David Supple, University of Birmingham Institutional Web Managers Workshop 2004 Trials, Trips and...
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Transcript of David Supple, University of Birmingham Institutional Web Managers Workshop 2004 Trials, Trips and...
David Supple, University of BirminghamDavid Supple, University of Birmingham
Institutional Web Institutional Web Managers Workshop 2004Managers Workshop 2004
Trials, Trips and Trials, Trips and Tribulations Tribulations
of an Integrated of an Integrated Web StrategyWeb Strategy
Welcome to BirminghamWelcome to Birmingham
Welcome to the University of Welcome to the University of Birmingham: our marketplaceBirmingham: our marketplace
27,000 FTE students27,000 FTE students is well-established as a is well-established as a
world-class Universityworld-class University is one of the leading is one of the leading
research-based research-based universities in the United universities in the United KingdomKingdom
teaches and undertakes teaches and undertakes research in all the major research in all the major disciplines disciplines
attracts students of high attracts students of high abilityability
has academic staff of has academic staff of distinction, many distinction, many recognised as recognised as international leaders in international leaders in their fields their fields
has an annual income of has an annual income of more than £300 million more than £300 million
Session OverviewSession Overview
Items we’ve won:Items we’ve won: The web @ Birmingham, and our TThe web @ Birmingham, and our T33
Items we’re watching: Items we’re watching: The rest of the web @ BirminghamThe rest of the web @ Birmingham
Items we’re selling: Items we’re selling: The edges @ BirminghamThe edges @ Birmingham
Building our store: the web enabled Building our store: the web enabled campuscampus
Challenges aheadChallenges ahead QuestionsQuestions
Items we’ve wonItems we’ve won
300k html pages300k html pages 500 content authors500 content authors 100+ web servers100+ web servers Fixed IP address campus network – 17,000 points of Fixed IP address campus network – 17,000 points of
accessaccess 15 million distinct visitors a year to corporate pages 15 million distinct visitors a year to corporate pages
alonealone Distributed content generationDistributed content generation Highly devolved political campusHighly devolved political campus
UoB Web ProvisionUoB Web Provision
UoB Corporate Web TeamUoB Corporate Web Team
ManagerManager Web Developer x3Web Developer x3 Java Developer x1 (portal)Java Developer x1 (portal) Hybrid Business Analyst x1 (portal)Hybrid Business Analyst x1 (portal) Web Editor x2Web Editor x2
Part of ICSD – Information Computing Part of ICSD – Information Computing Systems Division of Information ServicesSystems Division of Information Services
UoB Web StrategyUoB Web Strategy Birmingham’s External Strategic Web Review Birmingham’s External Strategic Web Review
c1999 Lipmann Hearne:c1999 Lipmann Hearne: Organizational structure that centralises Organizational structure that centralises
technical web services such as application technical web services such as application development, hosting and supporting web development, hosting and supporting web coordinators in schools and departmentscoordinators in schools and departments
Increase training and support for these web Increase training and support for these web coordinatorscoordinators
A cohesive, comprehensive web program A cohesive, comprehensive web program within the context of the University’s within the context of the University’s devolved management structuredevolved management structure
Development of the infrastructure to create Development of the infrastructure to create and sustain a strong web strategy programand sustain a strong web strategy program
Refocus away from technology to content Refocus away from technology to content provisionprovision
Template / Template / Technology/Support Technology/Support
EnvironmentEnvironment
At the 2At the 2½½ year point… year point… Vastly increased level of consistency in navigation, look Vastly increased level of consistency in navigation, look
and feel and feel 85% of corporate sites now in the corporate template – 85% of corporate sites now in the corporate template –
over 400 virtual domainsover 400 virtual domains New communication through web coordinator networkNew communication through web coordinator network However:However:
Poor standards compliancy, not even html compliantPoor standards compliancy, not even html compliant Inability to re-task digital assetsInability to re-task digital assets No content strategy…No content strategy… New brand forthcomingNew brand forthcoming
Content Strategy Content Strategy ChallengesChallenges
Content Strategy is not technology basedContent Strategy is not technology based Understand common needs in content Understand common needs in content
generation areas both internally and externallygeneration areas both internally and externally Lack of timeLack of time Lack of fundingLack of funding Ease of technology rather than content Ease of technology rather than content
focusfocus Develop a strategy around:Develop a strategy around:
Content valueContent value Asset re-useAsset re-use
Real world challenges of managing: Real world challenges of managing: Content ownershipContent ownership Content classification – will content Content classification – will content
classifiers will inherit the earth?classifiers will inherit the earth?
The $64,000 question:The $64,000 question:To CMS or not CMS…To CMS or not CMS…
Weaknesses in the softwareWeaknesses in the software Total cost of ownership Total cost of ownership
unclear : unclear : TCPPTCPP InflexibleInflexible Politically unacceptable?Politically unacceptable? Is this really just a brand Is this really just a brand
management issue?management issue?
Macromedia Contribute: Macromedia Contribute: UoB Managed Content Environment UoB Managed Content Environment
(MaCE)(MaCE)
A new MaCE with a contribution tool to work A new MaCE with a contribution tool to work with the XHTML environmentwith the XHTML environment Wide range of features including:Wide range of features including:
Streamline web content updatesStreamline web content updates Increase productivityIncrease productivity Edit your site in three easy stepsEdit your site in three easy steps: Just : Just
browse to a page from within Contribute, make browse to a page from within Contribute, make your edits, and then publish your updatesyour edits, and then publish your updates
Drag, drop, and edit from your desktop Drag, drop, and edit from your desktop programsprograms:: Easily incorporate content from Easily incorporate content from Microsoft Word and Excel, or create links within Microsoft Word and Excel, or create links within your website to documents created by any your website to documents created by any business softwarebusiness software
Collaborate with your authorsCollaborate with your authors: Work together : Work together safely on the same sitesafely on the same site
Trips and TribulationsTrips and Tribulations
Split between IS and Marketing will Split between IS and Marketing will always require good managingalways require good managing
Microsoft technology a blessing and Microsoft technology a blessing and a cursea curse
Networking and infrastructure issuesNetworking and infrastructure issues Grey area of medium sized Grey area of medium sized
application developmentapplication development Personal websites…Personal websites…
Items we’re watchingItems we’re watching
Nouvelles ApplicationsNouvelles Applications
MIS MIS centriccentric
Oracle Oracle basedbased
Vendor Vendor specificspecific
ComplexComplex Fixed Fixed
systems systems and and responsesresponses
Mid-Range ApplicationsMid-Range Applications
Opaque definition of what is an Opaque definition of what is an enterprise application and who owns enterprise application and who owns themthem
Difficulty of users defining the projectsDifficulty of users defining the projects Time and resources needed to build Time and resources needed to build
applicationsapplications Common and often demanding links Common and often demanding links
with enterprise systems require with enterprise systems require resources and trainingresources and training
Items we’re sellingItems we’re selling
Personal WebsitesPersonal Websites
Is ignorance really bliss?Is ignorance really bliss? Academic freedom vs. business Academic freedom vs. business
issuesissues Institutional representationInstitutional representation Issues of controlIssues of control LiabilitiesLiabilities One way path?One way path?
The Hidden WebThe Hidden Web
New firewall policy New firewall policy blocks non registered blocks non registered serversservers
Grey area of research Grey area of research groupsgroups
Tracking content Tracking content extension on extension on registered servers registered servers difficultdifficult
Liabilities and Liabilities and responsibilitiesresponsibilities
Building Building our store:our store:The web The web enabled enabled campuscampus
Web Enabled CampusWeb Enabled CampusTrinity of ServicesTrinity of Services
Strategic PrerequisitesStrategic Prerequisites
Portal StrategyPortal Strategy
Taking the content further – developing Taking the content further – developing more relationships with content creators more relationships with content creators and consumersand consumers
A further dimension of process review, A further dimension of process review, making the business an e-business from making the business an e-business from the ground upthe ground up
Data simplification not just integrationData simplification not just integration Technologies to remove data noise Technologies to remove data noise
through personalised environmentsthrough personalised environments Integrated e-learning environmentIntegrated e-learning environment
Bringing everything togetherBringing everything together
Agnostic, open standards compliant
– plugs and sockets
Paul Browning, University of Bristol
Supporting the VRESupporting the VREVirtual Research EnvironmentVirtual Research Environment
Customer Focused Enterprise Environments – Customer Focused Enterprise Environments – delivery of targeted informationdelivery of targeted information
Tailored knowledge dissemination – delivery of Tailored knowledge dissemination – delivery of targeted informationtargeted information
Relationship nurturing – eCRMRelationship nurturing – eCRM Ability to manage complex corporate Ability to manage complex corporate
relationships centrally - eCRMrelationships centrally - eCRM Asynchronous project management – Online Asynchronous project management – Online
contact + project managementcontact + project management Ability to share and manage knowledge - eKMAbility to share and manage knowledge - eKM
Integrating Shared ServicesIntegrating Shared Services
Example services being developed by JISCExample services being developed by JISC Subject Portals - PortletsSubject Portals - Portlets GeoXWalkGeoXWalk Image PortalImage Portal L&T PortalL&T Portal Metadata registryMetadata registry IE service registryIE service registry
Some may become services and how will we Some may become services and how will we integrate and co-ordinate these services?integrate and co-ordinate these services?
Integrating Internal and Integrating Internal and External Discovery ResourcesExternal Discovery Resources
Recognition of the power of fully integrated Recognition of the power of fully integrated external discovery resourcesexternal discovery resources
Poor integration and lack of standards with our Poor integration and lack of standards with our own resourcesown resources
Many complex and far reaching standards being Many complex and far reaching standards being developed – need for simple to implement developed – need for simple to implement enterprise level resourcesenterprise level resources
Where does the responsibility lie for:Where does the responsibility lie for: ContentContent AccuracyAccuracy ResilienceResilience
The ChallengesThe Challenges
Portal Implementation RisksPortal Implementation RisksThe “empty box” syndromeThe “empty box” syndrome
20-30% of portals fail predominantly due to 20-30% of portals fail predominantly due to “empty portal” syndrome: source Gartner 2003“empty portal” syndrome: source Gartner 2003
Emptiness also extends to relevance: irrelevant Emptiness also extends to relevance: irrelevant content may as well not existcontent may as well not exist
Relevance requires engagement of all aspects Relevance requires engagement of all aspects of organisation lifeof organisation life
Tools to deliver content are only half of the Tools to deliver content are only half of the equationequation
If you have no relevant web or enterprise If you have no relevant web or enterprise relationships on campus, why will you have relationships on campus, why will you have relevant portal relationships?relevant portal relationships?
Identity ManagementIdentity Management
Mapping of digital assets against:Mapping of digital assets against: Multiple communitiesMultiple communities Proliferated and redundant identitiesProliferated and redundant identities
User profile and control and administrationUser profile and control and administration Coordination and accuracy of federated Coordination and accuracy of federated
attributesattributes Privacy and securityPrivacy and security Regulations and complianceRegulations and compliance
Shared services we feel provide part of the Shared services we feel provide part of the solution to the integration of resources, but solution to the integration of resources, but issues still remain:issues still remain: Issues of authorization and identity Issues of authorization and identity
managementmanagement Coordination - difficult enough to integrate Coordination - difficult enough to integrate
our own internal data never mind that of our own internal data never mind that of other institutionsother institutions
QuestionsQuestions
www.bham.ac.ukwww.bham.ac.uk
www.webteam.bham.ac.ukwww.webteam.bham.ac.uk
www.portalproject.bham.ac.ukwww.portalproject.bham.ac.uk