Executive Director's Report (CMS) 30/04/05
INZ Web Development Project Report
This project is the Phase I of the INZ Web Development Strategy Outline previously accepted by the Executive Council. This report outlines the progress to date and project expectations.
Progress to Date
- Assessed initial metadata needs (engaged Mark Pascal from 3months.com)
- Evaluated ten open source content management system (CMS) platforms against evaluation criteria with support from Andrew McMillan of IT Catalyst and independent quality assurance from Jeremy Buckley of Excibir Ltd. A shortlist of two CMS platforms was elected: Zope/Plone and OpenCMS.
- Issued a request for information (RFI) to vendors of the two shortlist CMSs using IT Press and mailing lists. Evaluation team: Shane Middlemiss and Simon Riley, Peter Macaulay approval)
- Evaluated the six RFI bids received and excluded two for price, experience and product reasons.
- Invited presentations from remaining four vendors and then selected three to continue to request for proposal (RFP). (All vendors offered Zope/Plone)
- Issued RFP to BCMP, 3months.com and The Virtual.
- Issued contract role description to Victoria University School of Information Management for support with information categorisation, metadata tagging and assessment of new content.
- Engaged Shift Ltd, a specialist web design company, provide design of website graphics.
- Evaluated CMS RFP responses and selected 3months.com. Contract finalised.
- Initial discussion of INZ Phase I web vision and milestones.
Project Expectations
- Select Information Management contractor and begin document processing
- Develop Information Architecture and site layout for INZ public website and INZ members area
- Enable content publishing process on CMS platform
- Train INZ people in site administration and publishing process
- Bulk convert existing web content and publish first priority new content
- Port CMS to INZ web server
- Final testing and release (current expectation 30 July 2005).
Issues
The key issue impacting on timeframes is the selection of the Information Management contractor. This is critical to the achievement of the timeline and must be completed asap.
Conclusion
The web project is progressing well with an excellent team from both Internet New Zealand (primarily Simon Riley and Jordan Carter) and from 3months.com. Our next meeting is in Wellington on the 3rd of May.
