10 skills you need to build successful digital experiences

Behind any amazing digital experience is an amazing digital team. With a combination of project management skills, development know-how and editing expertise, they’ll be able to guarantee the long-term success of your digital experiences.

But while a digital dream team will ensure that your digital project runs without a hitch, the first challenge is knowing which skills you’ll need. Here are the most important ones to add to your checklist.

1. Project management

A project manager will oversee the entire project. They’re responsible for deadlines, KPIs, and reporting, as well as arranging follow-ups with each project member.

2. Solution architecture

With overall responsibility for the digital solution, this team member will need specific digital skills, a knowledge of UX, and the experience to consult on final solutions and business strategy.

Are you sure you have the right CMS for your digital experiences?

3. UX design

UX designers have to produce design that takes into consideration both the brand profile and the user experience. They should also be able to deliver HTML and CSS to the developers.

4. Web development

Web developers are able to implement designs using CMS templating and popular UI frameworks, so it’s important that they’re trained and certified on the CMS.

See also: Supercharge your website with Next.js and headless CMS »

5. Back-end development

Back-end development involves more heavy lifting, including the ability to integrate the work the front-end developers do into the back-end system. A developer will need to be trained and certified on the CMS.

6. CMS vendor expertise

To ensure your project runs as smoothly as possible, CMS vendor expertise can be helpful. A CMS vendor will advise on best practice to speed up the project and improve the web editor’s experience.

Note that it’s not always possible to get the help of a CMS vendor as they have limited resources, but grab one if you can.

7. Continuous deployment

Developers don’t just need to write code—they need to deploy it on a server, too. Look for developers with skills in continuous deployment, including automated testing for code.

8. Content production / web editing

As well as development skills, you will need team members with the ability to produce the actual content for your customers and users. This includes copywriters, web editors, and graphic designers. As well as being able to create content, they should all be trained on the CMS.

9. Accessibility / SEO

To make sure your content is seen by as many people as possible, accessibility and SEO is an important consideration. Look for an expert who’s well-versed in the WCAG standard, as well as in SEO best practices.

10. Testing

Testing expertise will help make sure the final solution is secure, accessible, and fulfills all of its functional requirements, as well as being free of any bugs before launch.

Side note: Operations

Even when your digital project is finished, you’ll need someone to operate and maintain the servers and offerings. This could be your IT department, your solutions partner, or the CMS vendor if they offer such services.

See also: What solutions partners say about Enonic »

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Building successful digital experiences requires a wide spectrum of skills. But that doesn’t mean hiring an army of staff. A nimble team will include digital professionals who are able to wear a number of hats, and work together to ensure your project is a success from the start.

First published 10 September 2018, updated 4 August 2022.