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Websites
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What is a website?
A website is a set of text and graphics on the Internet
Organized into interlinked webpages Click on link and jump to another page
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Why a website? (1)
Provide information Contact details, list of staff,
Provide access to documents Newsletters Annual reports Technical documents Research results Press releases
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Why a website? (2)
Show visuals Photos, diagrams, etc.
Allow interaction Allow people to ask questions Get feedback Sell products
Archive and retrieve information Reliable filing system Most recent version always available
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Advantages of websites
Quick Always available Available anywhere (with internet access) Lots of space Easy to update Very cheap Different formats: text, images, audio, video Interactive, dialogue possible
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Disadvantages of websites
Org needs computer, software, skills, connectivity
Users also need computer, skills and connectivity
Access can be slow Access only in cities, only for richer clientele Hard to get people to visit your site
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Creating a website
You create website on your computer You upload it to the Internet
Users visit the website and download information from it
Users can interact with site (eg, post comments, send email, fill in forms)
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So do you need a website?
Yes! Even if it’s only one page Absolute minimum
Your organization’s name What it does How to get in touch
Perhaps part of larger site (eg, parent organization or ministry)
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More than the minimum?
Publications News, events Description of activities, services and outputs Information about your organization’s topic area Links to other sites and useful information Organizational structure Staff list Online services Etc…
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What you need for a website
Equipment Services Software Design Content Management
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What you need for a website
Equipment Computer, modem, phone line
Services Internet service provider account Webhosting account (this gives you a domain name eg
www.mamud.com Software
Web design software (FrontPage, Dreamweaver…) Graphics software (Photoshop, Corel, Photodraw…) Uploading software (FTP) (Filezilla, WS_FTP…) Web browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox…)
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What you need for a website
Design Structure of site Format, styles, layout
Content Text and graphics to put on the website Constant updates
Management Skills to gather and rewrite info for web Skills to design site Skills to manage computers and use software Organizational structure to get info from different units Funding
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Designing a website
1. Who is audience for your website?2. What are your website’s objectives?3. Decide general design, appearance and layout4. Decide on content5. Decide on software to use6. Decide who will create and maintain the site7. Create site8. Upload9. Test10. Launch site11. Manage 12. Update
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Do it in-house, or contract it out? Questions
Do you have the resources (staff, skills, computer, connectivity)?
How much work will it take? (complex, frequent updates)
How much will it cost? Alternatives
Do it all in-house Contract out the design, then do updates in-house Contract out all design and management
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Do it in-house, or contract it out? Design and manage the website yourself if…
Small, simple website Few updates Skilled computer operator Good connectivity Big organization with necessary staff and skills
Contract an outsider if… Large, complex website Frequent updates No computer skills Poor connectivity
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Website content
Useful and of interest to users Rewrite info for web
Short, “chunked” text Use headings, bullets, boldface
Avoid long pages Simple, easy navigation Provide access to documents: journals,
newsletters, reports, etc PDF or HTML formats
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Website content
Update regularly to keep site fresh Separate content into “stable” and “changeable” Consider using a blog for news
Use graphics Use attractive images (photos, graphics) But use sparingly No fancy moving graphics
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Announcing your website
Register with search engines (Yahoo, Google…) Put web address on letterhead, business cards,
signboards, publications, news releases… Announce website to members, clients and partners Announce website in meetings, events, visits Put web address on signature line of emails Ask other webadmins to put link to your site
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Evaluating websites
Information available? Does the site tell you what you want to know?
Easy to navigate? Is it easy to find the information you want?
Easy to read? Can you understand what is said?
Downloads quickly? Does the info come up immediately, or you have
to wait?
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A possible website structureHome
Activities About us Publications SearchContactNews Links
History
Mission
Services
Staff directory
Newsletter
Reports
Farmers’ guides
N Region
W Region
C Region
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