The view point of the expert or specialist

This is a reasonably realistic strategy for a contractor, but, what about the vector graphic designer and all the other experts and specialists involved? Would it be such an attractive arrangement for them? Wouldn't they each need to have a lot of contractors like this to ensure they had a regular income? How then, do they get known to a sufficient number of client contractors to build up a critical mass where they can enjoy a continuously full work load?

The solution to this problem is not found by studying what the experts or specialists do but by looking at the way in which the people who use their services work. For this, we can take as a model the doctor I used in London. He was my Solution Point for health issues because he used a virtual team consisting of dozens of specialist consultants. In effect, this doctor was a channel to a combined collection of specialists and experts who could cope with almost any health problem I was likely to encounter. This is not dissimilar to an e-commerce solution provider who is working with a pool of experts and specialists whom he or she can draw upon to provide e-commerce solutions.

The doctor was expertly proficient because he'd spent many years making contact with various medical practitioners at the Middlesex hospital. He'd visited them at their practices, mixed with them socially and heard their views and opinions of each other. Over the years, he'd managed to assemble a list of contacts that he knew he could reliably trust: confident that he could send his patients to them and know that they would receive the best possible treatment.

This is the way an expert e-commerce solution provider will work. It is not what they'd know themselves that would make them good solution providers, but, the work they have put into knowing people they might bring together to provide a solution. This will take time and effort and just like I took time to search for and establish a group of contacts to supply me with old fur coats, so, the expert solution provider will search for and establish a suitable group of technical experts who could be called upon to put together a competitive solution.

If the strategy of a good solution provider or contractor is to seek out good specialists and experts to add to their pool, then the best strategy for the expert or specialist is to find ways of bringing themselves to the notice of these solution providers. This means mixing with solution providers and contractors in listserves (special interest discussion forums), or, being prominent in their own speciality discussion forums where solution providers and contractors might be lurking. Being able to take part in discussions will draw attention and if a Web site address is attached to posts then there is every chance that a potential client might take a look.

Drawing attention is one thing, but, the question then is, "Drawing attention to what?". In the world of bricks and mortar there are discussions, interviews, telephone conversations, etcetera. These are too slow and cumbersome for the Information Age. There are too many people, too many different types of speciality, too many changes in technological developments. Solution providers and contractors will need a fast way to judge and compare. For this they will go to a specialist's Web site.

Using the example of the hypothetical vector graphic specialist again, the vector graphic specialist could fill his or her Web site with examples of all the different kinds of applications that vector graphic techniques can be used for. Not the technical details, but, examples that clearly show the benefits of using vector graphics. People might then go to the site for inspiration and find a novel application that fits in well with their Web site design.

The obvious place to look for superior design ideas is on the Web site of an expert who has a host of examples on show. In special interest, email discussion forums, it is very common for people to ask each other about effects and techniques they have seen on a particular Web site. If an example or source is known, people will readily pass on the information, particularly if it can be done simply by providing the address of a Web site.