2008-12-15 Web Design status meeting

Old Business:

1.Agenda modifications

2. Subteam status reports

* Content (Georgette)

• Phil has trained two more volunteers to populate the New York parks and regions databases: Ken Malkin and Gayle Edgerton. Gary has created the store content for 2/3 of the books. He found the process for the new Web site "very easy to do". Action: A combo category for book packages is needed.
• We had a long discussion about which prices appear in the entry for each item and in the shopping cart. There are three prices: retail, registered user (10% discount), and TC member (25% discount). One possibility would be to show only the list price for each item and then have boxes describing how to get a 10% or 25% discount. Another option is to show all prices . Decision: All three prices should appear for the item in the catalog. This encourages people to register and/or join the TC as a member. We also discussed privacy issues: we currently automatically register a user when they order something. Can they unregister if they do not want us to retain information about them? Action: Walt will look at what's possible for the next meeting.
• Phil will be gone until late March, but still doing some parks work and checking in remotely.
• We need to define the process people use to include a photo on the Web site, including a way to credit the photographer for the photo. We need to attempt identification of the photos already in use on the site. Action: Ann to propose a process. Action: Doug to id photos he's provided.

* Technology (Walt)

• The new server is close to cutover. The mailing lists need to be moved as a TAR file. Walt hopes to complete the cutover this week.
• Walt is ready to try theming the Register page.
  We still need information from Trellon about the changes they made to UCDiscount (part of Uberkart) so Walt can maintain the code as updates to Drupal and Uberkart are made available. Action: Walt to contact Martin at Trellon to get what he needs.
• Georgette asked if creating a new database in Drupal is something she can do. The answer is "Yes!".
• We discussed openness of the Web site -- who has the ability to add/change what? Ed recommends rolling out public input of content slowly. Walt is in favor of exploiting social networking whereever possible.

* Business model (Ed)

• Ed resubmitted the application to Google grants and copied Eric Werner in Atlanta.
• We discussed the budget ($20K to use on the Web site) and whether we want to engage Trellon for something. We need to identify what we need to do and then figure out if we need outside help (e.g. Trellon). We also need to determine how we launch and transition to site management (both technology and content) and implement new features.

Review open action items

* See http://new.nynjtc.net/meeting/actions

Web redesign status

1. Server migration plan -- Walt
   • See Technology section above.
2. Content validation plan -- Ann's spreadsheet
   • A page by page approach was deemed unworkable -- but it did lead to a discussion of who "owns" a page. Decision: We determined that Author = Owner = Responsible for Content.
3. Other steps to launch
   • Action: Ann to put together plan for launch (finally!)
   • We talked about what must be there for launch. The following are required:
     1. Join / Renew (we need some boilerplate content here ... staff to help?)
     2. Volunteer (needs input from Catherine)
     3. Pubs / Store
     4. Donate
     5. Trail News

New Business:

• Invite someone to next status meeting? -- We need to set up a schedule of invitations for the various staff functions to discuss how the new Web site will affect their daily operations.
• Ann expressed a desire to have active views (e.g. click on % complete in action item view or rating in hikes view and have a change occur in the database) ... we need to investigate if this is possible/feasible in Drupal for Phase II.
• Until we launch, we will hold weekly status meetings after the first of the year, starting January 5. If possible, a status meeting will also be held on December 29 with those who are available during the holiday week.