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17 September 2005 Farewell Waterscape, hello Waterways WorldAfter two-and-a-bit years, yesterday was my last day at Waterscape. On Monday, I start as editor of Waterways World (no hyperlink...yet), the best-selling and longest-established canal and river magazine. I'm very proud of what we achieved at Waterscape, replacing the disaster zone that was the original Netdecisions-built site with a much more comprehensive, readable, and usable site costing a tiny fraction of the original. We expanded the site's coverage way beyond simple guides to the main BW canals; built a site architecture the equal of any other tourism site; and reinstated a third purpose to the site, that of serving BW's existing boating customers. (BW originally set Waterscape up to attract new visitors to the waterways, and to become a viable business in its own right. Which is fine, but no-one remembered to ask what current boaters and waterway business owners might think. Little developments like the e-mail stoppage alerts went a long way to restoring people's trust in the site.) I'm not sure BW ever quite believed Paul and I when we said that, for virtually nothing, we could build them a better site than the one that cost them £2m. But we did, thanks to the best team I've ever had the privilege to work with - many of them recruited by the marvellously calm Roger Green, director of development and content in the early days. The success of the rebuild was down to the three developers - Paul, Jon R and Aaron. Natalie and Kirsty continued to add wonderful editorial coverage at a frightening rate while I was farting around with maps, while John B was a rare voice of sanity on the management team. It's been a lot of fun, and I hope the site continues to thrive - and that the task of running Waterscape Ltd doesn't detract from the much more important work on Waterscape.com. I'm looking forward to WW enormously, and to getting back into print journalism (though we will get a website... watch this space). Hugh has, famously, been editor for over 25 years and will be a very hard act to follow. CommentsGood luck. Waterways world does need a web site. I found this while looking for it !! Paul Posted by Paul Wagstaffe on 21.11.05 18:18 Richard, Hugh, Posted by David Edwards-May on 11.12.05 09:40 | |
