Web Project Management for Libraries

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Web Project Management for Libraries

• Making Project Management Work For You

• Jason A. Clark
• Reference/Web Services Librarian
• Williams College Libraries
• jclark2_at_williams.edu
• Computers in Libraries
• Washington D.C.
• 18 March 2005

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A little background

• My background UW Division of Information
  Technology, Academic Libraries
• 5 person team systems, ref, web services team
  members
• My Workplace - Williams College
• A private, residential, and liberal arts college
  with graduate programs in the
• history of art and in development economics. The
  undergraduate enrollment is
• Approximately 2,000 students. Williamstown is
  located in the Berkshires in
• northwestern Massachusetts, 145 miles from Boston
  and 165 miles from New York
• City.

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Nature of web projects

• Web project any business service delivered via
  web to end user
• Unique nature of web project as part
  application/part web document needs to be part of
  planning
• Communication tools with global reach
• Wide range of user requirements
• Shorter project life cycles

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What does a library web project look like?
It can look and feel something like this
but it doesnt have to
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Particular challenges of a library Web project

• Ad-hoc committees, varying expertise
• Sporadic project work
• Shifting deadlines, shifting priorities
• Team members and many hats
• Limited funding for third-party software or
  contract work
• Shifting information needs and user expectations

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Project Management A Solution

• Defining a goal a deliverable
• Identifying strengths and risks
• Opening communication about the process
• Establishing timelines and tracking progress

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Gather those requirements

• Define boundary and scope of project
• Agree on goals of project
• Establish a realistic schedule
• Identify strengths of team or look for possible
  expertise outside of team
• Earmark strengths and weaknesses in proposed plan

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Williams College Libraries Web Team Project Definition Report Williams College Libraries Web Team Project Definition Report Williams College Libraries Web Team Project Definition Report
Project Project Champion Project Manager Redesign of Library Web Site Christine Menard, head - research services Jason A. Clark, web team chair Redesign of Library Web Site Christine Menard, head - research services Jason A. Clark, web team chair
Purpose Create a central conduit for library information and services that is easy to use, simple to maintain and highlights the research role of the library Why? - bring library services online to reach out to remote users that may never visit physical library - need to streamline paths to research and instruction information in site - reduce web workers time in adding, updating, and deleting web pages - need for a more modern look and feel to reflect modern research library Purpose Create a central conduit for library information and services that is easy to use, simple to maintain and highlights the research role of the library Why? - bring library services online to reach out to remote users that may never visit physical library - need to streamline paths to research and instruction information in site - reduce web workers time in adding, updating, and deleting web pages - need for a more modern look and feel to reflect modern research library Purpose Create a central conduit for library information and services that is easy to use, simple to maintain and highlights the research role of the library Why? - bring library services online to reach out to remote users that may never visit physical library - need to streamline paths to research and instruction information in site - reduce web workers time in adding, updating, and deleting web pages - need for a more modern look and feel to reflect modern research library
Outputs The project will deliver a new web site comprising What? - site template that allows for global navigation, headers and footers adding a composite feel to the site - design that allows for different layouts to accomodate all types of content within the site informational, instructional, research tools, interactive - improved navigation with simple categories for users and multiple points of entry to web pages - site that answers information needs of primary users student researchers - reorganization (including deleting and archiving of directories and files) of site directory each directory will have a table of contents index page with a link to all files contained in directory The project will be complete after proper testing and educating of users has occurred and the site is live. Outputs The project will deliver a new web site comprising What? - site template that allows for global navigation, headers and footers adding a composite feel to the site - design that allows for different layouts to accomodate all types of content within the site informational, instructional, research tools, interactive - improved navigation with simple categories for users and multiple points of entry to web pages - site that answers information needs of primary users student researchers - reorganization (including deleting and archiving of directories and files) of site directory each directory will have a table of contents index page with a link to all files contained in directory The project will be complete after proper testing and educating of users has occurred and the site is live. Outputs The project will deliver a new web site comprising What? - site template that allows for global navigation, headers and footers adding a composite feel to the site - design that allows for different layouts to accomodate all types of content within the site informational, instructional, research tools, interactive - improved navigation with simple categories for users and multiple points of entry to web pages - site that answers information needs of primary users student researchers - reorganization (including deleting and archiving of directories and files) of site directory each directory will have a table of contents index page with a link to all files contained in directory The project will be complete after proper testing and educating of users has occurred and the site is live.
Scope Define stages of web redesign project and describe actions within stages How? Discovery Gather requirements and define objectives Research Analyze current user data and site files, draft design plan Design Create working model of site Evaluate Assess achievement of user requirements Deploy Train users, create documentation to aid in use and maintenance of site Scope Define stages of web redesign project and describe actions within stages How? Discovery Gather requirements and define objectives Research Analyze current user data and site files, draft design plan Design Create working model of site Evaluate Assess achievement of user requirements Deploy Train users, create documentation to aid in use and maintenance of site Scope Define stages of web redesign project and describe actions within stages How? Discovery Gather requirements and define objectives Research Analyze current user data and site files, draft design plan Design Create working model of site Evaluate Assess achievement of user requirements Deploy Train users, create documentation to aid in use and maintenance of site
Author(s) Jason A. Clark, Lori DuBois Author(s) Jason A. Clark, Lori DuBois Date 02 February 2005
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Divide project into manageable tasks

• Assign team members to tasks that appeal to
  interests
• Break project into tasks with dependent beginning
  and ending phases
• Declare a critical path for the project to follow

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Building and Designing

• Create project with idea that multiple
  drafts/versions may be needed
• Promote a supportive development environment
  where team members can learn and ask for help
  without impacting production side of web site
• a playground or web sandbox - let your
  colleagues learn in a live
• environment
• Pair team members with complementary skills
• Offer tutorials on essential aspects of project
  writing for the web, xhtml, css, programming

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Document the project

• Im using the word broadly - meeting minutes,
  blog conversations, text documents, paper
  documents
• A means to open communication to other library
  staff create forums for discussion
• Generate buy-in for a project
• Provide a framework for assessing project status

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Blog it! (Documentation cont.)

• Centralize team communications
• Archive team communications
• Use webfeeds to keep team members updated
• Open your comments for other perspectives -
  students?
• Talk online, save time
• wclwebteam.blogspot.com

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Web Project Tracker (Documentation cont.)

• Records current status of library web projects
• Built with open source, DIY - MySQL and PHP
• Ability to assign owners to projects
• Central web submission form - updates, deletes,
  edits and new proposals
• Creates a working agenda for every meeting
• www.williams.edu/library/admin/projects/

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Giving up ownership

• Recognizing the power of delegating
• Williams Indexes and Databases
• www.williams.edu/library/indexes/
• Hidden benefits Subject Guides, Trials

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Closing the project

• Test your prototype and leave time for changes
• Educate your primary users
• Draft promotional communications
• Draft a maintenance plan
• Roll it out!

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Tips for Library Web Projects

• Define your objectives
• Open up your communications
• Document for your team and others
• Know your strengths and weaknesses
• Build around flexible schedules (Bend dont
  break.)
• Look at how newer technologies can streamline
  your workflow
• Think strategically about a web management
  structure for
• your library.

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Other Project Management Tools

• ScratchPad A Quality Management Systemfor
  Library Web Sites - University Libraries at
  Albany library.albany.edu/scratchpad
• BaseCamp Free, Web-based Project Management Tool
  www.basecamphq.com
• Ta-Da Lists Free, Web-based List Management Tool
• www.tadalist.com
• Microsoft Project Office Software for the PC
  www.microsoft.com/office/project
• phpCollab http//www.php-collab.org/blog/
• dotproject http//www.dotproject.net/index.php

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Useful Project Management Resources

• Gantthead www.gantthead.com
• Project Management Institute www.pmi.org
• Content and Workflow Management for Library Web
  Sites Case Studies edited by Holly Yu
• Managing Web Projects by J. Rodney Turner

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Questions?

• Jason A. Clark is currently the
• digital initiatives librarian at
• Montana State University.
• www.jasonclark.info
• Email him at jaclark_at_montana.edu.