Presentation

Strategies for Web Sourcing
Speaker: Miles Fawcett, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Bridgeline Software Inc.

Audience: Individuals who manage the creation of Web sites or plan to create a Web site (primarily through outside resources)

Description: The Internet is littered with unsuccessful efforts to build Web sites. In August 2004, InfoWorld reported that only 34 percent of projects surveyed were "successful." There are many risk factors that contribute to this. At the same time, options for Web development sources have exploded, ranging from 6- or 7-figure projects created by national firms to projects developed by offshore or individual contractors for just thousands of dollars. A large amount of money invested does not always assure a positive outcome.

In this session, Miles Fawcett, founder of the Web development firm iapps (acquired by Bridgeline Software Inc in 2004), will identify the pros and cons of various approaches to Web development contracting. The risks of different approaches and how to mitigate those risks will be discussed.

You will learn—

1. The various approaches to Web development (for example, local firms, offshore vendors, and individual contractors), the pros and cons of each, and strategies for mitigating the risk with each.
2. How to select a partner to deliver a Web project
3. The differences between open- and closed-source technology and systems, and how they could impact your project
4. How to get the results you want from a Web development initiative

Speaker: Miles Fawcett founded iapps in 1994 and has led the development of more than 200 Web initiatives. In 2004 he sold iapps to Bridgeline Software, where he serves as General Manager and Executive Vice President. Miles has extensive experience with Web technologies, human factors engineering, visual art direction, entrepreneurship, and search engine marketing and optimization.

In addition, Miles Fawcett is an active painter, photographer, and documentary filmmaker. He has produced a number of films, including one on a unique subculture of retirees who travel the United States in Airstream Travel Trailers. Many of his paintings are exhibited at the iapps Washington, DC, office.

Miles Fawcett graduated from the Park School of Communications at Ithaca College and served 2 years on the faculty of the American University Graduate School of Communications. He currently serves on the board of Men Can Stop Rape (http://www.mencanstoprape.com) and is a judge in the Nonprofit and Government category for the Computerworld Smithsonian Awards (http://www.cwheroes.org).

Location: One-half block south of the Cineplex Odeon Uptown movie theatre on Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, DC.

Metrorail--Cleveland Park Station on the Red Line (on Connecticut Avenue, just 1.5 blocks north of meeting site) 

Parking: Very small lot, off Macomb St., to left of library. 

Free and open to all 

Several times a year a smaller group (usually about 8 to 12) goes to Nanny O'Brien's (directly across the street from the library at 3319 Connecticut Avenue, NW, 202-686-9189, open noon Saturday to 2 am Sunday) or another local establishment for continued conversation, networking, and refreshment following the meeting. (Participants pay for their own beverages and food.) 

Join us!

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