How to Be the Best Web 2.0 Developer

One of the sites I blog for is my friend Silvia Bassi’s CW Connect, a community for IT and telecom professionals in Brazil. Today a computer science student in the community asked what core skills are most valuable for developers aiming to work in the Web 2.0 environment. I’m a business person, not an engineer, so I passed the question to Joe Kleinschmidt, the CTO of Leverage Software—an online community software and services company that provides the CW Connect platform.

Joe promptly sent back a thoughtful response that I’ll share here, for the benefit both of aspiring Web 2.0 developers as well as managers who are building teams to actualize Web 2.0 product or business visions.

CTO Joe Kleinschmidt’s advice for building the most valuable skillset possible for the Web 2.0 world:

“Wow, quite an interesting question! Well, because technology tends to move so quickly--today's Ruby is tomorrow's FORTRAN--I typically find it's much more important to develop skills which span across technologies. For me the most important skills fall under the following headings:

• Communication. Web 2.0 applications today are designed by interdisciplinary teams, distributed across the globe, for a set of demanding customers, in a rapidly-changing industry. Thus, the best web developers I've ever worked with are outstanding at communication--both technical and nontechnical. Technical communication is frequently visual, so I recommend developers learn how to read and write architecture diagrams, data models, object models, UML--things that tend to cross language boundaries. Of course nontechnical communication is equally important. There is no substitute for elegant writing and speaking skills to convey an idea to a customer, partner, or colleague.
• Architecture. Web 2.0 applications are all about scale. Great developers understand--at their core--how an app will work when millions of people are using it. Learning about performance, stress-testing, being able to write simple, loosely-coupled apps that can be distributed across multiple servers at multiple locations is a tremendous skill. Great developers can "see" (and avoid) bottlenecks in code right out of the gate.
• Design. Call it the iPod effect: so many products succeed wildly because they are elegantly designed and a joy to use. Some developers think that usability and design "isn't their job," but I've found that the best web developers tend to have enough of an eye to know when something "feels right." Developing that creative intuition--whether through an art class, usability seminars, or anything--means that great designers will simply find it easier to work with you, which in turn means you're more likely to work on beautiful (and successful) products."
  

Great information Joe! One other thought: it’s helpful to have some insight into the business mindset as well. A course or two in economics, finance, or marketing can open the door on how and why business goals and priorities are set (maybe there’s a reason they’re counting those beans). That can facilitate getting everyone on the same page and aligning resources, efforts, and objectives. Especially in such a fast-evolving and competitive environment as Web 2.0, the more efficient the organization, the better the odds of success.

Are there other skills we should add to the list? Leave a comment with your thoughts.

December 10, 2006: Six Takeaways for Building a Successful Online Media Business Model

For my session at a recent corporate management meeting I summarized six key points to bear in mind when you're developing the ideal model to support your online media business as you transition away from a print focus:

• Understand the online medium on its own terms and be open to new perspectives. Don't just stay in a comfort zone because it worked in the past. Online is a different universe where new rules apply.
  
  
• Strive to understand and build your strategy around the unique intersection of the special strengths of online (such as low unit and distribution costs) and the special strengths and market position of your business.
  
  
• Anticipate the need to reallocate resources and retool skillsets. Especially when you're transitioning from print to online, assume that your assets won't be deployed in the most efficient manner possible for the new medium. You will need to invest and disinvest accordingly. The sooner you start tackling this challenge the better. Similarly, assume that many core skills, such as production and marketing, will need to be retooled. Be proactive about reconfiguring your team as needed.
  
  
• Leverage the data available in the online medium to learn, grow faster, and optimize financial performance. One of the biggest changes and benefits of placing a media business on an online platform is the amount of data that's available on user behavior. Your web site is like a living focus group. Recognize that up front and move quickly to reorient your business to be data-focused. Consider hiring a data analyst to help crunch the numbers and derive actionable business insights.
  
  
• Put your audience to work for you. The online medium is ideal for managing content costs by promoting user-generated content. With a community strategy your audience will create content, monetize it through extra pageviews, and assist in audience development by inviting their friends. Don't be stuck in the one-way, push-content mentality of print. Get creative about deepening audience engagement and harvesting the potential benefits.
  
  
• Finally, don't forget to enjoy the once-in-a-career excitement of participating in creating the new industry of online media! All of us working in this field today are pioneers, developing platforms and strategies that will influence the way people give and receive information for generations. Don't lose sight of the fun and excitement of living on the cutting edge.