MyUWO - Student Portal
Transcript of MyUWO - Student Portal
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