Post on 17-Jan-2018
description
DIGITAL UNIVERSITY PROJECTDIGITAL UNIVERSITY PROJECT
The Hull Portal - Gateway to Managed Information
PEPC 2003
Ian Dolphin Robert Sherratt
DIGITAL UNIVERSITY PROJECT
The Digital University Project• Planned over the summer of 2001• Initially to develop a student intranet• Senior Management buy-in and support• Flexible structure with cross-
institutional steering group• Four main development strands
DIGITAL UNIVERSITY PROJECT
2Web
ContentResolving ChaosProcessand TechnologyAccessibility
3New
ServicesA chance to get it right…Development ModelOrganisational Change
4External
The UK Information LandscapeThe PORTAL ProjectBusinessPartners
1Portal Layer
AIPP•Aggregate•Integrate•Personalise•Present
Obstacles & Progress
DIGITAL UNIVERSITY PROJECT
2Web
ContentResolving ChaosProcessand TechnologyAccessibility
3New
ServicesA chance to get it right…Development ModelOrganisational Change
4External
The UK Information LandscapeThe PORTAL ProjectBusinessPartners
1Portal Layer
AIPP•Aggregate•Integrate•Personalise•Present
Obstacles & Progress
DIGITAL UNIVERSITY PROJECT
Aggregate and Integrate what?• Core database applications - Ingres• Web based email client – IMP• Library systems - Innovative• Staff Intranet - home-grown, PERL etc• VLE/LMS/PFE – BlackBoard L1 + Merlin• External applications - identification
DIGITAL UNIVERSITY PROJECT
Further Education Students:
Higher Education Undergrad:
Postgraduate Students:
Higher Education Staff:Search favourite resources
Search favourite resources
Search favourite resources
Library admin
Library admin = 2ndLibrary admin
Library adminReview marks
Review marks
Deadline alerts
Deadline alerts
Careers infoTeaching materials
Teaching materialsPersonal information = 2nd
Library & Internet resource alertUniversity e-mail
Forms & documentation
Deadline alertsLibrary & Internet resource alertAccess reading lists
DIGITAL UNIVERSITY PROJECT
Why uPortal?• Procurement = 1st with commercial offering
– Against modified San Diego State U. rubric• Development community• Integration: more rapid, less effort• Ease of visual adaptation
– Aesthetic & distinctive branding– Accessibility
• Standards-based interfaces
DIGITAL UNIVERSITY PROJECT
DIGITAL UNIVERSITY PROJECT
“Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler.”
DIGITAL UNIVERSITY PROJECT
DIGITAL UNIVERSITY PROJECT
DIGITAL UNIVERSITY PROJECT
DIGITAL UNIVERSITY PROJECT
Portal Deployment Timetable• Autumn 2001
– Portal Procurement– Content Management Development
• Spring & Summer 2002– Integration and testing
• Autumn 2002– Live with Geography, Internet Computing
• Autumn 2003– Live with all staff and students for key services
DIGITAL UNIVERSITY PROJECT
Content Management: Resolving Chaos• The Web: it’s not amateur hour anymore• Web tools by Heinz – 57 varieties of editor
– Technical support nightmare– Human Resource nightmare
• Accessibility “test case” – any volunteers?• Aggregating web pages through portal:
GIGO
DIGITAL UNIVERSITY PROJECT
Content Management: Solutions• Solution for sites and portal channels• Caveat: 2 years ago, but watching…• Almost universally
expensive/overpriced• Frequently inflexible• Not designed for use by HEI
DIGITAL UNIVERSITY PROJECT
Content Management: Technology• Not “Build or buy, but build and buy”• db solution utilising current licences• Edit basic content within secure web page• Design templates
– XHTML output (now) > XSLT (future)– “standard” design – WAI level 1– “accessibility enhanced” design – WAI level 3
• Support rudimentary, but flexible workflow
DIGITAL UNIVERSITY PROJECT
DIGITAL UNIVERSITY PROJECT
DIGITAL UNIVERSITY PROJECT
DIGITAL UNIVERSITY PROJECT
Content Management Process
• Sensitivity to cultures of departments• “What do you need to do?”• Information design & architecture first• Flexible “toolkit” approach• Clear responsibilities and ownership
DIGITAL UNIVERSITY PROJECT
Initiate request
ResponsibilityOrganisational Unit Joint Interactive Media
Define (PID) Design (Spec)
Implement
Train Maintenance (SLA)
Review Process
(Response)
Reject
(Response)
Reject
Reject
Review Process
Accept
Accept
Minimal Documented Step
DIGITAL UNIVERSITY PROJECT
Enter/ edit
Preview
Quality Assure
Publish
Maintain
1
2
3
4
5
DIGITAL UNIVERSITY PROJECT
DIGITAL UNIVERSITY PROJECT
Proposed New Structures
eService Integration
Libra
ries
Com
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Corp
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Inte
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ive
Med
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Libra
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Com
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DIGITAL UNIVERSITY PROJECT
External Resources & Interactions• The UK FE/HE information landscape
– JISC funded resources & services– JISC provided resources & services– Commercial subscriptions– Athens (central authentication service)
• The bank, the bus and the bar …
DIGITAL UNIVERSITY PROJECT
PORTAL• Presenting natiOnal Resources to Audiences
Locally• JISC funded, U. Hull and UKOLN + RDN
– Duration 18 months• Range of external quality-assured content• Meaningful integration (not lists of links)• Extracting functionality from external sites• Surveying stakeholder and user preferences
DIGITAL UNIVERSITY PROJECT
PORTAL Survey
• Method – Online card sort– Focus group – Interview (one to one)
DIGITAL UNIVERSITY PROJECT
DIGITAL UNIVERSITY PROJECT
Portal Survey• Responses
– 630 completed card sort– 50 involved in focus groups– 30 one-to-one interviews
• PORTAL project URL:– http://www.fair-portal.hull.ac.uk
DIGITAL UNIVERSITY PROJECT
Obstacles• Institutional readiness
– Changing culture & process redevelopment• Technology issues include …
– LMS/VLE: overfeatured, overpriced, and over here…– Readiness of external sites to disclose data or
services rather than web pages• Human resource issues include …
– Track emerging standards (who and how much time?)
– Changing and redeveloping skill bases
DIGITAL UNIVERSITY PROJECT
Risks• “Don’t like it, won’t use it”
– Stakeholder survey work from PORTAL informs development• “Will it sort my network connection out?”
– Managing expectations• Staff Development open sessions• Dissemination activities
• “It’ll fall over”– Hardware identification and investment
• Load balancing & SSL acceleration– Observe and stress test
DIGITAL UNIVERSITY PROJECT
New Architectures: Web Services• Standards-based layer enabling inter-
application communication over IP network• Addresses technology and HR issues
– Legacy applications and developers• Informs the creation of new services …• … and the redevelopment of older services• Maintaining a “thin” portal layer
DIGITAL UNIVERSITY PROJECT
DIGITAL UNIVERSITY PROJECT
JA-SIG UKhttp://www.ja-sig.org.uk/
Digital University Projecthttp://www.digital.hull.ac.uk
PORTAL Projecthttp://www.fair-portal.hull.ac.uk
i.dolphin@hull.ac.uk r.sherratt@hull.ac.uk