[LTER-commcom] NCO web site and update

[Marty Downs]

Dear Commcom--
I started the e-mail below in response to Nick's inquiry, but by the time I
finished, thought it would be useful to share with the whole committee. As
always, thoughts and feedback welcome.
Marty

Hi Nick,
Good catch, thanks!

Regarding a consistent web page design....A shared design (at least an
optional one) is definitely under consideration as we grapple with the
lternet redesign. I
I think there are a couple of considerations in trying to design (and sell)
such a system:

1) Many sites are embedded in institutions that have their own design and
branding considerations. Is our goal to accommodate those or to give sites
ammunition to push back? It probably depends on how valuable that branding
is to the site and vice versa.

2) Some sites have abundant resources (both skills and funds) to put into a
web site. Others struggle to maintain a basic web site. We need a system
that smooths the road for the latter, without tying the hands of the former.

3) I am unsure about how (and how much) much individual sites use the
database connections. Are they drawing on the biblio database to maintain
their publication lists? Is that something they value? What about
personnelDB for staff lists? A common design would make database
connections easier, but might give sites less control over how they display
or how they include additional people on their personnel lists.

Here's what I'm thinking at the moment -- and I welcome your input on this.
If you've been pushing on this for a while, then I'm sure you've bumped up
against other counter arguments and I'd love to hear those so we can shape
a program that works as well as possible for as many as possible.

It's possible to do a multi-site installation of either Drupal or Wordpress
so that sites could start with the same basic template and modify it from
there. That would offer a significant "nudge" toward consistency (and a
significant head start for new and resource-poor sites) without tying the
hands of resource-rich sites.

If we phased it in gradually, as sites are doing their own redesigns
anyway, it could be managed without too much negative impact on the web
administrators. (I don't think I can force a web-redesign, which is a major
investment of site effort on my timetable.) If it were accompanied by a
modest set of graphic and style standards, we could get a decent level of
consistency without completely stifling creativity.

Just how I'm thinking about it at the moment. We have yet to get our web
developer on board, but I'm starting on an RFP for the lternet redesign
anyway. We'll need that whether we end up going with an in-house developer
or an outside firm for the redesign.

Thanks,
Marty

On Tue, Jul 12, 2016 at 7:59 AM, Nicholas Oehm Jr <oehmn at fiu.edu> wrote:

> Hi Marty.
>
> Looks good!  Only thing missing is one digit in the phone number at the
> top of the page.
>
> Any chance we will come up with a consistent webpage design for all sites
> to use?  I have been advocating for many years to have consistent branding
> across sites.
>
> Best,
> Nick
> FCE
>
>
>
> On Jul 8, 2016, at 8:07 PM, Marty Downs <downs at nceas.ucsb.edu> wrote:
>
> Dear LTER Comm Com--
>
> We are soft-launching the NCO web site at https://nco.lternet.edu/
> <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__nco.lternet.edu_&d=AwMFaQ&c=1QsCMERiq7JOmEnKpsSyjg&r=-bfRrG46KwZqNcV_4ELblg&m=dBWC-X0KeldJ8_Y93r4hFo_p72X7I0O_Sz7oQumFWQA&s=DaKwuKKRbNgUx3wjjt0jkMsDDNEgM7nZUGpzI_4jeDM&e=>
>
> It is not currently linked from the lternet site, but it is public. I'd
> appreciate your thoughts -- bearing in mind that my main purpose for this
> site is simply to inform the LTER community about the NCO's goals and
> objectives, how we intend to operate, who we are, and how to reach us.
>
> This is a baby step -- with no web developer on board at this time, it
> does not reflect our intentions with respect to the main web site. It's the
> just-the-facts-ma'am, no-frills face of the NCO -- NOT of the Network. That
> remains at www.lternet.edu
> <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.lternet.edu&d=AwMFaQ&c=1QsCMERiq7JOmEnKpsSyjg&r=-bfRrG46KwZqNcV_4ELblg&m=dBWC-X0KeldJ8_Y93r4hFo_p72X7I0O_Sz7oQumFWQA&s=G5SD5cR3Gbye4pBSbvQXyCx97RlNC0Rgn1RXNXpAYQA&e=>
> -- and that's the next job.
>
> When Lternet.edu and Intranet2.lternet.edu
> <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__Intranet2.lternet.edu&d=AwMFaQ&c=1QsCMERiq7JOmEnKpsSyjg&r=-bfRrG46KwZqNcV_4ELblg&m=dBWC-X0KeldJ8_Y93r4hFo_p72X7I0O_Sz7oQumFWQA&s=7q6BY4O04yGprVkbQHU6zEhGS3FyLBjCGV5D1ImM2F8&e=>
> are more functional, I hope that the need for this site will gradually
> disappear, but for now, it seemed important to share our basic operating
> principles.
>
> There is a great deal more we could do to liven the site up and I'll take
> that on over time. For now, I would very much appreciate your thoughts on
> content -- are there mis-steps in tone or content? Blind spots? What am I
> missing that is important to include?
>
> Also -- I had hoped to organize a video abstracts training before ESA, but
> given summer schedules and the variety other activities under way, that
> won't be possible. I do still hope to get resources out on the topic before
> ESA, but not in time to organize the training I had envisioned.,
>
> Hope you're all having a great summer.
> Marty
>
>
> --
> Marty Downs
> Communications Officer
> LTER Network Communications Office (LTER NCO)
> t: @USLTER
> f: USLTER
>
> National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS)
> University of California, Santa Barbara
> Office: 805-893-7549
> Cell: 617-833-7930
> downs at nceas.ucsb.edu
>
> _______________________________________________
> Long Term Ecological Research Network
> commcom mailing list
> commcom at lternet.edu
>
>
>


-- 
Marty Downs
Communications Officer
LTER Network Communications Office (LTER NCO)
t: @USLTER
f: USLTER

National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS)
University of California, Santa Barbara
Office: 805-893-7549
Cell: 617-833-7930
downs at nceas.ucsb.edu
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