Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Managing Monash Web Sites: The Holy Grail Aaron Wigley, Monash University September 30th, 1998 Managing Web Sites, Aaron Wigley Act I: The Problem Managing Web Sites, Aaron Wigley Our Hero Ventures Forth … rushing forth in search of the Holy Grail of Flexible Learning... our hero stumbles to a stop asking “Where’s the infrastructure?” Managing Web Sites, Aaron Wigley What sort of Infrastructure? • Some place to store the documents • Sidekicks, er, a Support Team Managing Web Sites, Aaron Wigley Dragons to Slay on the Way... There are a number of challenges before our team. • Time, • Budget, • Politics, • Standards. Managing Web Sites, Aaron Wigley The Dragon of Time • Deadlines. Start of Year. Start of Semester. Open Day. • Short time-lines • Documents break over time. Links change, content expires. Managing Web Sites, Aaron Wigley The Dragon of Budget • Funding cuts - how do we put on extra sidekicks to handle all the heroes? • Staff training • Tools cost money too Managing Web Sites, Aaron Wigley The Dragon of Politics • Pages have requirements. There are Monash standards. • Copyright. • Approval. • Disclaimers. Managing Web Sites, Aaron Wigley The Dragon of Standards • Standards, so many to choose from? Where do you invest the effort? • Actually, this dragon is on our side. Open Standards are designed to minimize overall effort. • Standard documents provide a framework for automation, saving time. Managing Web Sites, Aaron Wigley Act II: In an Ideal World Managing Web Sites, Aaron Wigley Let’s write a book... • Why can’t we think of a web site as a complex book? • Someone thinks of an idea, • Then writes the content, • Then it is edited, • And finally, published. Managing Web Sites, Aaron Wigley Printed Book Process Concept Authoring Editing Publication Managing Web Sites, Aaron Wigley But we aren’t quite there yet... • Content is not always recorded in HTML first. • Official documents need approval. • What about next semester/year? Will it need revising? • This suggests a Cycle. Managing Web Sites, Aaron Wigley Possible Document Life Cycle Editing Validation Mark Up Approval Authoring Publication Concept Revision Managing Web Sites, Aaron Wigley Isn’t this a little Complicated? • You bet! • It can be made easier. Stages can be merged together, or even automated. • Examples: – Mark-Up is eliminated if the content is authored in HTML first. – Validation is the province of machines. Managing Web Sites, Aaron Wigley So what do we really need? • A largely automated framework, with minimal human intervention: • Content authors submit work, • Editors edit the content, • Authority approves the document, • Periodically someone checks it for accuracy of content. Managing Web Sites, Aaron Wigley From One Document to the Next • Documents do not live in isolation from one another. • Some sort of site structure is required. • There should be sufficient information on every document to locate it uniquely within the site Managing Web Sites, Aaron Wigley We Also Need a Team • • • • Webmaster HTML author(s) Graphic Designer/Artist Programmer(s) Managing Web Sites, Aaron Wigley The Webmaster • Responsible for the site as a whole • There is a Monash Webmaster Policy • Has editorial control over entire site Managing Web Sites, Aaron Wigley Monash Webmaster Responsibilities • “Webmasters should be aware of and readily contactable about their administrative area's Web presence. • Webmasters should be aware of current Monash WWW policy relevant to their area's Web presence. • Webmasters will be expected to provide initial directions to site authors.” Managing Web Sites, Aaron Wigley HTML Authors • Take content and turns it into HTML Managing Web Sites, Aaron Wigley Graphic Designer/Artist • Fulfills the role of illustrator, layout artist, and creator of incidental images • Graphic Development for the Web panel, 2:00pm today Managing Web Sites, Aaron Wigley Programmers • Develop CGI, JavaScript, Java etc. applications for tailored tasks • Essential for interactivity Managing Web Sites, Aaron Wigley Act III: Case Study: Psychology Managing Web Sites, Aaron Wigley Alas... • We don’t stick truly to this model • Attempted implementation at start of 1998 • Ran out of time • Currently low on HTML talent within the department Managing Web Sites, Aaron Wigley Instead... • • • • • • Academics generate the content in Word Send it for publication It is marked up Approved by hand Published directly Validated online (live) Managing Web Sites, Aaron Wigley Design Choices • Use University’s central webservers – cheaper – reduced workload • Directory structure – changed drastically from 1997 – now more resilient to change • Use CSS at lower levels Managing Web Sites, Aaron Wigley Priorities • Student Material (November - February) • Open Day (June-August) • Next-Year Enrolments (August-October) Managing Web Sites, Aaron Wigley Site Navigation • Site is organized in a directory tree structure • Every document has links back to all documents “above it” Demonstration Managing Web Sites, Aaron Wigley Authorization • An attempt is made to comply with the Monash Style Guidelines • Every official page needs someone to authorize it. • Psychology does approval by hand Managing Web Sites, Aaron Wigley Publication • Development copy is kept in the V:\PSYCH\ directory • When ready, uploaded to www.sci.monash.edu.au • Frequently work is done directly online • Other trusted staff may have direct access Managing Web Sites, Aaron Wigley Security • Under the one site we wish to have both public and private information • Use by-machine restrictions • Use LDAP password restrictions Managing Web Sites, Aaron Wigley Validation • In-house program performs site-wide validation automatically on the live site • Produces comprehensive summaries and reports • Runs daily to pick up any changes Have a look now Managing Web Sites, Aaron Wigley In Conclusion • A large investment in resources is needed if you want to do the job properly • Planning, with thought as to what you want online, and when. • Automation is your friend • Good Luck Managing Web Sites, Aaron Wigley