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

d.r.supple@bham.ac.uk

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