PDFs of print brochures
Does anyone have any advice about how to tell a colleague who knows nothing of web design that if you have a print brochure for a conference you don't necessarily need to put the PDF "up" on the web if you have 75% of the particulars that attendees will need already posted?! I have someone throwing a hissy fit that "the web person should not make those kinds of decisions." We have a professional journal and a 4 color magazine for which we have editors. I consider my background in journalism, web content and web design to give me the appropriate credentials to say what should be published on the site - just as our print editors have the authority to say what is published in the journal and magazine. Is anyone else having to put up w/ tantrums from people who insist on having 'EVERYTHING - AND I MEAN EVERYTHING' thrown up (no pun intended) on their site? I'm getting reallllyyy frustrated. THANKS FOR ANY ADVICE!!
Justin S posted this at 21:38 — 9th November 2000.
They have: 2,076 posts
Joined: Jun 1999
Well I can see where both of you are coming from. I'd actually say it would be a good idea to just stick it up on the web. That way your customers/clients can easily have access to it from wherever they are...
Justin Stayton - [email] [icq]
Megan posted this at 21:54 — 9th November 2000.
She has: 11,421 posts
Joined: Jun 1999
I had a job interview last week with a company that seemed to be having similar problems - different departments just not getting along. They said that the root of the problem was that each department thinks that their stuff is the most important. It sounds to me in this case that your print colleague thinks his stuff is so important that it should be up there on the web, even though that's not the most appropriate place for it.
I don't exactly have a clear picture of what your circumstances are, but if this is important to you I would find an impartial third party (preferably someone with more power, like your boss). If that person does not exist or is too busy to deal with that, just suck it up and post that PDF anyway - does it really matter that much? One little link that can be hidden at the bottom of the page somewhere. Not such a big deal I don't think.
It might be a good idea, though, to discuss this with higher ups at some point - just so you both have a more defined idea of what your role is (ie. is it his job to give input to the web end of things? Is it really your job and your job only to decide what gets put on the web?).
In the end, your client is the boss (again, not sure of your situation here). If he wants something up on the site you can go ahead and politely explain why it's a bad idea. In the end, though, it's his decision to make and as they say, the customer is always right.
Megan
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Brooke posted this at 22:33 — 9th November 2000.
She has: 681 posts
Joined: Feb 1999
I hate to say it, but I agree with everyone here. Pick your battles and decide what is most important. I work at a marketing company where we do both print and web. We find that the print and web departments need to work together. The web is just another form of marketing and each piece needs to compliment each other - no matter what the media. If you have an ad on TV and one in a magazine, you are going to approach it a little differently, but in the end the message is the same.
Sometimes compromising with the other departments (or in your case colleague) will get you more of what you want in the long run!
Good luck and let us know how it goes!
Brooke
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