ACC Web review

[Keith]

[quote="Alex P"]... when we have this up and running, the control of the website (running of and content) cannot fall to one person, several people must have the capability to look after site (behind the scenes) and upload items relating to the club.

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

This is great stuff guys and looks like it will be really exciting.
I'm not terribly "teccy" but could manage to update it on a regular basis.
keep the ideas coming and we'll thrash them out (in a pub?)
Guru P

BTW only likes the KW site because it has a retro chainring

[George]

[img]http://i.nuseek.com/images/template/360x318/ist2_746781_female_student.jpg[/img]

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

[quote] really exciting.

[Sylv]

[img]http://connect.garmin.com/system/images/bear.jpg[/img]

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

Excellent

[Alex P]

We need to find who that girl is and make her an honoury member (looks European to me)

[Snoop Doug]

Tumbleweeeeeeeeeeeed

Wow folks, a load of good ideas and no one willing to take the lead. That's a surprise

Seriously, how about a post CR meeting in a caff in Coulsdon with a half dozen enthusiasts to sketch something out. Then get some quotes for design/hosting etc. I may be willing to help out but no way am I taking a lead on this, enough on my ACC plate already.

A simple new site can really help us advance the ACC cause. Make joining up really easy, links to local bike shops, other stuff we're supporting, e-payments for stuff like membership fees and dinner tickets. etc. Ooooh, so not only could it make us even more attractive to new members, it might even strip out some admin too...

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

Marco,
I would find it difficult if I were in your position to sit back, but being pragmatic about it, I can see that it does make sense, giving that others have fresh ideas etc, but personally, I wouldn't want to ignore the wealth of experience that you have. Please continue to be involved, even if you feel it is as a consultant.

Snoop has suggested a meeting of those interested, which has to be the way forward.

I have booked the Lindfield Social Club for a meeting on Friday 13th (don't ask) - EGM details sent to committee members.
Can you make that?

Cheers
Guru P

[Keith]

I've tried to collate and summarise the previous few threads regarding the ACC website to give a set of requirements for a website update.

• Who the ACC website is targeted at?
  
  
  
  • Non-members
    
    
    
    • To highlight to non-members, and prospective members, how active and welcoming a club ACC is.
      
    • To make it desirable/easy for people to join the club.
      
    
    
  • ACC Members
    
    
    
    • To be the first port of call for members to communicate.
      
    • To help members participate in cycling events.
      
    • To help members share their experience of cycling events.
      
    
    

Website content will be one of two basic types; "static" and "dynamic":

• Static content. This is primarily aimed at the non-members. They are glossy pages that showcase what ACC is all about.
  
  The following pages could be available:
  
  
  
  • The Club Run
    
    
    
    • Where, when, the various groups, map of route, code of conduct, pictures and names of the VCs, etc.
      
    • A page of people's experiences of the Club Run, especially first-timers.
      
    
    
  • For each of the "sections" in the club; Off-Road, Road racing, Time-Trialling, Sportive (including reliability rides) and Audax, other sections? suggestions?, there would be:
    
    
    
    • A beginners guide
      
    • Links to relevant organisations; BC, SL, SERRL, CTT, etc, especially their entry forms.
      
    • Showcase of some ACC members participating in the relevant "disciplines outlined above. For example the Sportive section would have pictures and stories of ACC members riding in the Hell of the Ashdown and La Marmotte.
      
    • (Link to the relevant events in the dynamic calendar)
      
    • A summary page of this (and previous) years significant results in the particular discipline.
      
    
    
  • ACC Membership
    
    
    
    • Why become a member, including local shop discounts.
      
    • How to join ACC, including a downloadable membership form. The ability to join on-line would be useful.
      
    • The club kit. Pictures, and where to get it.
      
    • A page highlighting the social side of ACC, including the annual dinner.
      
    
    
  • The ACC Committee (including VCs).
    
    
    
    • Names and photos to give newbies a familiar face when they first join in, and a point of contact for existing members.
      
    
    
  • The history of ACC.
    
  • ACC honours page.
    
    
    
    • Club records, who has got their bronze, silver, gold standards, etc.
      
    • Picture of each of the trophies, what they're awarded for, plus who currently holds it. Include pictures from the ACC Dinner?
      
    
    


• Dynamic content. Based around the use of a calendar of cycling events. Constantly being updated by the members themselves. Pages will link to, or be an integration of the Forum.
  
  Members should be able to do the following with the calendar:
  
  
  
  • Add events. Events can include Club Runs, Off-road rides, TTs, Road Races, Sportives, Social get-togethers and Committee meetings.
    
  • Add information about an event.
    
    
    
    • Links to maps of start location and of the course.
      
    • "Subscribe" to an event to show that they're going to an event.
      
    • Links to previous editions of this event - like the reports for last year's event.
      
    
    
  • Add a report or results following an event.
    
  • Add pictures and video of an event.
    
  
  Note, all of the above already exist as separate threads in the Forum. e.g. The Racing section has information about an event and who's going. The Results section has reports about a particular event together with results and photos. The new website events calendar should be a place to bring all of this associated information together.
  
  The calendar events could be accessed in a variety of ways:
  
  
  
  • As a traditional calendar, with the ability to filter on a particular type of event, or
    
  • As an auto-generated page for each event. Links to these would exist in the relevant "static" sections above. For example the road-racing section would include links to each of the road-racing events.
    

• Other Considerations:
  
  
  
  • How much integration of the forum with the website is possible / desirable? This is key to the development of a website that remains fresh and relevant.
    
  • Security. Who can post to the new website?
    
  • The inclusion of video.
    
  • Open source so we (the club) don't get locked into a contract with a particular web developer.
    
  • A masthead that is dynamic and changes every day/week/month.
    
  • Who (more that one person) is going to maintain the site?
    
  • Addition of blog posts. Could the site host members' blogs?
    

[Keith]

Right, I know that was long and includes a lot of my opinions, but I wanted to try to keep things moving forward.

Some the work involved could be started now. The words and pictures for the static pages can be composed now. Anyone want to produce some of them? The beginners guide to TTs & racing should be readily compilable from previous forum threads. I expect much of the content for other pages already exists within the forum. If we're going to pay a web-developer for a new site, then it's best to go armed with lots of words and pictures for them to present in the best way.

Suggestion: a (temporary) section of the Forum could be created and a thread produced for each of the "static" pages, such that the words and pictures could be prototyped and reviewed? This would make it easy for lots of people to make a contribution to the website. For example a thread called "Sportives - Showcase" could be created, and the example of the Hell of the Ashdown and La Marmotte outlined above could be composed.

[Snoop Doug]

Good work Keith - I've highlighted this in the newsletter and asked folk to turn out next week and offer to help ever the optimist

[Andrew G]

Just read through all your suggestions Keith and they sound excellent. No doubt some would have to bite the dust or be integrated on a more as and when basis as they became available, but your point about collating info in advance (i.e. from now) is very valid. I have the feeling that those involved would have quite a bit of work in the build up and at startup but as you say being armed with lots of words and pictures in advance would speed things up and help greatly if not being essential.

The only thing I can think of that this project would need in my opinion (which is probably stating the obvious) is a core of 1-3 people to act as an editorial team for the static content. They wouldn't necessarily have to be involved (or have any knowledge) in the web production but reasonably intelligent and literate people to select content and sub edit (if necessary) the static content so that there is some consistency from section to section as it could "feel" like it jumps about a bit otherwise. This wouldn't have to be a long term commitment, just during the build up phase while the static mainstay content is established.

If there is enough interest and volunteers at the Special Meeting then this "team" could be formed and the initial gathering of info could begin.

[Marky Mark]

I'd forgotten about the Digest until you just put that link on the last post. I'm reading lots of good stuff about the review, I would help more if I knew a more about this inta web thingy.
Best of luck and I look forward to seeing the fruits of your hard work. Sorry I can't be of more help.

[quote="Sean Hogan - 何祥"][quote="Marky Mark"]I'd forgotten about the Digest until you just put that link on the last post. .