Chief web officer

A chief web officer (CWO) is the highest-ranking corporate officer (executive) in charge of an organization’s Web presence, including all internet and intranet sites. As a corporate officer position, the CWO reports directly to the CEO.

Genesis of the CWO Role

A 1999 CIO magazine cover story asked the question: Is it time for corporations to create a new executive position—Chief Web Officer—to “oversee the strategies of company intranets, extranets and Web sites?”^[1] The six experts interviewed for the article were split in their viewpoints. Some argued that the tasks associated with any new position should be handled by IT staff already within the company or guided directly by the CEO. Others said that, because a typical CIO was too focused on technology issues, there should be a new position created “to coordinate all Web-based activities and to put resources, both people and capital, into his or her organization.”^[1]

The earliest creation of the CWO role by a Fortune 500 company may have been in 1999, by Colgate-Palmolive.^[2]

The article “Chief Web Officers Take Charge” in the March 20, 2000 issue of ‘Inter@ctive Week’ explored the roles and responsibilities of CWOs through interviews and a survey of Web professionals.^[3]

Beginning around 2005, more writers began calling attention to the need to create a CWO position.^[4][5][6][7] These authors pointed to the need for an organization to have an executive at the C-level focused on coordinating and directing all Web-related activities. Cherian posed the need for the CWO position within an enterprise with the simple question: “Do you have a central internet group (CIG) directed by a chief Web officer and composed of dedicated staff for each business function?”^[4]

Contrast with CIO and CTO

The position of CWO has emerged distinctly from the positions of Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) because of the need to focus on and coordinate an organization’s entire Web environment and presence. A CIO typically focuses on IT planning, procurement, and architecture for the enterprise; a CTO “is principally overseeing development of new technologies.”

Responsibilities

Responsibilities of the CWO position vary among enterprises, depending on the needs and goals of the business. A CWO should have a deep and broad understanding of the Web and website governance issues. Some of the issues within the CWO jurisdiction could include online strategy, budgeting, systems & software administration, hosting, online marketing & communications, e-commerce, customer service, business development, online community & social media, web content development & workflows, website graphic design, user experience (analysis/design), information/data architecture, website analytics, security, archiving, accessibility, legal issues (for example, copyright, DRM, trademark, and privacy), and training, among others.

See also

• Corporate governance
• Website governance

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Jahnke, Art (1 April 1999). "The Powers That May Be: Executive Offices: Some CIOs think it's time for corporate America to anoint the Chief Web Officer". CIO, Section 2, WebBusiness (USA: CIO) 12 (12): 28–37. ISSN 0894-9301. 
2. ^ Thompson, Bina (August 1999). "Colgate-Palmolive Names Jack Haber Chief Web Officer". http://investor.colgate.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=96893. Retrieved 22 May 2010. 
3. ^ Sprangler, Todd (2000-03-20). "Chief Web Officers Take Charge". Inter@ctive Week 7 (11): 70–76. 
4. ^ ^{a b} Cherian, Abe (September 2005). "One Simple Strategy to Organize Your Online Business". http://www.articleslash.net/Home-Based-Business/38295__One-Simple-Strategy-to-Organize-Your-Online-Business.html. Retrieved 22 May 2010. 
5. ^ Tingmon, Chris (April 2006). "It’s Time for a Chief Web Officer". http://www.brainfuel.tv/this-company-wasted-200000-on-a-junk-web-site-or-why-its-time-for-a-cwo. Retrieved 22 May 2010. 
6. ^ Stopforth, Mike (November 2006). "Where Does the Web Fit?". http://www.brainfuel.tv/this-company-wasted-200000-on-a-junk-web-site-or-why-its-time-for-a-cwo. Retrieved 22 May 2010. 
7. ^ Berlind, David (November 2006). "Does your company need a Chief Web Officer?". http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/does-your-company-need-a-chief-web-officer/3982. Retrieved 22 May 2010.