RE: AIS Operations Manual

["Chris Hollinshead" <wolf-com@rogers.com>]

Robert Pries, your various statements need to be addressed. See my replies on the various segments of content below.

AIS website | Christopher Hollinshead
e-mail: aiswebsite@irises.org 


-----Original Message-----
From: owner-aisdiscuss@aisboard.org [mailto:owner-aisdiscuss@aisboard.org] On Behalf Of Robert Pries
Sent: February 18, 2013 3:12 PM
To: aisdiscuss@aisboard.org
Subject: Re: [AISdiscuss] AIS Operations Manual

The Operations manual was presented at a board meeting I believe two years ago. It was put out onto the wiki so that it would be easy for officers and committee chairs to access and edit. It was hoped that each officer would take the time to do so and it was explained how to do this at that meeting. Sadly I do not believe any changes were ever made. 

reply: Seriously, a public forum (the wiki) is absolutely no place to edit what is an internal document. You need to understand that. Actually, this document with this kind of content should not be present on the wiki at any time. Once its final/approved it would be put onto the final public location which is the AIS website. 
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I know I am guilty because the PR committee has moved forward on many things since then that have not been updated. Fortunately PR has many people involved with the committee and If I died suddenly I believe there are many that understand our current functions. 

New board members have what is on the Operations Manuel as a reference, even if it has not been currently updated. If we were a Fortune 500 company each page of our website (including the wiki) would be reviewed and updated quarterly. I have not looked at the last dates of updates but I know for example that the Youth site is over 3 years out of date. 

reply: You project an inaccurate, incorrect overall perception of the website. The AIS website is constantly updated. The content is always being reviewed and revised to make it better and more useful to the membership. Look at the update dates on top of many of the pages. Some pages that require it are updated dozens of times per year. If an area is not updated then that means the group or person or committee responsible for the content has not provided the website with updated material/ and in some cases none is required as the content is more or less static.
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I have discovered that one problem with our website is that even though changes are made, if one visits the website regularly those changes may not be noticed unless one does a refresh, since the old web view may be cached in our computers and we may not see the current information unless we have done a refresh. 

reply: this is not the problem of the website, this is way that your internet browser functions.
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Perhaps this is the source of the complaint that the AIS website is constantly out of date. I am afraid we are all in this together and it would help if there was better communication. Presently every suggestion goes through the electronics chair. There is no direct communication with the webmaster. Most of us have never met the webmaster since he does not attend board meetings. 

reply: No I do not attend board meetings, in my function there is really no reason to do so and it would not change the fact that if the materials are not submitted to the website its very likely not going to appear there. Its each committees responsibility to proactively ensure the latest info is submitted. The process for the website updating that is in place is this: John Jones wishes the material to flow through a central point so it is controlled and not a free for all of requests for changes coming in from all over and perhaps from people not authorized to provide request such changes. He receives the request and then forwards it to me to complete, it a system of check and balance that works quite well. I advise him of completion. Again, we don't chase down material, though occasionally I might if I observe something totally incorrect or there is an issue that need to be addressed. I do have an e-mail address that people can communicate directly. aiswebsite@irises.org
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Perhaps much of our underlying problems are due to this lack of communication. I do not think blame should be placed anywhere. I think overall we seem to have a dysfunctional structure. Perhaps a volunteer organization can never function as well as a corporation. I do think a bit of brainstorming on this would lead to some benefits.

reply: That's right, it's a volunteer group not a corporation. Also, we are not all dysfunctional and lacking in interactive communication skills as you both state and imply. These statements are unproductive and irritating.

That is all I have to say on this topic. I do not have time or inclination to debate it further.
Chris.


----- Original Message -----
Just noticed the recent AIS Discuss entries.

A few thoughts;

re: The National Collections, Display and Test Gardens Committee; located
at:
http://wiki.irises.org/bin/view/Main/JobDescriptionsNationalCollectionsDisplayAndTestGardens
When you are ready (voted/approved etc) please let John Jones or myself know (along with the approved copy) and it can be added to the appropriate location on our AIS website so that its available to the AIS membership.


re: AIS Operations Manual: located at:
http://wiki.irises.org/bin/view/Main/InfoOperationsManual
Now, way more importantly than the above item, I am also astounded that there is a whole AIS Operations manual detailed on the wiki on every job function within the AIS. Not sure where this info evolved from but none of this appears on the AIS website where it should appear in the first place.
If this material is indeed the official AIS details of operational functions, an approved version of the overall AIS operations manual likely should initially and correctly appear on the AIS website if anywhere for reference. Any other internet locations would be additional.
Again should you wish to do this please advise John Jones or myself (also send along the material) and we would be pleased to add this important information to the AIS website.

Regards. Chris.

AIS website | Christopher Hollinshead
website: www.irises.org
e-mail: aiswebsite@irises.org

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