The Role of Project Leaders

By Terri Willard
November 1999

Case study from the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD)

Over the past five years, the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) has created and maintained three distinct Web sites:

• Linkages – http://www.iisd.ca/
• IISDnet – http://www.iisd.org/
• SD Gateway – http://sdgateway.net/

The majority of IISD's 86 staff members are involved in some stage of creating content for one of these sites. What makes this possible? Flexible structure with both permanent elements and temporary development teams that convene to work on specific online products. For both, a project leader with strong substantive content knowledge and a willingness to learn to about Internet technologies has played a key role.

IISDnet Publishing Services Coordinator

In the fall of 1998, IISD redrafted the terms of reference for the position of Publishing Services Coordinator to include both print and electronic publishing on IISDnet. Joe Petrik, an editor with a background in zoology, was hired to pull together these previously disconnected activities. His promotion of a unified style guide and procedures to create both online and print material has vastly increased the organization's ability to communicate its new research quickly. It has also helped improve internal communications with other IISD staff since researchers now have a single contact person for all of their publishing needs. Ideas are vetted at a weekly program meeting and priorities are set. Joe is then able to determine which members of the team will need to be involved in implementing the project and how best to schedule their time. At IISD, if you have a great new idea, go to Joe first.

SD Gateway Internet Communications Officer

When IISD began work on the SD Gateway in 1996, it had to make a strategic decision. What type of team would be needed to create a site that integrates the online sustainable development content of diverse organizations around the world? IISD already had a permanent systems administrator and a technical specialist with expertise in database management. Using project funds, they chose to hire three new staff to round out the team: a graphic designer, a project assistant and an Internet communications officer.

The Internet communications officer was given the responsibility of coordinating the team's efforts, developing the information architecture for the SD Gateway and writing articles that explain the different actions which can be taken to promote sustainable development. The decision to hire a "non-technical" Internet communications officer with a background in sustainable development helped the team to maintain the focus on organizing and generating new content through the early development phases. Today, Scott Anderson, the IISD Internet communications officer in charge of the SD Gateway, plays an important role in understanding the site's users and developing new products and services which meet their needs.

Other case studies from the International Institute for Sustainable Development

• Integrating print and electronic publication policies (29 November 1999)
  At the International Institute for Sustainable Development, one set of policies and procedures guides the development of both on-line and printed content. This standardization has improved both external and internal communications.
• Managing IT staff in DAINET: How Development Alternatives is curbing staff turnover (12 December 2000)
  In light of the increasing demands of the private sector in India and elsewhere for experienced IT staff, DA's success at keeping its IT staff in DAINET is particularly impressive.