2008-08-25 Web Design Status Meeting

Minutes of 2008-08-25 Web Design status meeting

 

Old Business:

1. Subteam status reports
   1. Business model (Ed)
      Ed has been looking at fund raising to support the Web site work.  He put $15K in ad sales revenue from the new Web site into next year’s budget.  (Start at $200 for the first month and increase by $200 each month.)  This is a challenge for us to achieve.

   2. Content (Georgette)

·        Phil continues to fill out the NJ parks and regions database.  Some of the earlier parks need revisiting as  the general way the parks are described has evolved.

·        Phil noted that there are numerous examples of common language between the NYNJTC Walk Book and other non-NYNJTC sources.  (Plagiarism?) 

·        Action: Georgette needs to bug Dan to create new names for the hikes of the week.

·        The ParkURL field in the parks database will supplant the Park field as soon as all the Park fields are empty.

·        We discussed the desirability of having a similar content structure for the Hikes and Regions and Parks descriptions.  Phil will model them for us.

·        In the Search for Hike page, we discussed changes to be made to the latest creative design:  “Features” should be changed to “Overview”; add driving directions; eliminate the left column

·        We need to ask Trellon how to add photo credits.

·        Action:  We need to look into creation of a data dictionary so our databases (ebase, hikes, parks, etc.) are consistent and use the same names and formats for equivalent content fields.  (Ann to follow up.)

1.  
   3. Technology (Walt)

·        Walt has been busy getting the new site in shape to turn over to Trellon for development work.  This included deleting some modules that we do not use, prototyping the Uberkart process, and investigating new hosting providers.  We should ask Trellon for advice on hosting providers for Drupal. 

·        Walt also noted that we sometimes see red messages on the new site – let him know when you see them as it means something is broken somewhere.

·        Action:  Walt to block Claudio’s privileges.

 

2. Review open action items
   We were able to close 10 open action items

·        Re: 06-16 A01:  We have to give Doug revised content so he can update creative design for Hikes search and display pages.  Trellon will need this asap.

·        Re: 06-16 A02: Discussion of where to display Google map as part of driving instructions.  Team felt it appropriate to display on demand so we don’t consume a lot of cycles bringing up the map if the viewer doesn’t care.

·        Re: 08-01 A01:  We need to look at interactions with the user defaults and the sign up for membership process.

      

 

New Business:

 

1. Trellon SOW
   1. Review contents

   2. Discuss TC team responsibilities -- who does what

·        Walt will provide list of configuration issues (e.g., site slow, get red messages)

·        Ann: single point of contact with Trellon

·        Doug: design for theming with comments from Georgette and Phil on content

·        Josh: specify store process

·        Re store process: Doug’s design needs revising to match the Uberkart flow.

·        Re: CCK pages: what do we need Trellon to do?  Items discussed included (from the old site: Announcement and EWalker “static” html pages; email blasts (and issue of where email addresses come from now that we’ll have online-only members and regular TC members  -- also how we’ll maintain a master list)

·        We need to create content for: Trail Problem Report, Sign up for Workshop, and Volunteer pages.

·        Action: Ed will ask staff to provide online forms and suggested improvements.

 

2. Project management tool for general TC use
   1. Can we pick a strategic tool that all will use?
      This topic deferred to a later meeting.

  

Subteam discussions:

 

1. Regions discussion (if time permits)
   Deferred to a later meeting.

 

Walt is away until 9/15.  The next meeting on 9/8 will be held at the TC office at 1:30.