MYUWO – STUDENT PORTAL

Josh Dean – CS Internship Spring 2010

Purpose of Internship

My job:Portal Manager Database Administrator

My work:Finish revitalizing MyUWOBring MyUWO to new and interesting

devices

What is MyUWO?

What is MyUWO?

Spans across ten years/three revisionsMyMIOPortal/MyUWOMyUWO (Project Facemelter/PFM)

MyMiO Approx 2000 - 2006 ASP Classic/VB Features for ResNet and MIO

Features later added for students Standard forms/postbacks

Portal/MyUWO 2006 – Current ASP.NET/C# Paradigm shift

Desktop applications to web applications

Initial use of AJAX Update panels and

asynchronous post backsSlowerMore server than client side

MyUWO (Project Facemelter) Initially started in 2009 Still ASP.NET/C# Better user experience More AJAX less just

Microsoft AJAX.NET More JavaScript

Yay jQuery! Still had UX problems

Project Facemelter Finalized Starting in Dec. 2010 Still ASP.NET/C# Previous UI cluttered,

inconsistent New UI sleek, refreshing

What is consistent?

Across the board we have:A suite of web applicationsWidgets containing “bite-sized” informationA standardized look and feel

What Did I Do?Why the heck are they paying me?

What Did I Do?

While I worked on various day to day duties, I had two main projects:MyUWO Classic???

MyUWO ClassicThe student portal as we know it.

MyUWO Classic

From MyUWO to PFMWe were getting there…but there were still

problems What needed to happen?

Make it betterMake it fasterMake it consistent

Making It BetterMyUWO Classic

Making It Better

How do we improve on what’s already there?Many suggestionsEnhance the user experience

○ Move content (drag and drop)○ Find, identify, suggest content for them○ Really make it style with themes

Making It FasterMyUWO Classic

Making It Faster

Asynchronous postbacks, UpdatePanelsCan be fast when done rightEntire previous framework isn’t.Requires a lot of bulky, unminified

JavaScript○ Slow to load

Multiple UpdatePanels, slower post backs

Making It Faster

MyUWO’s DOM unnecessarily bulkyToo much code re-usage, added complexityStreamlined, unnecessary stuff removed

Use web optimization techniquesImage optimizationCSS SpritesCSS minimization/optimization

○ Dynamic CSSJavaScript minimization/optimization

Making It ConsistentMyUWO Classic

Making It Consistent

Desire to offer “themes”Gives user better customization

Same content, different colorsEasier to troubleshoot problems for end userGives user more choices

○ Happier user

Where Do We Stand?

We are 90% of the way there! Currently finishing the core theme

Three more themes before end of June. MyUWO Classic on August 1st

???Leading the way, at UW – Oshkosh

Ten years ago, very few students had laptopsLucky to have a desktop

Today, 50% of our students use on in their dorm roomEven more across campus

Smartphone revolution in the past three years

How Are These Different? Can be taken anywhere

Not just usable on WiFi Speeds are slower

EDGE: Up to 236.8 Kbit/s3G: Up to 2 Mbit/sWireless: 2 Mbit/s – 20 Mbit/s

Websites need to be small on size, big on features

Merging Mobile with MyUWO

Introducing MyUWO MobileLeading the way on mobile technology at UW – Oshkosh

Technology

Completely rewritten frameworkASP.NET/C#jQuery

Utilizes technologies/features found in today’s smartphonesGPSHTML5CSS3etc

Bringing It To The Table

What does MyUWO Mobile do that Classic does not?Users on the go need information quickly

and at their fingertipsEasily taken care of via modules

○ Bandwidth○ Weather○ Meal Plan Information○ Library Information○ Etc…

Bringing It To The Table

MyUWO Mobile uses a clean and intuitive interface to bring vital information to students

Easy for programmers to develop forUses similar code as MyUWO ClassicAllows quick turn-around time on two sets of

modules, full and mobile-ready.

Again, Where Do We Stand? Development is nearing the end, 70% Currently developing our existing

modules for the mobile environment Plans to launch along-side MyUWO

Classic, August 1st

MyUWO Mobile DemoWith time permitting…

Wrapping It UpFinally…

Wrapping It Up

MyUWO is a never ending student project at MIO that aims to provide a multitude of services to students and the Department of Residence Life

With MyUWO Classic/MobileProvide a solid & pleasing experienceProvide a means to find what you need, and

what they don’t know they need yet