Re: AIS Website

["Robert Pries " <101p@rewrite.aisboard.org>]

As I have said before I wish we had our own data on the AIS website to digest. But not having that one can turn to a service like Alexa that gives data it collects. Free data is limited but Alexa does give global Rankings. (The lower the number, the higher the ranking). The rankings bounce around a lot from month to month but they give some idea of how we are doing in comparison to other sites. Unfortunately ALEXA does not separate the Website from the wiki so all data is for both because the wiki is a subdomain. ALEXA does show that 82% of the traffic ultimately heads to the wiki. 

So how are we doing compared to other sites? The AIS website is globally ranked 250,994, so there are that many websites that get more traffic than we do. We do better than all the websites that Andi mentioned with the exception of the Huntington at 187,320; (Descanso-487,730), (Presby-4,711,278), (Butchart-557,009) and (Arboretum-992,788). If one compares the daily page views/ visitor one sees 4.6; 3.5; 1.3; 2.9; and 3.8 respectively while the Irises get a whopping 13.0. With an average of 9.55 minutes for each visit our visits spend over 3 times the amount of time looking at the combined Iris sites. Of course this is mixing apples and oranges and the wiki is incredibly content dense compared to these other sites. 

Perhaps it more fair to compare to other plant societies; the Hemerocallis Society ranks 740,568; the Daffodil Society 2,595,913; The American Rose Society 673,746; the American Orchid Society 369,768 and visitors spend about one fourth the time they spend on the Iris Site.
So we are not doing badly. We are undoubtedly servicing various groups. The question at hand is how can we guide visitors to material they would find of interest. The words used for the links are important. I do not agree that one person should make those decisions. What we have now maybe intuitive to John but not to me.

I do not feel AIS has ever thought through who we want to appeal to with the website and how we would go about doing it well. If we want new members we need to demonstrate visually on our website the benefits of membership. So I agree with Andi that beauty is important also. I think jumping at a thought is not appropriate in this case and I MOVE TO TABLE THE MOTION until we can discuss what these concrete steps should be. I do not see where there would be any problem funding if we knew what we were funding. 


----- Original Message -----
From: "John Jones" <100h@rewrite.aisboard.org>
To: aisdiscuss@aisboard.org
Sent: Wednesday, June 4, 2014 10:58:52 AM
Subject: Re: [AISdiscuss] AIS Website

Actually I had not designed a new layout yet. It is difficult to architect a navigation scheme and I thought it better to know that a new scheme could be implemented before spending the effort to research and design a new architecture. Additionally, until the revision of the layout is undertaken we cannot know for sure how many additional items we could have.

When we first did the new website design the Board reviewed and approved the navigation architecture. I intend to go through the same process of soliciting input, presenting, and iterating as often as needed until the board is satisfied that the navigation it what they want. There will never be an architecture that satisfies everyone. I pay attention to critics, obviously, or I would not have embarked on this process. It is also true that people that are satisfied with something rarely say so. The ones that are unhappy speak up (or at least we hope they do). It is the negative comments that prompt us to consider the issues, make revisions and try to get better. That is not to say that there should be a knee-jerk reaction to anything, but rather a considered response.

There  is no hidden agenda here. 

Thanks

John
__________________ 
John and Joanne Jones
Registrar-Recorders, American Iris Society
aisregistrar@irises.org

John Jones, Chairman, Electronic Services Committee
aiselectronicsvcs@irises.org

35572 Linda Drive
Fremont, CA 94536





On Jun 4, 2014, at 6:06 AM, "Robert Pries " <101p@rewrite.aisboard.org> wrote:

> I am not against the change, but the last time we changed most people found the titles of the left bar difficult to understand and as to what would be under each. It is not an easy task to create a title that represents what is under it. I would suggest that it just makes sense to let everyone see what the new proposed titles and their categories are so that if possible the best words could be chosen. In this case it would be better to review these words before we spend the money to insert them.
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Judy Keisling" <a3f86f581@rewrite.aisboard.org>
> To: aisdiscuss@aisboard.org
> Sent: Wednesday, June 4, 2014 8:10:03 AM
> Subject: Re: [AISdiscuss] AIS Website
> 
> I agree that this change should be made.  What John is proposing will make
> navigating the site more user friendly.
> 
> Regarding the cost, while we could
> probably get some one to make this change at a reduced cost, from my working
> experience I can tell you that whenever you use a company/person other than
> the original developer to modify a website, application, program, etc. the
> seemingly lower cost turns into a higher cost and something usually breaks.
> As John points out - this is not a redesign, simply an upgrade (there is a
> difference).  And, as he also points out, the expense does not affect the AIS
> operating budget one way or another.  
> 
> I say, let's go for this change.
> 
> Judy
> Keisling 
> 
> 
> On Wednesday, June 4, 2014 6:45 AM, Robert Pries
> <101p@rewrite.aisboard.org> wrote:
> 
> 
> 
> Cost is not my only concern. I would
> like to know what the topic arrangement of the left bar would be. You have
> suggested 4 extra topics, presumably rearranged from the topics that are
> already treed on the left bar now. Why donbt you tell us the new arrangement.
> If you know what you want to do it should be easy to present it as an outline.
> Then we could make a rational decision as to whether it is worth the cost and
> the effort. I see no reason to approve something nebulous since to do it you
> must know what it is you want to do.
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "John
> Jones" <100h@rewrite.aisboard.org>
> To: aisdiscuss@aisboard.org
> Sent:
> Wednesday, June 4, 2014 2:15:37 AM
> Subject: Re: [AISdiscuss] AIS Website
> Everyone seems to be concerned the cost. 
> 
> Please note that I said "not to
> exceed" $1200. I also believe in planning for contingencies. The bid from the
> developer was $720. I added $480 for contingencies and additional changes that
> may up come up.
> 
> In any case the new Electronic Services Chair is going to
> have to deal with the current website until a new website (if authorized) is
> in place. 
> 
> Thanks
> 
> John
> __________________ 
> John and Joanne Jones
> Registrar-Recorders, American Iris Society
> aisregistrar@irises.org
> 
> John
> Jones, Chairman, Electronic Services Committee
> aiselectronicsvcs@irises.org
> 35572 Linda Drive
> Fremont, CA 94536
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>> 
>> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "John Jones" <100h@rewrite.aisboard.org>
>> To: <aisdiscuss@aisboard.org>
>> Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2014 1:21 PM
>> Subject: Re: [AISdiscuss] AIS Website
>> 
>> 
>> Well I am sorry, but your IT people are not graphic designers and
> frankly have no clue what all has to be done to the graphics to accommodate a
> longer menu list. The list code is custom designed to fit with our look and
> feel. The software used it up to date and from reputable companies.
>> 
>> You
> are correct the websites that Andi referenced are very pretty. It is also true
> that they don't have anywhere as much information to present as we do.
> Navigation is a significant problem and we provided a reasonable solution that
> is accessible on the home page and is most cases does not require going to
> another page to find where something is.
>> 
>> I never intended to "put my
> mark" on a website. I intended to present a website that reflected the style
> and needs of AIS, and despite one or two perennial detractors, did so in a
> manner that reflects the image the board wanted.
>> 
>> If the board wants a
> redesign, I am all for it, but I do not have the time to undertake the effort
> to incorporate a new structure and revise all the information that we present
> today. I am sure we will hear how all the information should be on the wiki,
> but the wiki is not the AIS, has a look that could be best described as
> confounding, and has its own significant difficulties for anyone trying to
> search for something.
>> 
>> If the board does not want to improve the current
> site with money from the ESC Restricted fund raised primarily by the Geek
> Dinner auctions, then that can be their decision. This effort would not affect
> the AIS General budget in any way.
>> 
>> 
>> Thanks
>> 
>> John
>> 
> __________________
>> John and Joanne Jones
>> Registrar-Recorders, American
> Iris Society
>> aisregistrar@irises.org
>> 
>> John Jones, Chairman, Electronic
> Services Committee
>> aiselectronicsvcs@irises.org
>> 
>> 35572 Linda Drive
>> 
> Fremont, CA 94536
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> On Jun 3, 2014, at 12:46 PM, "Robert Pries
> " <101p@rewrite.aisboard.org> wrote:
>> 
>>> I did some checking with some IT
> people. What John is proposing could be done
>>> at half the cost. And it
> actually could be done at the $60 I was suggesting if
>>> the website was
> running on todaybs state of the art software. But the
>>> website is outdated
> and making the changes suggested would actually cost about
>>> $600 keeping it
> running on the same static system.
>>> 
>>> I agree with Andi; the websites he
> displayed are GREAT!!!! Ours should look
>>> that good. But I do not think we
> have the personnel capable of making those
>>> changes. I do believe we should
> have the new electronics chair tackle this
>>> problem and not someone who is
> leaving. B  New people like to place their own
>>> mark on something and
> certainly there is a need.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> 
>>> 
> From: "Ron Killingsworth" <102w@rewrite.aisboard.org>
>>> To:
> aisdiscuss@aisboard.org
>>> Sent: Tuesday, June 3, 2014 3:07:10 PM
>>> Subject:
> Re: Fwd: RE: [AISdiscuss] AIS Website
>>> 
>>> I agree with Bob Pries that the
> price seems high to me - but admit I am no web
>>> site guru.B  Seems we should
> have some computer experts within our
>>> organization who could make small
> changes to the web site -- ok, this may not
>>> be a small change -- what do I
> know? - but again I think that's a lot of money
>>> honey.
>>> 
>>> Second, I
> agree with Andi that we should not rush into making changes for
>>> cosmetic
> reasons.B  Have there been complaints about the menus?B  Would Bob
>>> Pries
> ideas be better?
>>> I looked at all the web sites Andi suggested and wow, we
> are really have a
>>> model A ford website compared to those web sites.B  I can
> think of many great
>>> pictures that could fill the beginning page of the web
> site, like the web
>>> sites Andi suggested looking over, and yet our site has
> such a bland first
>>> page.
>>> 
>>> Third, I agree with Jim Morris that the new
> "electronic services chairperson"
>>> should be involved in this discussion.B 
> The question is:B  Are the changes
>>> worth the money?
>>> 
>>> So, I guess I am
> saying I feel this needs more study and that if we are going
>>> to update the
> front page, maybe we could really update it to include a better
>>> visual
> picture of who we are. And, to me it makes no difference where the
>>> money is
> coming from, out of the left pocket or out of the right pocket, we
>>> are
> still looking at a lot of money at a time when the budget seems to be
>>> 
> running over.
>>> 
>>> Ron Killingsworth, Director
>>> 
>>> 
>>> On 6/3/2014 13:56,
> Michelle Snyder wrote:
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Hello all,
>>> Since I am traveling until
> late Thursday, I am forwarding the made and
>>> seconded motion for official
> discussion via my cell phone.
>>> Michelle
>>> 
>>> Sent using CloudMagic
>>> 
>>> 
> --------Forwarded message--------
>>> From: Susan Boyce <
> 100T@rewrite.aisboard.org >
>>> Date: Tue, Jun 03, 2014 at 11:30 AM
>>> Subject:
> Fwd: RE: [AISdiscuss] AIS Website
>>> To: aisdiscuss < aisdiscuss@aisboard.org
>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> <blockquote>
>>> 
>>> I second the motion.
>>> Susan Boyce
>>> 
>>>> 
> To: aisdiscuss@aisboard.org
>>>> Subject: [AISdiscuss] AIS Website
>>>> Date:
> Tue, 3 Jun 2014 11:00:11 -0700
>>>> From: c95039e11@rewrite.aisboard.org
>>>> 
>>>> I move "That the AIS Board approve an upgrade to the AIS Website to
>>> 
> increase
>>>> the number of menu items available on the left side area of the
> webpage.
>>> Such
>>>> upgrade not to exceed a cost of $1200.00, funding is to
> come from the
>>>> Electronic Services Restricted Fund.B  Such upgrade to be
> managed by the
>>>> Electronic Services Chair on behalf of AIS."
>>>> Cheryl
> Deaton
>>>> 
>>>> 
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>>>> 
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>>> 
>>> 
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>> 
>> 
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