Ken Ficara works at the intersection of content, technology and product development, using experience in each of these areas to bridge the divides between disciplines. With more than fifteen years' experience in web development and product / project management, and a background in journalism and online publishing going back to the days of text-only dialup services, Ken has done nearly every job involved in producing a web site. He specializes in content management and editing systems, the people that use them, and the products they build.
Content Management and Strategy
- Designed and implemented content management systems for major publications, most notably The Wall Street Journal Online
- Designed and built Press+ paid-content platform for Journalism Online
- Built photo-handling CMS for the next edition of The AIA Guide to New York City, containing more than 40,000 photos and supporting metadata
- Experienced in analyzing multiple content workflows, from both the technical and editorial perspectives, and integrating them into a single strategy
- Developer in multiple languages and platforms including PHP, MySQL, Drupal, Joomla, Moveable Type, JavaScript, XSLT, large newspaper systems, and much more
- Extensive experience integrating with proprietary and legacy systems
- Strong background in metadata normalization, taxonomy design and standardization
Product Development
- Extensive experience designing web and online products, beginning with 24x80 ASCII screens and extending to integrated Web 2.0 platforms
- Define products with business and editorial leaders, design and build content management solutions to keep those products fresh and compelling
- Oversee agile product builds that stay not only on time and on budget, but on target, so the delivered product is true to the original concept and strategy, even in rapidly changing markets
Business Strategy
- Successful strategy projects at ALM Media, WNYC Radio, and more
- Restarted stalled web product launch, recommending solutions for workflow, technology and strategy problems and putting project manager in place
- Helped major media organization avoid expensive CMS rebuild they weren't ready for
- Advised, implemented and analyzed paid-content strategies at large and small publications over the last ten years.
- Rebuilt multiple local newspaper sites for Ottaway Newspapers, combining CMS implementation, product design, newsroom reorganization and creation of web development organization