Making user-friendly experiences that leverage online collaboration

<p>The recent rapid advancements in web technologies has led to an increase in the development of new devices, applications and methods of interaction that are continually evolving. However, the rate of these technological advancements outpaces those of design. This has also given rise to a new way of understanding how to work and collaborate online. Interestingly, in addition to this understanding came a corresponding increase in the frequency of online collaborations. A good example of this is a content management system. This system gives the ability for multiple users to collaborate online with the goal to maintain and create content for a website. However, during the time of writing this thesis, most content management systems come with limited functionality and not as user-friendly as they could be. As most of these systems are used by non tech-savvy users. This thesis sets to understand social aspects of online collaboration, new design methodology, and to design and develop a user-friendly interface for both front-end and back-end admin area to leverage the online collaboration within an educational setting. Using both iterative and experimental approaches, I have tried and experimented with a few content management systems(CMS) in order to find their strengths and weaknesses. These CMS being Joomla, Drupal, SilverStripe and Wordpress. Then continued to develop a set of prototypes in which the research findings were applied to aid in the usability of both the front-end admin area and the back-end website.</p>

Making user-friendly experiences that leverage online collaboration

<p>The recent rapid advancements in web technologies has led to an increase in the development of new devices, applications and methods of interaction that are continually evolving. However, the rate of these technological advancements outpaces those of design. This has also given rise to a new way of understanding how to work and collaborate online. Interestingly, in addition to this understanding came a corresponding increase in the frequency of online collaborations. A good example of this is a content management system. This system gives the ability for multiple users to collaborate online with the goal to maintain and create content for a website. However, during the time of writing this thesis, most content management systems come with limited functionality and not as user-friendly as they could be. As most of these systems are used by non tech-savvy users. This thesis sets to understand social aspects of online collaboration, new design methodology, and to design and develop a user-friendly interface for both front-end and back-end admin area to leverage the online collaboration within an educational setting. Using both iterative and experimental approaches, I have tried and experimented with a few content management systems(CMS) in order to find their strengths and weaknesses. These CMS being Joomla, Drupal, SilverStripe and Wordpress. Then continued to develop a set of prototypes in which the research findings were applied to aid in the usability of both the front-end admin area and the back-end website.</p>

PHP 8 release to upgrade library websites

The author explores the possibility to update PHP language up to PHP 8 in the library websites. Such upgrade is determined by the need for recommended safety level for web-resources. As exemplified by St. Petersburg library websites, the role of PHP language is demonstrated: 70% library websites are based on this technology. The content management systems (CMS) and PHP language versions are identified. For the three most popular CMS (CMS WordPress, CMS Joomla!, without CMS), technological recommendations are given on how to transfer to the new PHP versions (as for early 2021). About 28% websites do not use CMS. Their compatibility with PHP new version has to be provided individually. Approx. 28% library websites use CMS Joomla!, and 19% – CMS WordPress. Today, these management systems cannot support PHP 8 in full: WordPress is beta-compatible, while with Joomla! the work has been just in progress. The most recent information for IT specialists interested in library website design is given; releases to follow PHP 8 after November 2020, are described.

Web Content Management Systems used by Search Engine Optimization Experts for Top Rankings in Search Engine Result Pages

There are several Web Content Management Systems (WCMS) available that are used by web developers in order to develop and manage a website. In addition, over the last years, companies have invested in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) techniques by applying the factors used by search engines, such as Google, in order to rank amongst the first results in Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs). On-page factors such as the implementation of keywords in the title tags and the website loading time are amongst the criteria that are taken into consideration and are directly affected by the website’s technology and WCMS. Following a relevant literature review, the authors conducted research amongst 6682 websites in order to identify whether and which WCMS is used by SEO experts’ websites that appear in the top search results. Findings indicated that custom made websites that do not rely on widely used WCMSs appear more frequently at the top of search results, while the Drupal CMS appears quite high, despite it being used by a small number of websites across the web.

Content Management Systems Performance and Compliance Assessment Based on a Data-Driven Search Engine Optimization Methodology

While digitalization of cultural organizations is in full swing and growth, it is common knowledge that websites can be used as a beacon to expand the awareness and consideration of their services on the Web. Nevertheless, recent research results indicate the managerial difficulties in deploying strategies for expanding the discoverability, visibility, and accessibility of these websites. In this paper, a three-stage data-driven Search Engine Optimization schema is proposed to assess the performance of Libraries, Archives, and Museums websites (LAMs), thus helping administrators expand their discoverability, visibility, and accessibility within the Web realm. To do so, the authors examine the performance of 341 related websites from all over the world based on three different factors, Content Curation, Speed, and Security. In the first stage, a statistically reliable and consistent assessment schema for evaluating the SEO performance of LAMs websites through the integration of more than 30 variables is presented. Subsequently, the second stage involves a descriptive data summarization for initial performance estimations of the examined websites in each factor is taking place. In the third stage, predictive regression models are developed to understand and compare the SEO performance of three different Content Management Systems, namely the Drupal, WordPress, and custom approaches, that LAMs websites have adopted. The results of this study constitute a solid stepping-stone both for practitioners and researchers to adopt and improve such methods that focus on end-users and boost organizational structures and culture that relied on data-driven approaches for expanding the visibility of LAMs services.

Elektronisches Lernen für Studenten in der Hals-Nasen-Ohren-Heilkunde durch Nutzung des Content-Management-Systems ILIAS

Zusammenfassung Hintergrund Der Präsenzunterricht ist die vorherrschende Lehrmethode der Universitäten, ist jedoch im Rahmen der digitalen Transformation und des zunehmenden Zugriffs auf Online-Lehrmaterialien zu hinterfragen. Ziel dieser Studie war es zu evaluieren, inwiefern das elektronische Lernen (E-Learning) online als Ersatz für das herkömmliche Anwesenheitspraktikum für Hals-Nasen-Ohren-Heilkunde genutzt werden kann. Material und Methoden Ein vollständig digitales elektronisches Lernkonzept wurde auf der Online-Lernplattform ILIAS erstellt und zur Verfügung gestellt. Die teilnehmenden Studierenden wurden in das elektronische Lernprogramm eingewiesen. Es wurden 4 Lerneinheiten (äußerer Hals [I], Rachen/Kehlkopf [II], Nase [III], Ohr [IV]) eingerichtet. Nach jeder Lerneinheit erfolgte abschließend ein themenentsprechender Multiple-Choice-Test. Sowohl vor als auch nach Durchführung der Lernkurse wurden die Studierenden gebeten, an der Evaluation teilzunehmen. Ergebnisse Insgesamt 105 Studierende nahmen vor und 85 Studierende nach erfolgtem elektronischem Lernprogramm an der Evaluation teil. Die Mehrheit der Studierenden (52,94 %) gab nach Durchführung der Kurse einen signifikant höheren Zufriedenheitswert bezüglich des Inhalts, der Darstellung der Lernsequenzen und der eigenen Kontrolle über Lerntempo bzw. Zeiteinteilung gegenüber dem Zeitpunkt vor Absolvierung des elektronischen Lernprogramms (34,29 %) an (p < 0,0001). Ein Großteil der Studierenden (54,12 %) wünscht sich das elektronische Lernangebot zusätzlich zur Präsenzlehre. Schlussfolgerungen Das elektronische Lernprogramm ist ein vielversprechender Ansatz als Alternative bzw. Ergänzung zum traditionellen Lernen bzw. dem Lernen durch die Teilnahme an Präsenzveranstaltungen. Eine Erweiterung der digitalen Lehre kann auf der Basis dieser Untersuchung ausdrücklich unterstützt werden.

Prototyping of creation, implementation and visualization of correlation rules and microDocs

Semantic Correlation Rules (SCR) and microDocs are new concepts in the field of content delivery. SCR allow to define relationships between information units based on their metadata and, therefore, allow for the dynamic aggregation of microDocs. The creation of SCR heavily relies on the capabilities of modern content management systems (CMS) or ontology editors. The evaluation and visualization of the emerging microDocs, on the other hand, relies on the capabilities of content delivery portals (CDP). At this time, the support of both concepts in most software solutions currently being used, is only partly existent. This paper aims to demonstrate, how these currently existing limitations can be overcome, to reveal important factors to be considered and to showcase future possibilities of the aforementioned concepts. For this purpose, we developed a series of prototypes and conceptional visuals regarding creation of SCR, aggregation of microDocs and their visual appearance taking human perception into account.

Orientation, Functions, Navigation, and Experiences

The design of learning resources is both enabled and constrained based on the available technologies. To save on costly and effortful development, the design planning involves drafting user interface designs (orientation) and wireframes (which suggest how users would navigate the learning space and engage various functions). These early designs are enabled by drafting tools, wireframing tools, authoring tools, and hosted learning and content management systems. Ultimately, the designs are to serve the users and the ultimate designed learning purposes. To these ends, user interfaces/user experiences (UI/UX) are both considered important. This chapter explores design approaches to designing user interfaces and navigation in digital learning resources.