Re: AIS Operations Manual

[Robert Pries <robertpries@embarqmail.com>]

When I say anyone can change something on the wiki it is the same as saying anyone can change something on the website. With the website it has to be submitted to John who then sends it to Chris (the webmaster). On the wiki it must be submitted to me or a docent and we can change it immediately. While others can add pictures to pages they cannot edit content. And when anything is changed it is recorded as to who is making the change and is reviewed by other docents. Of course, either website can be hacked, but that type of maliciousness does not usually target information but is usually insertions of external items. 

Collaboration is a difficult process that we could use more of in the Iris Society. The wiki is a collaborative tool.  I make changes that are sent to me frequently in many areas. I myself have been discouraged in making suggestions for the website. Over the last several years I pretty much have stopped making them. Whether it is me or someone else the PR committee should have input on the website, since it is our face to the world. I understand that we are all limited by our technical abilities. Things we see on other sites may not be within the expertise of our staff, whether on the wiki or on the website. I get complaints every now and then and I do not recoil, but try to understand them and respond. I know that as much as I do not like to hear my baby has a wart I appreciate being able to take care of it. I am not trying to be malicious but only make things better. I realize that one drawback of e-mail is people can read in tone that is not intended. 

Chris has a huge job in managing the AIS website. It is complicated by the lack of communication from Regions, affiliates, etc. who change positions without communicating those changes. I liken it to those people who say the wiki is full of errors but have never reported one. If we are all working for the good of the society and not just playing gotcha, we would be communicating problems that we see.

 It seems that it would be useful to have a dedicated individual who could work as a fact-checker calling, writing, or emailing officers, affiliates, regions etc. on a regular basis, say quarterly, to ensure that e-mail addresses, phone numbers, etc. are current. This would be a great job for someone to get to know the iris society and should not be handed on to anyone having existing jobs or the task would suffer. 

The Operations Manual was placed on the wiki so that officers could edit it. At that time, I could have made each a docent. Now, as you all know the wiki is going into new software. Its cost will constrain us to only a handful of docents. Sadly this will make it about as hard to change as it is to change the AIS website.  


----- Original Message -----
I agree completely with Janet.  I do not feel the wiki is the place for 
the operations manual.  It is too important to be on a site that can be 
changed easily.

Michelle

On 2/18/2013 2:58 PM, Janet Smith wrote:
> As coordinator for:
> Photo Contest; Digital Programs-slides; Image/Photo; and Calendar.  I
> do not wish "anyone" being allowed to change my job descriptions but
> myself.  As to any of it being updated.  Perhaps minor details,
> however, on the whole the job does not change year to year so would
> not need a yearly update.
>
> To say anyone can go in and change the information - makes me upset.
>
> I for one would rather see any AIS business on the AIS website and
> the Wiki be the encyclopedia of irises that you said it was going to
> be.
>
> I do not know who you are referring to as "web master" and their not
> being at the meetings.  I only know of John Jones as web master and
> he is at every meeting, he brings the projector and computer for the
> director meetings, every time and is the recorder of the motions
> presented at said meetings.
>
> Robert, rethink your comments.
>
> Janet Smith
> P.S. Yes, Jim Morris is AIS President and he can make changes!  HA!
>
>
> ---- Original Message ----
> From: robertpries@embarqmail.com
> To: aisdiscuss@aisboard.org
> Subject: Re: [AISdiscuss] AIS Operations Manual
> Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2013 15:11:30 -0500 (EST)
>
>> 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. 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. 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.
>>
>> 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. 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.
>>
>>
>> ----- 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/JobDescriptionsNationalCollectio
>> nsDispl
>> ayAndTestGardens
>> 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
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: owner-aisdiscuss@aisboard.org
>> [mailto:owner-aisdiscuss@aisboard.org]
>> On Behalf Of MORRISJE1@aol.com
>> Sent: February 15, 2013 8:28 PM
>> To: aisdiscuss@aisboard.org
>> Subject: [AISdiscuss] RE Motion to approve Bob Pries as Chairman of
>> the
>> National Collections Comm.
>>
>> All,
>>
>> In case one or more of you might have trouble accessing the AIS
>> Operations
>> Manual description for this committee, I have pasted it in here for
>> easy
>> viewing.  This is a worthy function deserving of our review and
>> action.
>>
>> Jim Morris
>> President
>> American Iris Society
>> *********************************************************************
>> *******
>> *************
>>
>> The National Collections, Display and Test Gardens Committee
>> Purpose: To coordinate efforts between the greater  horticultural
>> world and
>> the various units of the American Iris Society with  respect to
>> National
>> Collections, Display and test gardens, and to facilitate  their
>> creation,
>> administration, and communication.
>> Definitions and Goals:
>>     1.  National Collection: A garden dedicated to the preservation
>> of a
>> defined, cohesive group of Irises, species and cultivars. It may
>> start as a
>> prototype with the ultimate goal of being part of the American Public
>> Gardens system of National Collections.
>>     2.  Display Garden: Gardens that simply display the glories of
>> the iris.
>>
>>     1.  Public: Gardens at botanical gardens, and other venues open
>> to the
>> public.
>>     2.  Private: Usually home gardens open for display during
>> selected bloom
>> periods, visitors should check to see if a garden will be open on a
>> specific day and time.
>>     3.  Test Gardens; Gardens which may or may not be display gardens
>> or
>> national collections but have agreed to take measurements and record
>> observations of plant growth in the garden.
>> Goals for Action:
>>     1.  To create a national registry of each type of garden with a
>> short
>> description
>>     2.  To suggest standards for the gardens;
>>     1.  National Collection: To explain the qualifications needed to
>> become
>> and official APGA National Collection and to aid in that process.
>>     2.  Display gardens; To give clear notice to visitors the
>> constraints of
>> the garden. Example; Is it wholly or partly wheelchair accessible. To
>> create a sign designating it as an official AIS Display garden.
>>     3.  Test Gardens: to formulate consistent ways of taking
>> measurements,
>> and recording them in a national data base.
>>
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