The Danger of a Living Document

A living (or dynamic) document is a document “which may be continually edited and updated”. Wikipedia is a fantastic example of a living document, especially when contrasted with a physical printed volume of a traditional encyclopedia. In essence, all websites are living documents because they can (should) change overtime, whether it be copy changes or the addition of fresh content. To be honest with you, as a former video producer and academic, the idea of a living document excites me. I challenge you to find a media textbook written in the last 15 years that does not include a clause like “the specifics of this book will be outdated by the time it goes to print” in the introduction. However, as a web project manager, I have come to fear the hidden repercussions of the living document.

Our work entails porting traditional branding and business objectives to interactive outlets. Our clients are intimately familiar with the subject of our work, but often, not the medium. So while a corporate brand manager may have created plenty of content for advertising campaigns or physical mediums, the web or other outlets we recommend may be uncharted territory. This unfamiliarity can lead to a misunderstanding of how the interactive, living product works and create a negative domino effect. Because changes can be made at any time, the concept of lead time seems to be forgotten. Without strict adherence to a “drop deadline”, less care is sometimes given to the quality of deliverables. Additionally, one of the most frequent things I hear in my job is “we just couldn’t visualize it until we saw it on the web.” I can understand that, and this is why proofs are standard in the print industry. However, I am always amazed how much grammar is massaged once the language is on the web. If a statement is clunky, why is this only apparent when wrapped in graphics and navigation?

The products that we create and distribute have a lot at stake. They often represent major rebranding initiatives, lots of money and tons of blood, sweat and tears for our clients. The quality and impact of the launch is important to us and them. Based on this, and the problems I mentioned above, here are some recommendations I have when considering your next interactive project:

1. Interactive projects are living, but still follow a carefully constructed production process. We take time to inform our clients about our process and its importance. It is not that we love strict adherence to process, but the production process we follow has been proven to be the most efficient method for translating your message to the web. Efficient is important: it means the shortest production times and lowest costs.
2. You have an equal stake in the process. We are experts in our business, and think that you should leverage our expertise as much as possible. However, many clients chose to take on more responsibility in order to lower costs (copywriting is a frequent example). The effectiveness of this can be debated, but the rational behind it is understandable. If you chose to take on more responsibility in the project, understand how important it is to stick to the process. The process is not a tool for us to micromanage you, but to help ensure that the final product is as good as it can be while staying on-time and on-budget. One of the most important responsibilities you have is being careful that your deliverables are as the best they can be and that your approval is thoughtful and timely.
3. A living project has phases. Thanks to the living nature of our work, a phased development and launch approach is possible. In reality, something that does not make the initial cut is far less likely to ever happen, but a well-crafted phased strategy can be a way to combat budget and time constraints.
4. Leverage the living project to optimize your strategy. Clients are very relieved when out-of-date information is discovered and corrected or redacted. The living nature of the project becomes a safety net. This is important, but try to think of your living project as a means to continually hone you message and strategy. We would love to help you create strategies and campaigns that provide metrics that can be used to adjust your approach over time.
5. Growing content has a tremendous amount of worth. Sure, you can harness the living nature of your interactive project to correct static information, but creating new content adds tremendous worth to your online presence. You are more likely to boost return visitors and create more opportunities for search engines and linkers to share your top-level project and message.

In the end, a living project is a whole new beast, but it doesn’t have to be scary. Just remember that like any other product, there is a careful process for its creation. Most importantly, find a partner who can help you leverage the exciting characteristics of the living interactive and online projects to grow your brand and reach your business goals.