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1. How is the
UoM Web Redevelopment Project going to affect my department?
All
University departments will be required to adopt the new
design templates approved by WAC. The departmental websites will be
maintained through a centrally
supported software - a Content Management System (CMS).
Departmental heads will nominate staff to enter and
maintain data on the
CMS. The department will not
incur any financial costs in the project.
2. What will the Content Management System (CMS)
offer?
The
CMS is a program which supports the creation, management and
publication of information online. The CMS will provide the ability to
manage the structure of the site, the appearance of published pages,
and the navigation provided to visitors. This will make web publishing
easier especially for non-technical authors.
The
CMS will feature templates which will:
- Be accessible (compliant with W3C standards).
- Enable web authors to concentrate on writing
content as opposed to dealing with underlying technical matters.
- Be compatible with the University's visual identity
guidelines.
3. What can I do in advance of the migration to
the CMS?
Departments
are required to continue maintaining their existing websites until they
migrate their data to the CMS. IT Services is contacting all heads of
departments to plan a schedule for the migration of data from the
existing websites to the CMS.
4. What provision is being made for training,
support and advice?
Training
on how to use the CMS and how to write for the web will be provided
by IT Services. Support on the CMS will also be provided by e-mail
and
telephone.
5. How widely will the CMS be rolled-out?
All
departments will be expected to use the CMS given its ease of use and
the versatility it affords to update the design elements of web pages
centrally. The takeup and implementation of the CMS will be negotiated
to meet with individual departmental work priorities and schedules. It
is envisaged that all departmental websites will be on the CMS by
September 2008.
6. Will the use of templates be compulsory?
The WAC
appreciates that some departments have staff with adequate skills to
set up an aesthetically pleasing web design. However, it has been
decided that implementing a unique design template for all departments
would represent the University's identity, clearly, consistently, and
with distinction. A consistent user interface improves navigation
making it easier for users to access online information on the
University website.
In
order to achieve these benefits, the templates need to be widely and
consistently implemented. Departmental websites will therefore be
required to adhere to the design adopted by the University. The
templates have been designed in such way that will allow flexibility
for each department to customise its content. The templates will not
apply to individual staff web pages. However, a template will be made
available to help staff quickly set up their own individual website.
7. Will the existing website addresses
of departmental homepages change on the CMS?
For the time being the addresses will remain
as they are. If these will change, technical arrangements will be made for
automatic redirections of old website addresses to the new ones.
Last
updated: 31-Aug-07
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