HTML templates, but instead of building out every page, I build out only pages that have unique designs or functions − like the Home page, Contact page, News listing page, FAQ page, etc. I don’t enter in any content and instead use placeholder text called Lorem Ipsum. Then the engineers take the HTML templates and implement the CMS. The client or site owner then uploads their own content and…
A new CMS website is born.
But now… my role in the process has changed. I’m an Information Architect and I don’t build websites. As an Information Architect, it’s my responsibility to organize the content and functionality of a website into an Information Architecture (IA) or Site Map. The IA is essentially the skeleton of the new site. It’s up to me to decide how the new site will be organized, how many legs or arms it will have, how it will function and move, and even how it could evolve in the future.
The organization of the skeleton depends on the purpose or goal of the site. Is it to sell or promote products, demonstrate expertise, disseminate information, build community, build a reputation, or generate sales leads? Most likely it’s a combination of a few things. Rarely is it a simple single goal.
Then there is content that is created or repurposed. How should that content best be organized? Does the budget and timeline allow for robust, interlinked relationships between content types? Will there be a constant stream of new content?
It’s not all about the content, the audience is also important. How do I make the visitor happy and not feel lost or frustrated? How best do I guide the visitor toward the funnel point without scaring them away? How do I make their experience enjoyable?
After the IA is created the designers make the site captivating and the buttons shiny, HTMLers layout the templates and engineers make the site and CMS function. It is then tested, posted to a web server and…
A new well-architected intuitive CMS website is born.
I guess I’ve been wrong when I say, “I build websites.” I propose ideas, organize information and content, and develop interfaces. I plan websites, others actually build them.
I think what I’ll tell people from now on is, “I plan websites.” That’s a bit more accurate. And frankly, a bit more interesting.
I’ve used them, studied them, tested them, evaluated them, deconstructed them, discussed them, built them, and now I plan them − and I like it.