Usable and Accessible System Design for Web

Services and Asset Management

The 2005 NMC New England Regional ConferenceYale University, New Haven, Connecticut

October 5-7, 2005

Presenters:

Karl HorvathAssistant Director, Computer Services

Viral MehtaInformation Systems Specialist

Scott BirlSenior Systems Administrator

AGENDA

• About the organization

• Overview of the Web Complex

• Overview of the Media Complex

• Usability and Accessibility Lab

• Policies and Guidelines

• Research and Development

• Questions and Comments

Organization Specifics• Urban University• International campuses• Billion dollar organization• Tens of thousands of users• Diverse departments and missions• Decentralized infrastructure• Central administration and mission• Central branding and identity

Population and Assets• 34,000 students• 2,000+ faculty• 5,000+ staff• 1,000,000+ Web pages• 500,000+ central Web pages• 1,000’s Web sites and Web applications• 1,000’s Web Developers• Unlimited Web Administrators• Unlimited Content Contributors

Roles

• Web Users

• Web Developers

• Content Contributors

• Web Administrators

• System Administrators

Roles

• Web User(Web Users are people who browse the Web, visit Web sites and use Web media within the temple.edu domain.)

Roles

• Content Contributor

(Content Contributors are people who have permission to edit, modify or update Web page or Web media content within the temple.edu domain. Content Contributors are bound by all preceding sections of the Temple University Web and Internet Policies and

Guidelines.)

Roles

• Web Developer

(Web Developers are people who specialize in the development of Web sites. Web developers handle programming, create graphics, add pictures, include links, modify Web page templates and develop information design, among other duties. Web Administrator and Web Developer roles can be held by one person. Web Developers are bound by all preceding sections of the Temple University Web and Internet Policies and Guidelines.)

Roles• Web Administrator

Web Administrators can be any person at Temple. No technical expertise is required or necessary to fill this role. This is purely an organizational and operational role. Learning to be a Web administrator takes a short time (minutes) and involves using simple and easy-to-use Web utilities. Web administrators can be a administrative assistant, a department head, a Web developer or any one else the department head wishes to designate to this administrative role. Web administrators manage the Web operations component of web sites. Web operations involves, but is not limited to the following functions; providing access to to a Web site, scrutinizing the Web site to ensure up-to-date content and compliance with university Web branding, acting in the role of liaison between the departments and department head office and other duties that ensure smooth departmental or organizational Web operations. Web administrator and Web developer roles can be held by one person. Web Administrators are bound by all preceding sections of the Temple University Web and Internet Policies and Guidelines.

Roles

• System Administrator

System Administrators configure, maintain and manage the central Web complex infrastructure and Web operations.

Web Complex• Single Temple Web site account (no multiple systems)• Development and Production web server environments• Default web pages and templates for every Web site • Content Management System• Web tools and utilities for Developers and Administrators• Collaboration and support of Macromedia Inc. • Improved Web site and Webmaster request process • Web asset records and database for departments• Automatic failover to secondary server• Disaster recovery• Repurpose and organize existing Web resources

Web Complex Software and Services

• Web development and central Web administration• Content management deployment tool• Text Transcoder and LIFT Machine• Upgraded Web tools• Stats and logs• RSS feeds• Surveys/polls• Web logs• Default Web site pages and Web template• WAP and Handheld devices• xHTML, ASP, JS, PHP• Database connections

Content Management System

Web ComplexHardware Configuration

• RedHat Linux and Windows server farm• Apache and IIS configuration• Alteon front end• SAN back end• Automatic Failover and Data Replication• Full LDAP Authentication• Single web system for all web sites• Improved and more robust Web Utilities • SQL database server• Google search appliance

Web Complex

Current Project: Media Complex

A complimentary system that supports:

• Streaming Media

• New Media

• Teaching and Collaboration

Legacy Media SystemsDistributed Server Configurations

Windows Media Server

Quicktime Server

Quicktime Server

Media ComplexHardware Configuration

• Helix Universal Streaming Servers (Real)

• Flash Communication Servers (Macromedia)

• Breeze Servers (Macromedia)

• Alteon front end

• SAN and NAS data storage back end

• Automatic Failover and Data Replication

Media Complex

State of Streaming, why do it?• Increasing Broadband use• Decreasing cost of equipment• Easier access to technology• Distributed server configurations• Increasing teaching, learning opportunities• Organizational communication needs• Web development requests• Central administration• Web user expectations• Student projects (radio stations, course work)• Competitive institution

Media Complex Services• Live Streaming (multiple players)• On-Demand Streaming (multiple players)• Web Conferencing• Presentations• Meetings (LDAP)• Macromedia Flash Development• Content Management System (LDAP)• Web blogs• Podcasting• Online TV Station

Media ComplexVendors and Software

• Dell – Servers

• Real Networks – Helix Server

• Macromedia - Breeze, Flash

• MetaStories – Storymaker

• Microsoft – 2003 Advanced Server

• Red Hat - Linux

• Serious Magic – Visual Communicator 2

Usability and Accessibility Lab• Improve Web sites, applications and files • Evaluation and consulting

– User interface or files– Information design– Visual design – ADA section 508

• Reporting• Surveys• User testing• Load testing

What is the price of change?• Change the culture of the Web• New ways to communicate• New ways to teach and learn• Commitment to support• Commitment to research and development• Collaborate with partners and vendors• Failover and disaster recovery• Year 2, 3, maintenance and upgrade costs

Cost Benefit Analysis

• CMS research (technology and support requirements)

• New Media research (technology and support requirements)

• Justification based on comparison of– In house development– Commercial solutions– Open Source solutions

Cost Benefit Analysis

• How much is initial investment

• Forecast a gross profit

• Calculate short term net profit

• Extend net profit to one year

• Year two net profit projection

Enterprise Complex Configuration

Policies• Content management  • Offensive content • Content ownership and responsibility • Security and privacy• Communication - listserv • Branding guidelines • Vendors and non-Temple Web developers • Storage and disk space• Network and bandwidth• Support limitations • Web site backup and retrieval policy • Disk space and storage

Procedures• Web developer - Web administrator limits• Web site and Web media protocols• File and Web naming conventions• Web tools, utilities and services • Programming and scheduling • Live and on-demand events • Costs and maintenance fees • Usability and accessibility • System maintenance

Research and Advisory groups• Web development advisory group

– Temple University Content Management research lab– Database– Web design– Wireless

• Streaming Media advisory group– Streaming– Conferencing– Internet 2– Wireless

• Usability and Accessibility advisory group– Best practices– Research and collaboration

• Web and Internet policy and guideline– Best practices– Security– Privacy

THANK YOU!Questions and Comments:

Karl: k.h@temple.eduViral: v.m@temple.edu

Scott: sbirl@temple.edu

http://www.temple.edu