IT and Web Design Don't Mix

September 12th, 2010 12:02pm - Posted By: Tyson

It's true, that 'back in the day' your website would be managed by your IT guy/gal.  Perhaps they would install a web server in your office, install some HTML, hooked up your web address, and viola, you have a website.  Today, I believe it is much different, and even would consider having an IT dude involved with your website 'old school'.  A website has become such a vital marketing tool, that I would even shift it to the marketing industry rather than information technology.  In some cases, I suppose a facet of your website could be considered information technology if you use it as a file server, or document sharing system, but generally speaking your website needs to be thought of as a marketing expense.  The technology behind the average website has become simple enough that your web design firm has all the tools they need to make sure your site is up and running and accessible on the internet.     The reason I am bringing this up is because we have now seen, enough times, business IT consultants getting involved with the web design process that it has actually become more of a burden than an asset.  Don't get me wrong, there is a place for your IT person.  Heck, I have no idea how to setup an Exchange server.  But when it comes to a website I am finding more and more they have no idea about how it works.  This has hindered the whole point of the website process, which is to present your business to the world, via the internet in a professional, attractive, and informative way to boost your community awareness, generate more sales, and add a virtual 'rack' to your shop floor to deliver your product and/or services to a greater audience.  Leave it to your web design company, who are experts in the field, to handle the infrastructure behind the scenes to make it all work and be accessible when you type in your web address.  Most web companies provide their own hosting or have strong partners that they use to host your site.  Unless you want full control over all backups, upgrades, virus protection, internet connection costs, bandwidth, and computer maintenance, there is really no reason to host your own site on your company server.  Leave that server alone… it has other priorities.  Sure there are some reasons to host your own site at your office, but 99.99% of the time you should leave the headache of managing it yourself out of the picture and focus on the success of your website and business you are trying to run.   It is time to formally separate this ignorant link between IT and Web Design.  It goes the other direction too.  Your IT person probably has never designed a thing in their life, nor has any desire to.  HTML or PhotoShop is not on their agenda.  Making sure your computers are running, you can print, you can connect to your files from home, etc etc… that is what they were hired to do.  And we swing back to the other side.  Your web designer can't help you with your computer.  They know how to design websites, not hook up wireless mouse.  Yes, they both deal with computers, but we are talking about complete opposite skills.   Marketing is moving into the digital age at much faster speeds than ever before.  What used to swanky offices with cigars, good rum, and Don from Mad Men, has been replaced with laptops, coffee, swanky offices, and a bunch of nerds.  Website nerds to be more specific.  I am sure your IT person is quite the nerd… just a different type.  

 My point is, just make sure that the person working on something for you has the right skills and desires in order to have the best successful outcome.  This is critical for web design, so try to leave your IT dude out of the picture and I can confidently say you will be so happy that you did.  Trust me, the last thing you want is an all out nerd war… web designers and IT folk do not play well with each other ;) 

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