digital university project the hull portal - gateway to managed information pepc 2003 ian dolphin...

DIGITAL UNIVERSITY PROJECTDIGITAL UNIVERSITY PROJECT

The Hull Portal - Gateway to Managed Information

PEPC 2003

Ian Dolphin Robert Sherratt

DIGITAL UNIVERSITY PROJECT

The Digital University Project• Planned over the summer of 2001• Initially to develop a student intranet• Senior Management buy-in and support• Flexible structure with cross-

institutional steering group• Four main development strands


2Web

ContentResolving ChaosProcessand TechnologyAccessibility

3New

ServicesA chance to get it right…Development ModelOrganisational Change

4External

The UK Information LandscapeThe PORTAL ProjectBusinessPartners

1Portal Layer

AIPP•Aggregate•Integrate•Personalise•Present

Obstacles & Progress


Aggregate and Integrate what?• Core database applications - Ingres• Web based email client – IMP• Library systems - Innovative• Staff Intranet - home-grown, PERL etc• VLE/LMS/PFE – BlackBoard L1 + Merlin• External applications - identification


Further Education Students:

Higher Education Undergrad:

Postgraduate Students:

Higher Education Staff:Search favourite resources

Search favourite resources

Search favourite resources

Library admin

Library admin = 2ndLibrary admin

Library adminReview marks

Review marks

Deadline alerts

Deadline alerts

Careers infoTeaching materials

Teaching materialsPersonal information = 2nd

Library & Internet resource alertUniversity e-mail

Forms & documentation

Deadline alertsLibrary & Internet resource alertAccess reading lists


Why uPortal?• Procurement = 1st with commercial offering

– Against modified San Diego State U. rubric• Development community• Integration: more rapid, less effort• Ease of visual adaptation

– Aesthetic & distinctive branding– Accessibility

• Standards-based interfaces


“Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler.”


Portal Deployment Timetable• Autumn 2001

– Portal Procurement– Content Management Development

• Spring & Summer 2002– Integration and testing

• Autumn 2002– Live with Geography, Internet Computing

• Autumn 2003– Live with all staff and students for key services


Content Management: Resolving Chaos• The Web: it’s not amateur hour anymore• Web tools by Heinz – 57 varieties of editor

– Technical support nightmare– Human Resource nightmare

• Accessibility “test case” – any volunteers?• Aggregating web pages through portal:

GIGO


Content Management: Solutions• Solution for sites and portal channels• Caveat: 2 years ago, but watching…• Almost universally

expensive/overpriced• Frequently inflexible• Not designed for use by HEI


Content Management: Technology• Not “Build or buy, but build and buy”• db solution utilising current licences• Edit basic content within secure web page• Design templates

– XHTML output (now) > XSLT (future)– “standard” design – WAI level 1– “accessibility enhanced” design – WAI level 3

• Support rudimentary, but flexible workflow


Content Management Process

• Sensitivity to cultures of departments• “What do you need to do?”• Information design & architecture first• Flexible “toolkit” approach• Clear responsibilities and ownership


Initiate request

ResponsibilityOrganisational Unit Joint Interactive Media

Define (PID) Design (Spec)

Implement

Train Maintenance (SLA)

Review Process

(Response)

Reject

(Response)

Reject

Reject

Review Process

Accept

Accept

Minimal Documented Step


Enter/ edit

Preview

Quality Assure

Publish

Maintain

1

2

3

4

5


Proposed New Structures

eService Integration

Libra

ries

Com

putin

g

Corp

orat

e Sy

stem

sAr

chiv

es

Inte

ract

ive

Med

ia

Libra

ries

Com

putin

g

Corp

orat

e Sy

stem

sAr

chiv

es


External Resources & Interactions• The UK FE/HE information landscape

– JISC funded resources & services– JISC provided resources & services– Commercial subscriptions– Athens (central authentication service)

• The bank, the bus and the bar …


PORTAL• Presenting natiOnal Resources to Audiences

Locally• JISC funded, U. Hull and UKOLN + RDN

– Duration 18 months• Range of external quality-assured content• Meaningful integration (not lists of links)• Extracting functionality from external sites• Surveying stakeholder and user preferences


PORTAL Survey

• Method – Online card sort– Focus group – Interview (one to one)


Portal Survey• Responses

– 630 completed card sort– 50 involved in focus groups– 30 one-to-one interviews

• PORTAL project URL:– http://www.fair-portal.hull.ac.uk


Obstacles• Institutional readiness

– Changing culture & process redevelopment• Technology issues include …

– LMS/VLE: overfeatured, overpriced, and over here…– Readiness of external sites to disclose data or

services rather than web pages• Human resource issues include …

– Track emerging standards (who and how much time?)

– Changing and redeveloping skill bases


Risks• “Don’t like it, won’t use it”

– Stakeholder survey work from PORTAL informs development• “Will it sort my network connection out?”

– Managing expectations• Staff Development open sessions• Dissemination activities

• “It’ll fall over”– Hardware identification and investment

• Load balancing & SSL acceleration– Observe and stress test


New Architectures: Web Services• Standards-based layer enabling inter-

application communication over IP network• Addresses technology and HR issues

– Legacy applications and developers• Informs the creation of new services …• … and the redevelopment of older services• Maintaining a “thin” portal layer


JA-SIG UKhttp://www.ja-sig.org.uk/

Digital University Projecthttp://www.digital.hull.ac.uk

PORTAL Projecthttp://www.fair-portal.hull.ac.uk

[email protected] [email protected]

digital university project the hull portal - gateway to managed information pepc 2003 ian dolphin...

Documents