Managing Web Projects, Part IV

We continue the review of J. Rodney Turner's book. In chapter 2, Turner discusses what distinguishes web projects from other projects, especially other IT/IS projects. He argues that web projects are a subset of IT/IS projects but have enough differences to make them distinct. When Turner writes that there are at least 10 key differences, I thought that would be a large number. After all, besides the technology used, how else are web projects different from IS project, as projects? The key differences he lists include: - shorter time horizons - global reach with diverse user requirements - managed from outside the IS department - multidisciplinary teams with high focus on creativity and usability - wider range of user requirements - diverse technologies - immature industry with skills shortage - undefined methodologies - fast changes in the industry - perceived greater risk. Note that the focus of the distinction is on the project, and not the product itself. That is, the focus is on the experiential difference in the undertaking of a web project versus that of a typical IS project.