The Daily Ping: The Webdev Scale

February 21st, 2001<>

The Webdev Scale

The other day I got to thinking about web development and how there are four general aspects to it: content development, design, marketing/sales, and technical details. Similarly, every web developer has a certain amount of expertise or interest in each of the four aspects of webdev:

Content development
Design (includes layout/navigation/usability)
Marketing/sales (and how non-web business issues affect webdev)
Technical (includes Perl, CGI, PHP, database integration, etc.)

Most days my interest is distributed 40%/30%/5%/25%. Some days, though, I flashback to fifth grade and get jonesin’ for code; those days I’m more like 15%/28%/2%/55%. And on the rare occasion I get a flash (lower-case f) of design brilliance, the scales tip to 20%/50%/10%/20%.

I’d be interested in hearing from other web developers that may be reading (no matter how casual) and what you’d rank yourself on the MacMichael Webdev Scale^TM. I guess that even non-webdev people’s view of the web could kind of fit into this scale, too, so feel free to chime in.-ram

Posted in Technology

FROM: Paul
DATE: Tuesday February 20, 2001 -- 11:58:37PM

At work, my scale works as 0%/70%/5%/25%, which I don't dig much. For all of the personal site goodness, I tend to strike something like 50%/35%/2%/13%, but like you, that coding just takes over sometimes... which I don't mind, much.

FROM: Terry M.
DATE: Wednesday February 21, 2001 -- 12:52:06AM

I am currently 0%/0%/0%/100%, but my closet aspiration is to be 0%/0%/100%/0%. I don't mess around with this sub-100% stuff. Of course, this is for semiconductors but the job breakdown is identical to web stuff.

FROM: Patrick
DATE: Wednesday February 21, 2001 -- 7:26:35AM

Aside from the numbers giving it away, guess my focus:

Umm, can we drop the % signs? Cos I think that 5-75-5-15 reads much better than 5%75%5%15%.

Oh yeah, the scale is neat-O.

FROM: Patrick
DATE: Wednesday February 21, 2001 -- 8:12:03AM

Hey, 5.75.5.15 Might read even better. I think we should do a usability test. Wonder what Over(bearing)lord Nielsen would say?

FROM: Matt
DATE: Wednesday February 21, 2001 -- 9:54:09AM

I'm a 5%(that's generous)/5%/0%(can that one be negative?)/%90 guy. You know, you can't really be funny with statistics.

FROM: Ryan
DATE: Wednesday February 21, 2001 -- 10:33:17AM

Patrick -- I was thinking of doing it without percentages, but I didn't want someone to read it and think that they were anything but percentages... how about this:

40% - 30% - 5% - 25%

And we the "CDMT Scale" can be an alias for the egotisically-named "MacMichael Scale." :)

Additionally, I should clarify that the numbers I put up were based strictly on interest and not what I actually do during my dayjob. :)

FROM: Patrick
DATE: Wednesday February 21, 2001 -- 10:52:07AM

Ryan,

I like your new method of display best.

FROM: Matt
DATE: Wednesday February 21, 2001 -- 2:43:42PM

Who is this other Matt? I feel he should have to go by another name. Or maybe at least matthew!

FROM: Robert
DATE: Wednesday February 21, 2001 -- 3:01:44PM

Matt--Wouldn't that then confuse him with Kool Keith's alter ego?

FROM: Ryan
DATE: Wednesday February 21, 2001 -- 3:34:53PM

Matt-I-Know-from-College: the "other Matt W." is Matt Wilson, aka mecawilson (who I featured in a Ping in December).

FROM: Matt (the real one)
DATE: Wednesday February 21, 2001 -- 4:46:59PM

Imposter, go write something about an enema and step off, I'm doing the hump!

FROM:
DATE: Saturday January 1, 2005 -- 3:10:18 pm

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February 21st, 2001<>

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