For the Project Manager
The suggested reading path should allow the experienced project manager to reach a level of knowledge sufficient to manage Web Publishing projects. Should your background be in no way related to the publishing industry, graphic design or Information Technology, then the transition will probably be more demanding but the suggested path is still valid. A good working knowledge of the desktop computer is assumed as a prerequisite.
The following Book Rating will be used for the book reviews:
Poor (1*)
Fair (2*)
Good (3*)
Very Good (4*)
Excellent (5*)
Outstanding (5*+)
Book #1
Niederst, Jennifer. 2003. Learning Web Design: A Beginner’s Guide to HTML, Graphics and Beyond, 2nd ed. Sebastopol, CA: O’Reilly.
ISBN 0-596-00484-2
The project manager needs an understanding of how the Web works, including a working knowledge of markup languages and more specifically HTML, the importance of graphic design, the functions of the server and the major role of the browser. This book does an outstanding job (5*+) at addressing these topics. The text is well structured, simple and easy to read. It will not bring the reader to an expert level but will allow the creation of a basic Web site. This is the minimum level of knowledge needed by the project manager.
Book #2
Goto, Kelly, and Emily Cotler. 2002. Web ReDesign: Workflow that Works. Indianapolis, IN: New Riders.
ISBN 0-735-71062-7
A second step is a good understanding of the product-oriented processes related to Web publishing. This subject matter is not well documented and good books are hard to find. With a background in the graphic arts, the authors Goto and Cotler cover in details a Project Life Cycle, called Core Process (Waterfall Model), developed and extensively used in their Web Publishing consultancy business. A separate chapter is dedicated to each of the 5 phases and provides sufficient information for the reader to obtain a solid understanding of the various processes involved. The book is easy to read, profusely illustrated with high-quality color graphics, remains very focus on product-oriented processes and serves very well as an introduction (4*). Information architecture is briefly mentioned and, Content Management Systems as well as Development Models are not covered. Unfortunately, this book does not fare well (2*) in terms of project-oriented processes, as the authors either had no formal training on the subject or display no knowledge of it.
Book #3
Lynch, Patrick J., and Sarah Horton. 2001. Web Style Guide: Basic Design Principles for Creating Web Sites, 2nd ed. New Haven: Yale University Press.
ISBN 0-300-08898-1
In less than 220 pages, this book covers the functional aspects of Web design in a well structured and concise manner (5*). In that sense, it is tailor made for the project manager with all essential elements and no superfluous details. You will become familiar with: interface design, site design, page design, typography, editorial style, Web graphics and multimedia. Your specific work environment will dictate if you need additional Web design knowledge.
If publishing or editing is not part of your background, than you should at this point, very carefully browse The Chicago Manual of Style, to obtain a global understanding of the publishing process. Or better, buy The Chicago Manual of Style and, keep it as a reference for the years to come. It is the bible of the print and electronic publishing industry.
Book #4
Nielsen, Jakob. 2000. Designing Web Usability: The Practice of Simplicity. Indianapolis, IN: New Riders.
ISBN 1-562-05810-X
Should you need additional knowledge on the design process and user needs, then this is the book to read.
From its inception, the Web went through numerous gyrations. From clumsy assembled hyperlinked documents lacking structure, to attractively crafted and often baffling sites where users had to relearn how to use every new site, to today, where function takes precedence over form, content is the essence and usability is the golden rule. This book is about function over form, content and usability (4*). The work is well structured and easy to read and, may be considered a very good reference document for the project manager.
Book #5
Rosenfeld, Louis, and Peter Morville. 2002. Information Architecture for the World Wide Web, 2nd ed. Sebastopol, CA: O’Reilly.
ISBN 0-596-00035-9
This is a rather specialized discipline. The project manager needs a good understanding of Information Architecture (IA) since it plays a major role in the Web Publishing process. The authors, Rosenfeld and Morville, have created a superb book that will provide more than you need, but remains a real pleasure to read from cover to cover (5*). Of particular interest to the project manager, part III of the book covers IA Process and Methodology: research, strategy and, design and documentation.
Book #6
Boiko, Bob. 2002. Content Management Bible. New York, NY: Wiley Publishing.
ISBN 0-764-54862-X
Even the smallest Web site requires some form of content management. File system directories and informal sharing across publications are sufficient for small sites. But as the size and level of activities grow, informal content management begins to cost too much and take too long. At that point, a Content Management System may become necessary to help organize and automate the process. The decision to automate is normally based on 4 criteria: content size, change frequency, number and diversity of contributors and, the number of publications (channels). A Web Publishing project where content is distributed over more than 1000 pages will likely requires an automated Content Management System (CMS). The process of implementing a CMS is a major project in itself. So, depending on your work environment you may not need to concern yourself with a CMS at this point. Should the need exist, then this book will provide all the required information and more. It is meant for people tasked with designing and implementing CMS, and some filtering will need to be done by the project manager reading this book (4*+). Keep it as a reference and use it when needed.