Slides for plenary talk on "Trials, Trips and Tribulations of an Integrated Web Strategy" given at the IWMW 2004 event held at the University of Birmingham on 27-29 July 2004. See http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/events/workshops/webmaster-2004/talks/supple/

1. David Supple, University of BirminghamDavid Supple, University of Birmingham
Institutional Web ManagersInstitutional Web Managers
Workshop 2004Workshop 2004
Trials, Trips andTrials, Trips and
TribulationsTribulations
of an Integrated Webof an Integrated Web
StrategyStrategy

2. Welcome to BirminghamWelcome to Birmingham

3. Welcome to the University ofWelcome to the University of
Birmingham: our marketplaceBirmingham: our marketplace
 27,000 FTE students27,000 FTE students
 is well-established as ais well-established as a
world-class Universityworld-class University
 is one of the leadingis one of the leading
research-based universitiesresearch-based universities
in the United Kingdomin the United Kingdom
 teaches and undertakesteaches and undertakes
research in all the majorresearch in all the major
disciplinesdisciplines
 attracts students of highattracts students of high
abilityability
 has academic staff ofhas academic staff of
distinction, many recogniseddistinction, many recognised
as international leaders inas international leaders in
their fieldstheir fields
 has an annual income ofhas an annual income of
more than £300 millionmore than £300 million

4. Session OverviewSession Overview
 Items we’ve won:Items we’ve won:
The web @ Birmingham, and our TThe web @ Birmingham, and our T33
 Items we’re watching:Items we’re watching:
The rest of the web @ BirminghamThe rest of the web @ Birmingham
 Items we’re selling:Items we’re selling:
The edges @ BirminghamThe edges @ Birmingham
 Building our store: the web enabled campusBuilding our store: the web enabled campus
 Challenges aheadChallenges ahead
 QuestionsQuestions

5. Items we’ve wonItems we’ve won

6. 
300k html pages300k html pages

500 content authors500 content authors

100+ web servers100+ web servers

Fixed IP address campus network – 17,000Fixed IP address campus network – 17,000
points of accesspoints of access

15 million distinct visitors a year to15 million distinct visitors a year to
corporate pages alonecorporate pages alone

Distributed content generationDistributed content generation

Highly devolved political campusHighly devolved political campus
UoB Web ProvisionUoB Web Provision

7. UoB Corporate Web TeamUoB Corporate Web Team
 ManagerManager
 Web Developer x3Web Developer x3
 Java Developer x1 (portal)Java Developer x1 (portal)
 Hybrid Business Analyst x1 (portal)Hybrid Business Analyst x1 (portal)
 Web Editor x2Web Editor x2
 Part of ICSD – Information ComputingPart of ICSD – Information Computing
Systems Division of InformationSystems Division of Information
ServicesServices

8. UoB Web StrategyUoB Web Strategy

Birmingham’s External Strategic Web Review c1999Birmingham’s External Strategic Web Review c1999
Lipmann Hearne:Lipmann Hearne:
 Organizational structure that centralises technicalOrganizational structure that centralises technical
web services such as application development,web services such as application development,
hosting and supporting web coordinators in schoolshosting and supporting web coordinators in schools
and departmentsand departments
 Increase training and support for these webIncrease training and support for these web
coordinatorscoordinators
 A cohesive, comprehensive web program within theA cohesive, comprehensive web program within the
context of the University’s devolved managementcontext of the University’s devolved management
structurestructure
 Development of the infrastructure to create andDevelopment of the infrastructure to create and
sustain a strong web strategy programsustain a strong web strategy program
 Refocus away from technology to content provisionRefocus away from technology to content provision

9. Template / Technology/SupportTemplate / Technology/Support
EnvironmentEnvironment

10. At the 2At the 2½½ year point…year point…
 Vastly increased level of consistency inVastly increased level of consistency in
navigation, look and feelnavigation, look and feel
 85% of corporate sites now in the corporate85% of corporate sites now in the corporate
template – over 400 virtual domainstemplate – over 400 virtual domains
 New communication through web coordinatorNew communication through web coordinator
networknetwork
 However:However:
 Poor standards compliancy, not even htmlPoor standards compliancy, not even html
compliantcompliant
 Inability to re-task digital assetsInability to re-task digital assets
 No content strategy…No content strategy…
 New brand forthcomingNew brand forthcoming

11. Content StrategyContent Strategy
ChallengesChallenges
 Content Strategy is not technology basedContent Strategy is not technology based
 Understand common needs in content generationUnderstand common needs in content generation
areas both internally and externallyareas both internally and externally
 Lack of timeLack of time
 Lack of fundingLack of funding
 Ease of technology rather than content focusEase of technology rather than content focus
 Develop a strategy around:Develop a strategy around:
 Content valueContent value
 Asset re-useAsset re-use
 Real world challenges of managing:Real world challenges of managing:
 Content ownershipContent ownership
 Content classification – will contentContent classification – will content
classifiers will inherit the earth?classifiers will inherit the earth?

12. The $64,000 question:The $64,000 question:
To CMS or not CMS…To CMS or not CMS…
 Weaknesses in the softwareWeaknesses in the software
 Total cost of ownership unclear :Total cost of ownership unclear :
TCPPTCPP
 InflexibleInflexible
 Politically unacceptable?Politically unacceptable?
 Is this really just a brandIs this really just a brand
management issue?management issue?

13. Macromedia Contribute:Macromedia Contribute:
UoB Managed Content Environment (MaCE)UoB Managed Content Environment (MaCE)
 A new MaCE with a contribution tool to work with theA new MaCE with a contribution tool to work with the
XHTML environmentXHTML environment
 Wide range of features including:Wide range of features including:
 Streamline web content updatesStreamline web content updates
 Increase productivityIncrease productivity
 Edit your site in three easy stepsEdit your site in three easy steps : Just browse to: Just browse to
a page from within Contribute, make your edits, anda page from within Contribute, make your edits, and
then publish your updatesthen publish your updates
 Drag, drop, and edit from your desktopDrag, drop, and edit from your desktop
programsprograms :: Easily incorporate content from MicrosoftEasily incorporate content from Microsoft
Word and Excel, or create links within your website toWord and Excel, or create links within your website to
documents created by any business softwaredocuments created by any business software
 Collaborate with your authorsCollaborate with your authors : Work together: Work together
safely on the same sitesafely on the same site

14. Trips and TribulationsTrips and Tribulations
 Split between IS and Marketing will alwaysSplit between IS and Marketing will always
require good managingrequire good managing
 Microsoft technology a blessing and aMicrosoft technology a blessing and a
cursecurse
 Networking and infrastructure issuesNetworking and infrastructure issues
 Grey area of medium sized applicationGrey area of medium sized application
developmentdevelopment
 Personal websites…Personal websites…

15. Items we’re watchingItems we’re watching

16. Nouvelles ApplicationsNouvelles Applications
 MIS centricMIS centric
 OracleOracle
basedbased
 VendorVendor
specificspecific
 ComplexComplex
 FixedFixed
systemssystems
andand
responsesresponses

17. Mid-Range ApplicationsMid-Range Applications
 Opaque definition of what is an enterpriseOpaque definition of what is an enterprise
application and who owns themapplication and who owns them
 Difficulty of users defining the projectsDifficulty of users defining the projects
 Time and resources needed to buildTime and resources needed to build
applicationsapplications
 Common and often demanding links withCommon and often demanding links with
enterprise systems require resources andenterprise systems require resources and
trainingtraining

18. Items we’re sellingItems we’re selling

21. Personal WebsitesPersonal Websites
 Is ignorance really bliss?Is ignorance really bliss?
 Academic freedom vs. business issuesAcademic freedom vs. business issues
 Institutional representationInstitutional representation
 Issues of controlIssues of control
 LiabilitiesLiabilities
 One way path?One way path?

22. The Hidden WebThe Hidden Web
 New firewall policyNew firewall policy
blocks non registeredblocks non registered
serversservers
 Grey area of researchGrey area of research
groupsgroups
 Tracking contentTracking content
extension on registeredextension on registered
servers difficultservers difficult
 Liabilities andLiabilities and
responsibilitiesresponsibilities

23. Building ourBuilding our
store:store:
The webThe web
enabledenabled
campuscampus

24. Web Enabled CampusWeb Enabled Campus
Trinity of ServicesTrinity of Services

25. Strategic PrerequisitesStrategic Prerequisites

26. Portal StrategyPortal Strategy
 Taking the content further – developing moreTaking the content further – developing more
relationships with content creators andrelationships with content creators and
consumersconsumers
 A further dimension of process review, makingA further dimension of process review, making
the business an e-business from the ground upthe business an e-business from the ground up
 Data simplification not just integrationData simplification not just integration
 Technologies to remove data noise throughTechnologies to remove data noise through
personalised environmentspersonalised environments
 Integrated e-learning environmentIntegrated e-learning environment

28. Bringing everything togetherBringing everything together
Agnostic, open standards
compliant
– plugs and sockets
Paul Browning, University of Bristol

29. Supporting the VRESupporting the VRE
Virtual Research EnvironmentVirtual Research Environment
 Customer Focused Enterprise Environments – delivery ofCustomer Focused Enterprise Environments – delivery of
targeted informationtargeted information
 Tailored knowledge dissemination – delivery of targetedTailored knowledge dissemination – delivery of targeted
informationinformation
 Relationship nurturing – eCRMRelationship nurturing – eCRM
 Ability to manage complex corporate relationshipsAbility to manage complex corporate relationships
centrally - eCRMcentrally - eCRM
 Asynchronous project management – Online contact +Asynchronous project management – Online contact +
project managementproject management
 Ability to share and manage knowledge - eKMAbility to share and manage knowledge - eKM

30. Integrating Shared ServicesIntegrating Shared Services
 Example services being developed by JISCExample services being developed by JISC
 Subject Portals - PortletsSubject Portals - Portlets
 GeoXWalkGeoXWalk
 Image PortalImage Portal
 L&T PortalL&T Portal
 Metadata registryMetadata registry
 IE service registryIE service registry
 Some may become services and how will we integrateSome may become services and how will we integrate
and co-ordinate these services?and co-ordinate these services?

31. Integrating Internal and ExternalIntegrating Internal and External
Discovery ResourcesDiscovery Resources
 Recognition of the power of fully integrated externalRecognition of the power of fully integrated external
discovery resourcesdiscovery resources
 Poor integration and lack of standards with our ownPoor integration and lack of standards with our own
resourcesresources
 Many complex and far reaching standards beingMany complex and far reaching standards being
developed – need for simple to implement enterprisedeveloped – need for simple to implement enterprise
level resourceslevel resources
 Where does the responsibility lie for:Where does the responsibility lie for:
 ContentContent
 AccuracyAccuracy
 ResilienceResilience

32. The ChallengesThe Challenges

33. Portal Implementation RisksPortal Implementation Risks
The “empty box” syndromeThe “empty box” syndrome
 20-30% of portals fail predominantly due to “empty20-30% of portals fail predominantly due to “empty
portal” syndrome: source Gartner 2003portal” syndrome: source Gartner 2003
 Emptiness also extends to relevance: irrelevantEmptiness also extends to relevance: irrelevant
content may as well not existcontent may as well not exist
 Relevance requires engagement of all aspects ofRelevance requires engagement of all aspects of
organisation lifeorganisation life
 Tools to deliver content are only half of the equationTools to deliver content are only half of the equation
 If you have no relevant web or enterpriseIf you have no relevant web or enterprise
relationships on campus, why will you have relevantrelationships on campus, why will you have relevant
portal relationships?portal relationships?

34. Identity ManagementIdentity Management
 Mapping of digital assets against:Mapping of digital assets against:
 Multiple communitiesMultiple communities
 Proliferated and redundant identitiesProliferated and redundant identities
 User profile and control and administrationUser profile and control and administration
 Coordination and accuracy of federatedCoordination and accuracy of federated
attributesattributes
 Privacy and securityPrivacy and security
 Regulations and complianceRegulations and compliance
 Shared services we feel provide part of theShared services we feel provide part of the
solution to the integration of resources, butsolution to the integration of resources, but
issues still remain:issues still remain:
 Issues of authorization and identityIssues of authorization and identity
managementmanagement
 Coordination - difficult enough to integrateCoordination - difficult enough to integrate
our own internal data never mind that ofour own internal data never mind that of
other institutionsother institutions

35. QuestionsQuestions
d.r.supple@bham.ac.ukd.r.supple@bham.ac.uk
www.bham.ac.ukwww.bham.ac.uk
www.webteam.bham.ac.ukwww.webteam.bham.ac.uk
www.portalproject.bham.ac.ukwww.portalproject.bham.ac.uk