Web Team

Web Team

Web Manager's Update - November '07

19 Nov 2007

Hi All,

We've been catching up on our backlog of work resulting from the Change Proposal. We've still made good progress with our projects and strategic planning. On a personal note I'll be leaving this role to live in the UK early next year.

Setting Web and Publishing Strategy

We need to develop a view of the UC Web which sees it as the platform for doing core business - for collaborating and interacting not just a one way publishing medium. We're at a transition point and need to set a future vision to govern the decisions we make now - for things such as CMS. I'm developing a vision statement and strategy as part of the SRDU Strategic Plan and will publish for discussion near end of November.

New Web and Publishing Group

  • Web Team will be part of the new Web and Publishing Group from 1 December. For more see our article on the new WPG.

Support and Training

Web support workload is high due to backlog caused by the change proposal and merger work continuing to come through.

Urchin Trial - for Web Stats Reports

Our urchin stats reporting software (staff only) is now installed. Contact us if you would like to participate.

Web developments

Completed

Working on

    • Courses, Subjects and Qualifications home page realignment
    • Campus maps design work
    • International Student Support web site updates
    • New student area in ICTS website
    • Emergency Management website
    • Improvements to the online Course Planning Form

Web Systems

  • Directory Search upgraded to add Position Title - due for release 30 Nov 07.

  • CIS updates:

    • auto 'tick' of the 'available for web' check box to show all course information on the web site
    • more consistent handling of summer school courses
  • Coming up:
    • Change the default search and display year for courses on the web to 2008 in late November.
  • Testing IE7 with our web sites, templates and applications

Usability Testing

Optimal Usability will run usability tests on the UC website in December. This will be from a College of Education student perspective to tell us what further integration work needs to occur.

Staffing Changes

  • I will be leaving UC for my OE in early 08.
  • We're still recruiting for a Web Project Manager. We hope to recruit by Christmas but its a tough market.

Major Projects Update

  • Content Management System - We have shortlisted down to 4 and have rated vendor presentations. For more see the CMS project page.
  • Qualifications Publisher - Business Requirements and other key documents signed off. Design of new system, authoring software selection and vendor are underway.
  • People Publishing System - improved contacts page to launch end of November. You can now search by staff position title and see the title in listings. People pages deployment delayed.
  • Online Maps - New approach integrating Google Maps with our existing maps database commenced. Due for completion by Christmas.

Coming Up in the Next Month

  • Selecting the CMS!
  • Web Administrator Forum mid December - date TBA
  • Web Strategy discussion document (still coming)
  • Preparing for staff transitions - new Web Project Manager
  • Publish Web Survey results and actions

Cheers,

Ken Beatson, Web Manager