[Utr] UTR on the web (long)

[doerksen at island.net]

UTR on the web (long)

After much discussion and consultation...

The Project Plan as given is:

No	Task

1.00	Technology Management
1.01	Create data base for student records
1.02	Create Data base for instructor records
1.03	Create Web page University
1.04	Management of Email List
1.05	Storage of New Comers Certificate material
1.06	Calender of UTR sessions
1.07	Create Section for Deans only - include UTR manual

Note that all my timelines are estimates only; our mileage -will- vary.

Note that all the people working on this seem to have jobs and other  
activities in their lives, so it is difficult to give dates as  
deadlines. (40 hours is a working week, but two months if only a full  
day per week.)

The database(s) will be the biggest chunk. In discussion with John,  
who created the Ithra site and database, some 38 tables may very well  
be needed. John suggested a book for designing databases, and those  
involved in our database creation may very well want to read it, too  
(mine is on order), so we have a common "language". Timeline: I expect  
40 hours for the framework (please prove me overestimating, but  
several hours for determining all the fields required and where they  
should be stored, more time to determine how to sort and access [index  
fields], and more time to actually do the coding).

The web page is not -just- a page: it is a "site", and will have  
approximately a dozen pages. Timeline: approximately 30 hours to set  
up the templates, considerably shorter for further pages (maybe an  
hour-ish per, using the templates).

An email list, such as this one we are currently on, can continue as  
is. There should always be at least two moderators active (online  
frequently) to ensure people get onto it that should be, and in a  
timely fashion, and those that get on that shouldn't, get booted, in a  
timely fashion. We appear to have Lenora
and Magdelena at this point, so timeline: done.

Storage of Newcomer Certificate material... If this is in the form of  
PDFs, we can have a directory set up and upload that now; we can  
quickly set up a simple page of links to make them accessible.  
Timeline: I might even get that set up today!

Calendar of UTR sessions... Do you want a calendar database, ala  
Ithra? That'll go into the database section. Timeline: as above.

Section for Deans only... I'm having trouble with the concept. If it's  
for discussions, we have the email list. If it's for manuals and  
how-to info, I think it should be public. Hiding info on what Deans do  
and how we do it reduces the number of people who understand what we  
do and why, and it reduces the number of people who might step forward  
to work as Deans thereby limiting our resources. Preventing others  
from being interested in being Deans contributes to our burn-out.

However (to continue the Deans-only thought), we -will- want  
Deans-only access for entering student data.

Now... To only slightly divert the topic...

The Tir Righ website is currently undergoing a conversion to a Joomla!  
interface, radically changing how the website is created (currently  
PHP). What makes it -most- interesting is that many people will have  
access to its creation according to the admin-levels assigned to them  
(at least 6, if I recall correctly).

I see this as a step forward, but it, too, will take time.

I want to see the UTR site as simple and clean as possible to ensure  
we can convert easily when the time comes.

At this point, it appears that Elena, Alicia, maybe Yrsa, maybe  
Caoimhe are on the UTR webteam. Would you all confirm this? I would  
also like to see John on the team; he created the Ithra website and  
database, and is interested in being part of this, but not able to put  
much energy in; I see him as a resource to prevent us from doing  
unneeded work, and to let us know when something ought to be added  
that he never got to. (Cor! Do I need to break down my sentence  
structure?) So... Your thoughts?


Halima
P.S. The show was great! No costume failure. Our insecure dancer  
acquitted herself well. No one tripped. All errors of choreography  
went unnoticed. The audience -loved- us!

-- 
http://www.island.net/~doerksen/