Managing Web Sites, Aaron Wigley

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 Flexible LearningLearning...

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,Time,• Budget,Budget,• Politics,Politics,• Standards.Standards.

Managing Web Sites, Aaron Wigley

The Dragonof 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 Dragonof 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 Dragonof Politics

• Pages have requirements. There are Monash standards.

• Copyright.• Approval.• Disclaimers.

Managing Web Sites, Aaron Wigley

The Dragonof 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 CycleCycle.

Managing Web Sites, Aaron Wigley

Possible Document Life Cycle

Concept

Authoring

Revision

Mark Up

Editing Validation

Approval

Publication

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-UpMark-Up is eliminated if the content

is authored in HTML first. – ValidationValidation 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