HWG's Strategic Plan

As of October 22, 1999

Mission

The mission of the HTML Writers Guild is to build awareness of web page authoring and related services as a skilled pursuit, to assist members in developing and enhancing their capabilities; to compile and publicize information regarding standards, practices, techniques, competency, and ethics as applied to WWW design and development; and to contribute to the development of the Web and Web technical standards and guidelines.

Goals and Objectives

Goals are the 'what': what the Guild intends to do. Objectives are the 'how': what steps the Guild intends to take to fulfill the goal.

1. Develop an administrative infrastructure to ensure continuity, coordinate daily operations, facilitate volunteer participation, and carry out policy set by the board.

   Objectives for this goal:

   • Convert consultants to staff
   • Establish formal list of staff and board responsibilities, ensuring redundancy of responsibility as appropriate
   • Create volunteer development program
   • Improve board representation and selection procedure
   • Develop and implement marketing plan
   • Develop and implement corporate relations and fundraising plan
   • Complete policy and procedure manual
   • Formalize financial plan and reporting policies
   • Establish intranet integrating HWG administrative activities for use of board, staff, and volunteers
2. Provide a formal curriculum in online, interactive classes for beginning, intermediate, and advanced HTML writers, using established and emerging technologies.

   Objectives for this goal:

   • Establish overall structure to course selection, including tracks and programs
   • Re-evaluate pricing structure/Research other educational programs
   • Identify gaps in current offerings
   • Develop ongoing needs assessment process
   • Develop evaluation process for courses and instructors
   • Develop process for quickly adding new courses
   • Continually improve classroom interface
   • Provide teacher development and training for current and new instructors
   • Create policy and standards for recruiting new, high-quality instructors
3. Represent the interests of HWG members and HTML authors at all skills levels by participating in organizations that are developing standards and criteria or setting policy for web authoring.

   Objectives for this goal:

   • Articulate goals for and coordinate participation in W3C
   • Increase participation in W3C
   • Identify and prepare new volunteers to participate in standards development
   • Research and identify other policy-setting organizations
   • Research additional funding for W3C participation
   • Use new standards as applicable in HWG sites
   • Inform members about evolving standards
4. Publish and disseminate education materials on web authoring standards and practices.

   Objectives for this goal:

   • Develop business plan and launch ezine
   • Identify additional content needs of members
   • Evaluate, maintain and enhance current resources
   • Identify potential publishing partners
   • Identify and recruit new writers
   • Develop standard policy for intellectual property
   • Write and present white papers/studies
   • Specific ideas: Create HWG line of manuals, Develop article of the week, Produce member choice awards
5. Establish a certification program which identifies the key skills and knowledge integral to professional web authoring and recognizes individuals who demonstrate competency in those skills.

   Objectives for this goal:

   • Research existing web authoring certification programs
   • Reseach potential partners
   • Research market needs
   • Identify types of certification and varying requirements
   • Research testing methods and centers
   • Design test and passing criteria
   • Publicize value of certification to members and to the public
   • Market certification program
6. Conduct regional, national and international meetings providing high quality, face to face education for HTML authors at all levels of skill.

   Objectives for this goal:

   • Seek out opportunities for co-sponsored and in conjunction meetings
   • Reseach market needs, cost and feasibility
   • Research potential partners
   • Determine types of programs and program content
   • Develop a formal plan and timeline for ramping up to large meetings
   • Develop criteria for success and replication
   • Identify location/times/prices
   • Identify and invite speakers