Web site builds the easy way
Published: 12 Mar 2003 14:12 GMT
Building a project Web site
You don't need expensive tools to build a project Web site. With many companies standardised on Microsoft Office, you can find the tools you need already on your desktop.
The user interface offered by this Macromedia Contribute template is simple enough for even the most novice Web site builder to modify. The design also positions the important project-related content at the top level of the site, making it easily accessible to project stakeholders.
Macromedia Contribute also offers a number of other templates useful for project Web site builders, including:
- Meeting Notes
- Calendar
- Presentation Slide
- Report
Another tool, Microsoft FrontPage, includes a Project Web template among its Web site templates that can be used to develop a project site. To take full advantage of this template and its interactive features, your project Web site must be running on a Web server with Microsoft FrontPage extensions installed. FrontPage extensions must be installed in order to allow publication directly from FrontPage. The extensions also drive interactive elements such as discussion boards and search. While there are other tools available, Macromedia Contribute and Microsoft FrontPage may already be available within your organisation or can be purchased at nominal cost.
Adding interactivity and collaboration tools
Using interactivity and collaboration tools doesn't mean deploying Microsoft SharePoint Team Services or a content management application. While security and resource restrictions may mean that interactivity is out of reach, at least for the initial iterations of your project Web site, there are still some options you can explore in the interim. These include:
- FrontPage extensions that must be installed on the Web server where your project Web site resides.
- Perl and CGI-based interactive solutions like those available for download from sites such as CNET's Download.com. However, shareware-based solutions may be tricky to implement and raise the ire of your IT and security staff.
Making the move into a more collaborative environment is going to tax resources you may not have control over as a project manager.
Tips for building a project Web site
Here are some tips for building a project Web site:
- Develop a list of what content you want to appear on the site.
- Obtain Web server space that can accommodate your project Web site and accompanying project files.
- Keep the design simple. Working from templates included with a Web development tool such as Microsoft FrontPage or Macromedia Contribute should provide a sufficient "starting block" from which to develop a project Web site.
Hosting a project Web site
Hosting a project Web site often requires cooperation from outside your project team. If your company already has an intranet, you should be able to post the site there. However, if your company does not have an intranet, or the current corporate intranet has gone cobweb, you should explore other options for hosting your project Web site. These options may include hosting the project Web site from a workstation capable of running a Web server accessible to team members -- via your corporate network -- or finding server space that you can borrow on a corporate server.
Managing a project Web site
Your project team should appoint a single team member or, at most, two team members as the publisher(s) of the project Web site. The publishing process may be delayed if too many managers have publishing rights. Team members expect quick results when they want a document published to a Web site. If the request to publish becomes too difficult to fulfill, then the centralised project Web site will lose credibility as a valued resource.
Project Web sites don't have to be major development projects. You can take advantage of the benefits of a centralised project Web site without a large budget or even a modicum of Web design and development skills.
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