The Website Manager’s Handbook, by Shane Diffily

This book is the only one I have come across giving a realistic insight in the profession of website management. It gives a clear description of daily tasks as well as ways to manage new projects such as website (re)development. All in all it is a great testimony about the fact that managing a website is a proper job, which takes specific tools and methods to get a professional result.

Among other interesting points, Diffily breaks down website management tasks in several core roles. For instance the publishing process is to be handled by the following roles: editor, contributor, moderator, legal reviewer, designer, developer. He also gives an interesting list of documents to use to ensure website content will meet highest quality standards.

The book also gives a good picture of the web design job, identifying major actors beyond the so well known Graphic Designer. Diffily pays tribute to Information Architects and Interface Designers, and it is good to read.

He repeatedly points out common misconception about supposed easiness of web design and development. The sections about website design demonstrate how an amateurish approach can result in a poor website on graphics, content and functionalities points of view.

A whole chapter focuses on the importance of governance. A website can’t be managed by a poor isolated guy and meet highly strategic goals. Diffily describes entities and documents that may help to make website strategy visible and actually help it to be a global tool for organisation.

Reading The Website Manager’s Handbook is therefore highly recommended for professionals. But they should also recommend it to their managers to help them to get a good overview of what managing a website involves.

More information about The Website Manager’s Handbook can be found on Shane Diffily’s website