Web design skills and competencies: an empirical analysis

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Sgobbi, Francesca

Affiliations: Dipartimento di Economia e Produzione, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133 Milano, Italy Tel.: +39 02 2399 2741; Fax: +30 02 2399 2710; E-mail: francesca.sgobbi@polimi.it

Abstract: The availability of proper human capital represents a key-factor in order to support the current fast pace of diffusion of Internet-based applications. The careful assessment of the skills and competencies required to manage and develop Internet technologies in different application domains represents a necessary step to solve the emerging skill shortage and skill gap problems. While most existing analyses of skill needs in information and communication technologies deal with broad professional categories, the paper focuses the attention on a specific professional figure, the Web designer. By resorting to an on-line questionnaire administered to a sample of Italian Web designers, the paper shows that jobholders recognise greater usefulness to organisational rather than technical knowledge domains. However, perceived skill gaps are larger in the case of technical skills and competencies. Moreover, specialisation paths are emerging.

Keywords: Web design, skills, competencies, skill assessment, skill gap

DOI: 10.3233/HSM-2002-21203

Journal: Human Systems Management, vol. 21, no. 2, pp. 115-128, 2002