Spotlight: UKODA set to lead web development

Set to officially launch at the end of September, the industry organisation will seek to represent its members, over business and legislative issues, and foster a code of practice. “We've seen so many people walk through our doors that have paid several thousand pounds to a two-man development company which then couldn't deliver,” says Dinnick, UKODA's first chairman, explaining the clear need of the industry to set some standards.

Although very much at its first stage, the ambitions of the UK Online Developers Association (UKODA) are as lofty as they are sensible; as well as seeking to guarantee professional standards among web developers, Dinnick says it will aim to eventually endorse everything from government policy to training courses and expand to Europe. As he sees it: “If UKODA works, it will be an honour to have been the first chairman.”

**Industry need**

The organisation was set in motion when Dinnick joined Reading Room as new media director, and the response, he says, was very positive right from the start. “We sent an email around last April inviting others to meet, and thirteen of us decided to set up UKODA,” he explains.

Those thirteen founding members are: 64K, Absolute Internet, AKQA, AnswerThink, Blackpig, Blueberry.Net, Clockwork Web, Fernhart, Razorfish, SP New Media (now XKO Online), TVIS and WickedWeb, as well as Reading Room.

Each of them provides a board director to the UKODA company, which is limited by guarantee, except US companies AnswerThink, Razorfish, AKQA and XKO Online. Dinnick says this is because their US company structures prohibit it.

One catalyst for the organisation's formation was a report produced by Reading Room, which showed 70% of clients were dissatisfied by their previous web design agency, with 63% of them putting this down to “inadequate project management.” It's this kind of unprofessionalism that the Association hopes to weed out.

**Finding a voice**

Before launching, UKODA has much to do. The site is still being built, administration details are being finalised and association with established bodies is still being sought.

The site, which is being built by Absolute, will offer online membership forms, a jobs marketplace for developers and details about the Association, including its constitution and business resources, like an example of a general contract. “It's just a holding page at present,” says Dinnick, “but there's also a hidden url to a chat forum, so we can keep in touch and discuss issues.”

UKODA has decided on its entry requirements: full members will have to be either a partnership or limited company, have been trading for more than two years, produce 3 written client references from jobs done within the past year and have full indemnity insurance.

However, one detail still to be finalised is the price of membership, although the plan is to offer a range of levels, from full to associate to individual. While it has been set up as a non-profit organisation, it hopes to not only cover costs but also offer more tangible benefits for its members, including marketing, training and networking events.

But as Dinnick points out, finding the balance between driving these revenues and driving membership is not easy. “The founders have all contributed several thousand pounds each as our fighting fund, but hopefully costs will be met by membership fees,” he says. “We do envisage financial benefits as well as prestige. For example, our members could form a letsbuyit-type buying group, where we negotiate reduced prices from our suppliers, such as print services.”

Perhaps most importantly, the Association is seeking to work closely with the DTI and has been invited to apply to join the Digital Content Forum (DCF), which is an association of electronic publishing trade associations, including the PPA, PA and BIMA. “We want to work closely with organisations like BIMA and the Alliance of Digital Artists (ADA), to learn how they've been beneficial to their members and for the benefit of our industry,” explains Dinnick.

Although still waiting to hear from the DCF about joining, UKODA is likely to quickly gain acceptance and help from these quarters. Its conception has been warmly welcomed by Alex Alan and Patricia Hewitt, the e-envoy and DTI e-minister respectively, with Hewitt congratulating the Association on the achievement of setting up.

**Endorsing the future**

Clearly the work of UKODA is only just beginning. “It's important for the standing of the Association that initial members are high-profile, with a respected and known vanguard of [early] members,” says Dinnick, “so that right from the off we're not seen as a cowboy organisation.”

Many though, as he admits, are still waiting to see what happens. While some 30 agencies have so far shown interest, it still has to recruit the likes of US heavyweights AGENCY.COM, Organic, Pres.co and iXL, as well as major UK players such as Oyster, Bluewave and Rubus.

It also has yet to decide on how, if at all, it will handle complaints or sanction members, other than the ultimate terms of expulsion. Dinnick rightly admits that the whole thing is “a minefield”, and it's working with law firm Rakisons to look at how it might handle arbitration and conciliation.

“One thing we may offer is to go in if a relationship breaks down, in order to get the project finished, and then decide later on arbitration,” adds Dinnick, recognising that as it grows bigger the Association may have to get involved in contractual disputes.

Nevertheless, UKODA is already making its presence felt, working with the ADA and Humberside & Lincolnshire University to establish a web design degree course. And with its DCF membership, it will be in a position to advise the Government on the needs of web developers specifically and the internet industry in general.

Once operating fully, it should offer what is still a very young industry a recognisable seal of approval and at least some protection for clients. “Hopefully clients will eventually contact UKODA to find a supplier, where we can match them with members that can do [what they want],” says Dinnick, although he's quick to point out that it won't get involved in the pitching process itself.

This means the internet sector will hopefully avoid the kind of damage the building industry has suffered as a result of too long ignoring its rogue operators, though it remains to be seen whether it can also avoid the kind of ‘looking after its own' that the BMA has been guilty of.

But, as Dinnick has it, it also serves to bring together what are usually competitive entities: “The one thing we've got out of this is the ability to talk about our problems and share similar experiences and difficulties.” For the UK internet industry, that alone is probably enough.

**www.ukoda.org**