Website/IT Committees Meeting Feb 8, 2012
In Attendance: Topiary, Libby, Susannah, Charles, Nathan, Nomsa, Phil (IT), DK (Branding), Stephanie (IT), Geoffrey Delineation between IT and Website committees Updates and Staging: Topiary can update the css but we need ftp access and read/write privs on the server to update and install plugins. Phil prefers our version control software in lieu of ftp. It was decided that Phil will train Topiary and others in the use of the versioning system (Nomsa has worked with subversion but will get a refresher). In addition, Phil will set up our staging server on which we can use ftp because it has no risk of corrupting our production server. Once testing is done, then subversion to the production website. Libby will ask her friend for help and supply a script for copying current website to staging for testing.
Backups: Everything is backed up right now. This is not ideal. Can use plugin to email backups to a location. Backup buddy. (Was Nathan or Charles looking into this?)
Branding control of the website: A user experience person could be the intermediary who can represent the user experience in discussions with Branding and Website as we try to improve the technology of our website.
Site Organization: Meeting on Monday between Branding and Website will focus on identifying audiences and their related content and devising a logical plan for navigation on the site. One audience is committee members--Need a part of the site to store internal committee documents that we can send new committee members to so they can get up to speed. We need an updated style guide from Branding.
Website content: Buddy press allows for blogs for each committee and members can comment on posts and interact with one another. This is a plugin for Wordpress that we would like to test on the staging server. We need to be aware of duplication between plugins and software, i.e. IT working on an intranet that may duplicate committee functionality that we are talking about for the front end. Open atrium is an option for collaboration. For committees, we can also use and existing website that creates wikis and is wrapped to look like our site. This gives us consistency in functionality and saves us setup time. Possibilities include get satisfaction and Openatrium. Nathan to set up a test on use response and open atrium. Phil to setup a website committee instance for us to play with.
Ticketing System: Co human uses email to send tickets and status back and forth. We should start using that in our committee ASAP to assess. Nathan to set that up for website (note: this is done and we are using it).
Food blog: Savannah set up an unpublished page with the static copy to test. Check it out. The goal of this page is to be an intro to our food philosophy and also have the food blog visible. The two may not work together and we may design a different page option that can accommodate what we need for the food page, including recipes. Maybe recipe blog needs to be separate from the food page.
Other Content: Need the home page to push forward the fresh content and lead people further into the site. Ops wants a wiki for store jobs. Need breaking news section. Libby to look at page width issue (sidebars drop below page when the window is narrowed).
Website Committee Functions Code and Tech: Libby, Charles User Experience: (functionality development) Nomsa, Topiary? Content Mgmt: Geoff, Susannah Social media and analytics: Nathan
Phil to email entire site to Topiary and libby and they will set up a training session on versioning.
GC to send out meeting minutes and to brainstorm layout for Monday’s meeting with branding.