RE: UKNM: chartered status for web professionals

[Robin Grant]

Hmmm


>I am therefore wondering if it would be possible for individuals to

>acquire chartered web professional status.  This might then act as the

>guarantee we are looking for, but on an individual level.


Chartered Status? good idea, but the success of it relies on the

certificating authority being trustworthy.


The Association of Internet Professionals (http://www.association.org/ - an

international organisation of which I'm an elected Director of) is currently

working on a certification program which take the approach of certifying

third parties certification schemes, rather than offering certification

direct to individuals (hmm - did I use the word certification enough in that

sentence?). I'll let you know once I have the full details - as you might

imagine, this is a delicate and controversial issue, so we are moving fairly

slowly to make sure we get things right. If you would like to contribute to

the process, join up and get involved!


We are also working on a "letters after you name" approach, which we hope to

roll out in a shorter timescale (very similar to the way you can put MBCS

after your name if you are a member of the British Computer Society etc...).

Not that I can see myself ever wanting to do so personally.


Going back to the sheriff part of 'Half of UK sites are "broken"', it is a

tricky issue - on the one hand it would be nice to stop fly by night cowboy

operations tarring the good name of the rest of the industry, on the other

hand any sort of "guild" approach might become dangerously cartel like (and

bureaucratic).


I think there is a strong need for industry associations in our sector - to

fulfil a variety of roles (but perhaps not that of sheriff). Have a look at


http://www.bristol.net/_/links.htm (scroll down past the local links) for a

fairly comprehensive list of such bodies. Obviously I'd also urge you all to

take a look at http://www.assocaition.org/ and consider joining (please

forgive the state of the website - built by volunteers, a new one coming

soon courtesy of the kindness of Sapient/Studio Archetype) - we are

currently as close as it gets to a recognised body for our industry



cheers


Robin


p.s. note the new sig...


-------------------------------------------------------------<"}}}}}}><

Robin Grant, Producer, Clarity Communications

1 Long Lane, London, UK, EC1A 9HA - http://www.marketing.co.uk/

phone: +44 171 397 2919, fax: +44 171 397 2939, mobile: +44 973 638 390

email:

robinperfect [dot] co [dot] uk

, icq: 362763, www: http://www.perfect.co.uk/

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Director http://www.association.org/