I’ve recently completed re-designing our Company website, which launched on 1st September. No big deal you might think, but until I took on the project around 2 months ago, I knew pretty much nothing about web design, HTML or any other programming code. I’m pleased with the results and I hope you are too. If you’re reading this, you’re on the emenex.co.uk website.
So, what did I learn from this experience and does it have wider application/implications for learning and development?
Technology is revolutionising the value chain
The Emenex website is powered by WordPress, which virtually eliminates the need for knowledge of a programming language – as long as you can work out out how to use plug ins and widgets. These little applets drop into WordPress’ content management system (see, I’m a technical wizard already!) and enables you to almost endlessly customise any one of thousands of templates, many of which are free.
However, the seemingly never ending choice, raises other issues. If you can do almost anything, then why not do it?
One example I recently came across is managing creative talent. A manufacturer who needs creative talent, has recently been going though a re-structure. As part of that process, it has considered sharing creative resources with its US parent. This will mean that instead of creating new designs, it will simply adapt existing ones. That reduces costs and simplifies processes, but what will happen to the creative people in the UK? Technology has simplified their role, but at the same time taken away a key ingredient for job satisfaction. Creativity is this Company’s competitive edge. Lose the creative element and the UK division risks losing its competitive edge.
Looking at it from another perspective, how is WordPress changing the web design industry? If I can create a website, knowing little or nothing about web design, then so can anyone else. Web design used to be all about technical know how – the black art of coding, php, C++, Java, Python. Facebook might need all of these (and they use all of them), but for the majority, it’s just not necessary anymore.
WordPress and other platforms brings Technology to the masses and shifts the value we place on technical expertise. Speaking to a friend of mine, Chris Lee www.bigcheesedc.com describes how his business has come full circle from being a design and branding agency who moved into the web design space. With the advent of content management systems, he has moved back to his roots developing creative content. Nowadays his clients take day to day control and management of their websites and Chris provides the expertise around branding and identity Although its been a difficult transition, Chris says it has been a positive experience.
What this highlights for me is the importance of recognising where and how you add value to your clients. In a dynamic business environment, your expertise can quickly become redundant, regardless of how often you update your technical skills. The ability to recognise how client needs are shifting is equally, if not more important, and to move your offer and value proposition to keep pace with shifting expectations.
Which brings me to the second point around my website development experience.
Build the website backwards
Because of the myriad of options available to the novice website builder, I started by thinking about what the finished website would look like, what it would or would not do and the messages we wanted to convey.
In my work with organisations supporting them in managing change, a constant indicator of the likely success of any strategy was whether the senior management had a powerful vision of the future and how well that was communicated in their organisation. In the same way, the success of the website’s development was largely due to the discussion around the vision and purpose of the website. It took some time for the clarity and understanding to emerge between all the stakeholders, but it was time well spent, minimising the time spent on implementation, Pareto’s 80/20 rule comes to mind.
Another benefit was that because i knew what we wanted, the technology just became a matter of how. I didn’t need to spend lot of time researching all possible options, I just needed to find a plugin to add video, or a plugin to encode text and formatting. Technology became a means to an end, rather than the focus.
This also reminds me of our work on the ExtraMILE model of employee engagement and development. The model describes the key drivers for employee engagement. We spent a lot of time trying to find the technology to automate a questionnaire for an individual and organisational survey based on the model.
What we originally lacked was the vision of how the model could be used within organisations. We focused on the technology, not the value to the wider market. However, as we shared the model with some long standing clients, it became clear that the model was more far reaching than we originally realised. This has given rise to new opportunities for us and added value for our clients, whether or not they already have embedded an engagement or talent management strategy. The technology has taken a back seat as we focus on the value.
Aligning talents and passions
Right through the website development experience, I was constantly challenged to bring the website to fruition. This suited my career orientation of challenge and sat perfectly with my interest in technology. Being able to deliver something for the organisation that was new, interesting and challenging made for the perfect assignment. One of my favourite youtube videos is the RSA’s take on Dan Pinks’ Drive. It’s on the front page of our website and puts some evidence and research behind my experience with our webiste.
Imagine if you could better align your own talents and passions with your organisation’s needs, how would that work for you?