Bruce Chr. Johnson

1
Sea Scouts on the Internet

• Bruce Chr. Johnson
• Commodore, Sea Scouts
• Northeast Region, BSA

2
Internet Communication Why do it?

• Improve communication with our members
• Promote Sea Scouting both inside outside of
  Scouting

• Remember to ask this question
• What are we trying to accomplish?

3
Types of Communication

• Websites
• Resource servers File Transfer Protocol (ftp)
  sites
  
• Discussion groups Seascout-Europe-Net
• Electronic journals (e-journals)
• Mail reflectors
• Instant Messenger
• Chat rooms

4
Publishing without the expense

• Training manuals
• Administrative guides
• Short press runs
• Too expensive to print
• Distribute via ftp
• Distribute document ONLY in Adobe Acrobat PDF
  format

5
Get Indexed

• Your goal is to have your website used
• To make that happen, it must be found

• Include metadata, esp. Dublin Core
• Get index on at least Google AltaVista Yahoo
• Each service uses different criteria

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Example of Dublin Core Metadata

• www.dublincore.org

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Indexed on Google
8
Get Linked !!

• Exchange with as many Scouting websites as you
  can in your country
  
• Follow up with them to confirm that they link to
  your site

• Exchange links with country, city, state, etc.
  websites
  
• Follow up with them to confirm that they link to
  your site

9
Focused themes

• Make sure that the user comes away feeling that
  Sea Scouting is FUN
  
• Add Adventure!
• Sea Scouts do exciting things
• Pictures should show youth enjoying themselves

• Sea Scouts like to do things with other young
  people their age
  
• Spend some time picturing the boats
• Spend a little time discussing adult leadership

10
Website design principles

• Make your website as user friendly as possible
• They should be able to find what theyre looking
  for

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Design principles

• Assume 800 x 600 screen resolution
• Dont use dark backgrounds (tough to read)
• Dont use servers with mandatory ads and popups
  (user hostile)
  
• Dont participate in banner exchanges
• No more than one animated graphic / screen (less
  is better)

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Design principles

• Use a consistent graphics style
• Develop a standard look for all pages on the
  site
  
• Stay away from cute focus on your message
• Pictures are worth 1,000 words 1,000 pictures
  communicate nothing
  
• Avoid clutter clean lay-out
• Use terms outsiders will understand

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Design principles (cont.)

• Check for html coding integrity
• Regularly check for link integrity
• Unit websites make sure that information about
  where when you meet is easy to find on the
  website
  
• Dont use Scouts full names, particularly with
  their pictures
  
• DO include adult names

14
Know your website resources

• Internet Policies of your Scout association
• Youth protection must be an issue
• What web resources are available
• From your Scout association?
• From other sources (like SSIS)?
• Website accessibility
• Be sensitive to accessibility issues
• Bobby Scan

15
Focus on a Usable website

• Web Development Resources for Sea Scout
  Webmasters
  
• /index.html
  
• Research-Based Web Design Usability Guidelines

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Usable websites

• Usability is the measure of the quality of a
  user's experience when interacting with a product
  or system whether a Web site, a software
  application, mobile technology, or any
  user-operated device.

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Usable websites

• Usability is a combination of factors that affect
  the user's experience with the product or system,
  including
  
• Ease of learning
• Efficiency of use
• Memorability
• Error frequency and severity
• Subjective satisfaction

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Getting started planning the site

• Planning is critical because it helps you focus
  your objectives. It also helps you plan for
  usability activities that are part of the process
  of developing a successful site
• Why are you developing a website?
• Who should come to your site?
• When and why will they come?

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Developing prototypes

• What are prototypes and how do you create them?

20
Collecting, writing revising content

• Easy-to-use content is critical
• Stages and guidelines for preparing easy-to-use
  content
  
• Select only what your audience needs
• Organize content logically for your audience

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Organize content logically for your audience

• Break the text into manageable pieces
• Put in many headings
• Write useful headings
• Use the headings as introductory hyperlinks
• If the information is sequential, put it in that
  order
  
• For non-sequential info, put what users need most
  first

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Write content visually

• Use blank space well
• Cut out words
• Keep paragraphs short
• Keep sentences short
• Use fragments
• Use bulleted lists
• Give examples
• Meet users expectations for how the information
  should be displayed
  
• Include pictures graphics when appropriate

23
Promoting the site and keeping it up-to-date

• Promotion tips
• Site maintenance
• Occasional redesign

24
Contact information

• Make sure that the website provides contact
  information
  
• Email address
• Telephone number (if for a local unit)
• Web response form
• Be sure to provide more than one way to contact
  you

25
Software

• Page layout
• Macromedia Dreamweaver MX
  
  
• Graphics
• Paint Shop Pro
• Adobe Photoshop
  
• Documents
• Adobe Acrobat

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Questions Comments ?

• Thank you !