The Producer as the Project Manager

Recently I was outlining the role of a Online Producer it was asked of me:

"Isn't that just what a Project Manager does?"

It's a common misconception thrown around frequently, that is the idea that a producer is just another name for a Project Manager. So the question begs, why bother with producers?

Life, the Universe and Websites

Ever had one of those moments in life where you think "what have I actully done up until now?" You know when a sense of panic kicks in as you begin to go through the mental check list of things to do before I turn 30 and realise that you missed half the list and you are about to turn 40.

I getz da mad skillz

Trying to tie down one particular skill set an Online Producer should be focused on is, at the best of times, difficult.

Content vs Production

There is a common misconception with the job title of Online Producer, that is  many people see the idea of the Online Producer as the creator of the content. In fact, if you look at Wikipedia's definition for an Online Producer, you will see a lot of talk about web editors, content creation, journalism and the like. While I don't deny the Online Producer is indeed closely linked to a sites  content, the role of Online Producer is not so much around the creation of content, or even the management of content.

Career Development

When I first started out I was clueless to the career and development path of an Online Producer. Over time I have gained a good understanding of the common producer team structure and development path. While the below structure is probably the most common, it's by no means the be-all-or-end-all.

It’s Really About Communication

Web Producer, Digital Producer, Online Producer, Interactive Producer no matter what you want to call it, they all do the same role. Depending on the business or industry there are always going to be discrepancies and variations on responsibilities, but at the end of the day the Online Producer is all about ensuring the smooth development and day to day running of a website.