You Are The Pride (University of Houston)
(http://www.youarethepride.com/)

Before Beacon became involved, the University of Houston developed a social media-focused website, named after their slogan, “You Are The Pride”. This project aimed to centralize all of their social media outlets, including ones that the various users created (students, alumni, etc.) along with videos and photos that could be uploaded.  Beacon Technologies was brought in to enhance the current site with the following:

· Provide cross-browser and Section 508 compliance by re-writing the HTML/CSS/JavaScript applications;

· Migrate the entire site from its current format into Cascade Server CMS;

· Add a Blog listing feature into the Cascade Server implementation, which categorizes each blog site entry, and pulls in data from each blog’s RSS feed;

· Add a Social Media listing page, which organizes each link by category, and type (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube);

· Develop PHP-based registration and login functionality, including an Administration section for managing user access;

· Insert a commenting application (Echo) on certain pages;

· Provide customized Cascade Server documentation and training.

Kudos go to Tiffany May and Gary Synan (transactional development), Annette Fowler (business analysis & requirements), Justin Klingman (project management / CMS leadership),  and  Tracy Dirks (executive management).

Beacon is happy to announce that Greensboro Radiology has launched it’s new website!

Interesting items about the site:

· This is a medium-sized Cascade site with some customized transactional forms.

· The home page impact image is “split” and each image and link is replaceable via CMS

· News and Events are dynamically fed to the home page

· Featured Physician on home page is maintainable via CMS

· Internal banner images are maintainable at the page or section level via CMS

· Physician listing/detail pages allow the client to maintain, in an aesthetically pleasing way, extensive details about each physician—including education, interests and video.

So many different people have been tasked with helping on this site. Thank you to everyone on the Beacon Team who was involved!

Beacon Technologies is very excited to be hosting an upcoming webinar in collaboration with Hannon Hill, makers of the award winning Cascade Server CMS (Content Management Software).

Are you considering a Site Redesign in 2011 or 2012?  If so, please join us March 8, 2011 from 2 to 3 pm EST.

Redesign projects can be a very challenging and an extremely vital project to the success of your organization.

Beacon has the expertise to support your project from start to finish.  We can help you with the consulting & analysis, requirements gathering & documentation, project management, steering committee engagement, site structure & layout, graphical design, development, content migration, testing, implementation, hosting, support, maintenance, marketing, analytics and upgrades.

We have been managing these types of Cascade Server Redesign projects for the past 6 years.

Beacon knows how to get the job done on-schedule and on-budget.

So please join us for a 30 minute presentation followed up with 30 minutes of Q&A.

To register, please visit: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/794321048

Hannon Hill press release: http://www.hannonhill.com/news/blog/2011/Webinar-Hosted-By-Beacon-Technologies.html

Please contact me with any questions regarding the webinar.

Patrick Flanagan, 336-232-5668

pflanagan@beacontec.com

I just got back from a meeting in New Jersey with one of our long-term client (going on 11 years).  We launched their site in 2000, and did a full redesign and Cascade Server implementation for them in 2006. Now, in addition to online billing and account management enhancements, they want to do a redesign of their five Web sites.

One of my tasks was to present ideas for improvements to their sites in order to bring them into this decade. Admittedly, I had a hard time finding things that needed fixing since in 2006, Beacon did really great job on the redesign, and this client has done a fantastic job of keeping the site looking very professional and modern. While they’re not looking for a start-from-scratch redesign (just a “face lift”), it got me thinking about ways that the Web has evolved in the last five years. Below is a comparison chart that, in my opinion, is what Web development was like “back then”, and the way it is now.

Again, this is my perception of how it was, and how it is. Your opinion may differ. But the one thing I’m certain of is that Web sites need a refresh every so often to keep up with rapidly-changing browsers and standards, user demands, and the ever-evolving mobile world. And if you have a beautiful site now, it doesn’t have to take a complete re-do…just a face lift can fast forward your site to today.

Cascade Server CMS has built in tools, called Connectors. These connectors allow Cascade Server to connect directly to 3rd-party applications. Currently, there are two Connectors available to choose from, WordPress and Twitter. Once a Connector is setup correctly, any page you publish using Cascade can automatically be posted to your twitter or blog. This can reduce the hassle if you manage your Twitter, WordPress blog, and website content separately. Both of the Connectors are easy to setup.

To setup a new WordPress Connector:

1. Navigate to Connectors in the Site Administration area
2. Click “Create Connector“
3. Choose “WordPress” as the Connector type
4. Click “Submit“
5. Fill in the WordPress Connector’s name, parent folder, and URL (pointing to the WordPress instance to be used)
6. Fill in the Username and Password for your WordPress account.
7. Fill in the Content Type (under “Content Types” tab). Note: Each Content Type determines which Page Configuration is published to the WordPress post.  The Content Type also maps Metadata fields to Categories and Tags for the post
8. Click “Submit” to save your WordPress Connector.
9. You need to verify that the connection with WordPress is successful. Click on the “View” tab, and click the “Verify” link.

To setup a new Twitter Connector:

1. Navigate to Connectors in the Site Administration area
2. Click “Create Connector”
3. Choose “Twitter” as the Connector type
4. Click “Submit”
5. Fill in the Twitter Connector’s name, parent container, destination (The Destination to which a Page must be published in order for a tweet to be generated)
6. Fill in the Content Type (under “Content Types” tab).
7. Under “Parameters” tab, fill in the Hashtags (eg. #BeaconBlog) or Prefix that will be published with each tweet.
8. Click “Submit” and save your Twitter Connector
9. Click on “Click here to allow and Verify again.”
10. A new window will open up, type your Username and Password and click “Allow”.
11. Close that window, and go back to your Cascade Server Connector window. Click “Verify” again and it will be all set.
12. You need to verify that the connection with Twitter is successful. Click on the “View” tab, and click the “Verify” link.

If you need further help, check out Hannon Hill’s Knowledge Base at: http://www.hannonhill.com/kb/Connectors/ OR leave a comment below.

Recently we ran across formatting an RSS feed pubDate in Cascade Server. We quickly realized are normal date format would not work in this situation given the date is formatted as ‘Thu, 06 Jan 2011 19:00:04 +0000′. The following is the XSL we used to convert the date to January 6, 2011.

<xsl:stylesheet version="1.0" xmlns:xsl="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform">
 <xsl:output indent="yes" method="xml" omit-xml-declaration="yes"/>

 <xsl:template match="/">
  <xsl:variable name="date">Thu, 06 Jan 2011 19:00:04 +0000</xsl:variable>
  <xsl:call-template name="format-date">
   <xsl:with-param name="date" select="substring-before($date, ' +')"/>
  </xsl:call-template>
 </xsl:template>

 <xsl:template name="format-date">
  <xsl:param name="date"/>
  <xsl:variable name="day" select="substring-before(substring-after($date, ' '), ' ')"/>
  <xsl:variable name="day2" select="concat(translate(substring($day,1,1), '0', ''), substring($day,2,1))"/>
  <xsl:variable name="monthName" select="substring-before(substring-after(substring-after($date, ' '), ' '), ' ')"/>
  <xsl:variable name="year" select="substring-before(substring-after(substring-after(substring-after($date, ' '), ' '), ' '), ' ')"/>
  <xsl:variable name="month">
   <xsl:choose>
    <xsl:when test="$monthName = 'Jan'">January</xsl:when>
    <xsl:when test="$monthName = 'Feb'">February</xsl:when>
    <xsl:when test="$monthName = 'Mar'">March</xsl:when>
    <xsl:when test="$monthName = 'Apr'">April</xsl:when>
    <xsl:when test="$monthName = 'May'">May</xsl:when>
    <xsl:when test="$monthName = 'Jun'">June</xsl:when>
    <xsl:when test="$monthName = 'Jul'">July</xsl:when>
    <xsl:when test="$monthName = 'Aug'">August</xsl:when>
    <xsl:when test="$monthName = 'Sep'">September</xsl:when>
    <xsl:when test="$monthName = 'Oct'">October</xsl:when>
    <xsl:when test="$monthName = 'Nov'">November</xsl:when>
    <xsl:when test="$monthName = 'Dec'">December</xsl:when>
    <xsl:otherwise/>
   </xsl:choose>
  </xsl:variable>
  <xsl:value-of select="concat($month, ' ', $day2, ', ', $year)"/>
 </xsl:template>
</xsl:stylesheet>

I have been in the information technology world since 1981 when I wrote my first programs as a student at Wake Forest, then later as an intern at the NC Dept of Agriculture and throughout my career with RJ Reynolds, AT&T, as a student at Kansas State and now with Beacon.  In 1998 when we started Beacon, there were a few web development companies out there, but now they are EVERYWHERE!  All of them claim to be the best.  I know, I know.  That’s just business.  I have talked with hundreds of business leaders with respect to web initiatives over the years.  To no one’s surprise, the four main factors that drive the decision to select a web development/consulting firm are (1) Price, (2) Experience/Capability, (3) Delivery Time, and (4) Relationship / Support.  I believe we are very good at what we do, but by no means are we perfect as there is always room for improvement.  But having been in this profession for over half my life, I thought it might be worthwhile to share some of my experience-based thoughts on what good web development entails.  Of course, this isn’t all inclusive, but a solid foundation.

Website Development Facts:

1. For business purposes, it is NOT so simple that “a caveman can do it”.
2. Every website is a custom website.  Cost increases with the level of customization and volume of content/products.
3. You get what you pay for.  Cutting corners, having your nephew build the site, trying to build it yourself when you have time usually produces poor results.  Take the time to do it right.  Prioritize all your requirements and desired features.  Establish a realistic budget and share it with your vendor.  Ask them to provide as much as they can with that budget without sacrificing quality.  Push lower priority requirements to a future release.
4. Every website has a “Blueprint” Phase and a “Construction” Phase (most expensive of the two).  A good blueprint keeps the construction costs down and prevents re-work, so take the time to do it right.  Breaking these two phases into separate projects (contracts) works best.
5. Web development, hosting and marketing depend on each other.  It is a BIG advantage to have a single vendor that is strong in all 3 areas with good customer support.  One number to call for any web-related issues.

 Website Types:

1. Marketing (Informational, lead-generation)
2. Storefront (Ecommerce, online revenue generation)
3. Activity-Based (Custom Applications, Blogs)
4. Mix of the above

 Website Development Differentiators:  Good firms will not only discuss your specific needs, but will also share current trends, brainstorm new ideas and proactively cover the following (at a minimum), while constantly providing ideas and consultation.  If your web development company is sitting there waiting for you to tell them what to do, find another firm.

1. Cross Browser Compatibility:  Will your website operate in ALL the most current popular browser versions?
2. Updates to the website:  I’ve NEVER seen a website that didn’t need updates from time to time.  How will updates be handled and priced?
3. Content Management:  There are many, many content management systems on the market.  Of course, they vary in price based on features and functionality.  One size doesn’t fit all.  No reason to put a monster engine in a VW bug, nor a 4-cylinder into a Corvette. 
4. Coding for search engine visibility (SEO):  It’s one thing to create content for a web page, but a whole different thing to make the site search engine friendly, using meta tags effectively, the right keyword density, SEO landing pages, internal linking and much more.  You can’t just build a website and expect the world to find it.  You have to know how to construct it so the search engines “like” it…and I’m not talking about a Facebook “Like”!
5. Professional/Creative Web Design:  The old saying is quite true… You never get a second chance to make a good first impression.  Your website represents your business.  People don’t read content as much anymore.  This is why using the right imagery with easy navigation is important.
6. Calls to Action:  Ask yourself, “What do I want people to do when they come to my website?”  Is there a strong call to action that facilitates this?  And how will it be tracked?
7. Analytics:  I frequently say, “you can’t manage what can’t measure”.  MAKE SURE you have some sort of analytics tool (preferably Google Analytics) to track visitors, conversions and much more.  Your website is another Sales Rep – make sure it is performing well.
8. Site Search:  Is a site search tool included and is it appropriate for your site?  It is vitally important.
9. Hosting & support:  If your vendor also hosts your website, can they also host your email and provide spam filtering?  Are redirects being used appropriately?  What happens if a page isn’t found?  Do they check for broken links regularly?
10. Local web marketing:  Will your vendor help with optimizing your listings in Google Local, Places, Maps…and other standard local venues?
11. Integration:  Does your website need to integrate with 3^rd party or back office software?  Accounting?  Shipping?  Order Management?  CRM?  Will experienced engineers be available to discuss critical requirements.

 Choosing a Website Development Partner:  When you select a website development firm, there is always somewhat of a leap of faith.  Like any profession, there are good firms and bad firms. Minimize this leap by considering the following:

1. How many years have they been in business?  Demonstrates financial stability, success and peace of mind that they have not only been providing these services, but will be around when you need them in the future.
2. Look at their portfolio.  There are so many firms out there that showcase relatively unknown clients.  There’s a reason for this – especially if they have been around for a long time.
3. Read their blog and Facebook page.  It will tell you a lot about their breadth and depth of skills, their people and their personality.
4. Do they outsource or do everything in house?  Nothing against outsourcing, but I’m a big believer in minimizing the number of costly middle-men.
5. Ask about who’s doing the work.  Does one person handle project management, creative design, development, testing, SEO and implementation?  I have yet to meet a person who is an expert in all of these areas.
6. Ask for example deliverables.  Can they provide examples of a project plan and any other deliverables that are created prior to development?  The website is NOT the only deliverable.  Houses aren’t built without a blueprint, neither should your website.
7. Ask about communication.  Will your primary point of contact be a Project Manager or a Developer?  Can you meet this person?
8. Ask about the creative design process.  How many design-and-review iterations do they provide with respect to the website design – so that you can see the creative design(s) and request modifications?
9. Ask about the CMS and eCommerce software options.  Are they locked into only one of each or do they have more breadth of experience and alternative options to meet your price and functional requirements?
10. Ask how they test the website before it is launched.  Do they have a formal “User Acceptance Testing” process – so you can check everything out before it gets launched?
11. Is the firm a good fit for your business culture?  Does the relationship “feel” good & honest like the firm cares about the success of your website?  Or do you feel like you are just part of an assembly line.
12. Ask about post-launch support.  Who to call?  Pricing?  Expected response time?  After hours?  Ticketing system to insure your request is logged and monitored to completion?
13. Do they really provide their own hosting services or do they use a 3^rd party?  Ask this 3-part question:  Where is the web server located that houses my website?  How often is server maintenance performed and who performs it?  I’ve seen a lot of finger pointing between hosting firms and development firms over the years.

 Website Development Budget:  For us, every project is quoted separately  There’s always exceptions, but here’s a “Rule of Thumb” table that I have put together based on several hundred projects we’ve performed over the years.  I hope this helps to some degree with your approach to web development firms.

*Small:  option to pay monthly
**X-Large: businesses w/ large product catalogs, universities, etc (thousands of pages) that require careful planning and coordination with internal decision-making groups. Many times these projects require integration with existing legacy systems and/or 3^rd party software.
***Duration is dependent on the availability of resources, number of resources working concurrently and the client’s availability & delivery of content.

Miral (a fellow developer) was asking for help on an issue involving the need to have 2 different blocks on one region. We needed a News Index Block but we also needed an Events Index Block for the same region. My first assumption was no and that you’ll need to do whatever needs to be done in order to make it 2 separate regions and add the separate blocks. Then he asked me if we couldn’t use the method listed under FAQ’s on a Hannon Hill page (http://www.hannonhill.com/kb/Block/).

The only thing I could say was wow I guess you could! I also said that he should probably hide it from the end user so that it cannot get changed. To do this you would use the Restrict to group’s field under ‘Advanced’ in the data definition.

The more I thought about it the more amazing of an idea it is to me. I know personally I’ve come across this issue before and simply added a region to accommodate the extra block but knowing this option is available now I might do things differently. Though both methods are equally useful I think this method could come in extremely handy when it’s a situation that you cannot add another region.

Many of our clients require an emergency status message option on their web site.  We’ve handled this in several different ways, depending on the client’s needs.

Emergency Message on Every Page of Site

An Ajax-based window (to limit pop-up blocking issues) appears on any page of the site that a person accesses when the alert is active—not just the home page.  This message is editable within the CMS system and can be removed via the CMS when the emergency is concluded.  The message is cookie-based so that it appears only once per session, as long as the content of the message is not changed by the site administrators during that time.  If the content does change, the message reappears for the visitor.

Emergency Message on Home Page Only

An active emergency status message causes all the content on the home page to shift down.  Activation of the message and content is controlled by a CMS data definition.

Complete Emergency Site

This client requested a “dark site” in Cascade that would replace the entire website in the case of an emergency.

1. Created a simple site in Cascade with only top level navigation and a set number of pages (3-6 recommended), whose design mimics the main site’s design, but very simplified
2. Published the site to Test environment
3. Copied the published HTML pages to DVD and provided to client and Beacon hosting group
4. Set the new site to not publish in the client Cascade, until needed
5. If a non-facility related emergency occurs–The client publishes the emergency site to the webserver and directs their DNS to the new site
6. If a facility-related emergency occurs–
   • If Cascade is not available but the webserver is– the client copies the static pages from DVD to an available webserver, updates the pages via HTML editor and redirects their DNS to the new webserver
   • If neither Cascade, nor the webserver is available—the client contacts Beacon via landline.  Beacon copies DVD to a Beacon webserver and updates HTML pages via editor.  The client moves DNS to new server IP address.

Emergency Box in Utility Navigation

In this case, we included an “Alert” link in the site’s utility navigation bar.  Upon mouse-over, a small drop-down menu appears with any current alerts.

There are many other options for this type of functionality.  Please let us know if we can assist you with your own emergency status messages!

Have you ever visited this site? The Best Designs

I have been going to this site for years and I am constantly impressed by the creative ideas that are being developed into websites across the globe.

I am artistically and graphically challenged for sure.  One of my brothers is an exceptional artist and designer but I missed out on those genes.  Since I am limited artistically I use The Best Designs site to discuss and share ideas with clients/prospects.  It is an excellent site to get a sense of the taste and expectations for a client/prospect.

We have an excellent graphic design team here at Beacon.   Our lead designers are exceptionally creative, talented and work very hard to stay up on all the latest trends!!

One recent site that we completed last month that is getting a great response is Framingham State University.  The client loves it.  I have received several calls and emails from friends and clients that think this site is excellent.

We also recently launched a redesign for our long time client, Texas A&M Foundation.  Check out their site!!

Thanks for reading this blog entry!!!

Take care for now,

Patrick

336-232-5668 direct, 336-944-4187 mobile

Patrick Flanagan LinkedIn