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FIT2055 Web content management - Semester 1 , 2008

Unit leader :

Graeme Johanson

Lecturer(s) :

Caulfield

  • Graeme Johanson

Tutors(s) :

Caulfield

  • Tom Denison

Introduction

Welcome to FIT2055 which analyses the principles and practice of the emergent field of web content management and information architecture. It focuses on developing websites and intranets for organizations so that enterprise imperatives and user needs are catered for in a systematic fashion, and the effective retrieval of information is planned well. Emphasis is placed on understanding the informational, technological, organisational and governance principles involved, and in developing practical skills to apply a range of common tools and techniques.

Unit synopsis

ASCED Discipline Group classification: 091301 Librarianship and Information Management

Topics addressed, within the context of the web environment, include: analysing business requirements and user information needs; user information seeking behaviours; informationretrieval principles; issues and challenges in organising informationfor effective retrieval; organisation systems, schemes and structures (e.g., taxonomies, thesauri and metadata schemas) and how these are represented in labelling, navigation and search systems; information design and usability principles; and planning and implementing an web content project or program.

Learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding of:

1. the principles and practice of web content management and information architecture;
2. the relative roles and responsibilities of information professionals in web and intranet development project;
3. user information needs and information seeking behaviours within the web environment;
4. information retrieval principles (e.g., precision, recall, relevance, specificity) and their application in the web environment;
5. issues and challenges in organising information for effective information retrieval;
6. systems, schemes and structures for content management;
7. the application of information design and usability principles to labelling, navigation and search functions;
8. phases and processes in planning and implementing an information architecture project or product;
9. common tools and techniques, and software commonly in use.

Skills to:

1. conduct a business requirements analysis, and a user needs analysis, in connection with developing a content management system for a website or intranet;
2. develop an effective information architecture for a web site or intranet, taking into consideration unique business and user information requirements, and information retrieval, information design and usability principles and guidelines; constructing a taxonomy;
3. designing a metadata schema; planning, designing, documenting, testing and evaluating labelling, navigation and search systems for a website or intranet;
4. utilising a range of tools and techniques (eg blueprints, wireframes, card sorting, affinity diagrams, content maps, personas), and software in the process of developing a content management system;
5. undertaking usability/'findability' testing of users using prototypes and a range of evaluation techniques and interpreting findings;
6. evaluating systems and software products;
7. help to manage a web content management project;
8. apply governance principles that are up-to-date and relevant to an organisational culture.

An appreciation of:

1. varying perspectives on various content management systems used by different organizations, disciplines and professional groups;
2. the range of specialist expertise amongst information professionals involved in projects, and the importance of effective communication and collaboration amongst these groups;
3. the centrality of the user in defining a useful and effective system and the difficulties which users experience in finding relevant information on the web;
4. business imperatives and user requirements which are the key drivers of content management systems;
5. 'findability' as a critical factor in determining web usability;
6. effective organisation systems which tend to be largely invisible to users;
7. their own growing confidence in their project planning and information retrieval skills.

Objectives in this domain cover skills for building relationships and working collaboratively. They include communication skills, teamwork skills and leadership and management skills. This domain is closely linked to the affective domain, but involves objectives that develop skills related to group work.

Workload

For on campus students, workload commitments are:

  • two-hour lecture and
  • two-hour tutorial (or laboratory) (requiring advance preparation)
  • a minimum of 3 hours of personal study per one hour of contact time in order to satisfy the reading and assignment expectations.

  • You will need to allocate up to 5 hours per week in some weeks, for use of a computer, including time for newsgroups/discussion groups.

Unit relationships

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites for this unit.

Relationships

FIT2055 is a core unit in the Information Management major of the Bachelor of Information Technology and Systems.

Continuous improvement

Monash is committed to ‘Excellence in education' and strives for the highest possible quality in teaching and learning. To monitor how successful we are in providing quality teaching and learning Monash regularly seeks feedback from students, employers and staff. Two of the formal ways that you are invited to provide feedback are through Unit Evaluations and through Monquest Teaching Evaluations.

One of the key formal ways students have to provide feedback is through Unit Evaluation Surveys. It is Monash policy for every unit offered to be evaluated each year. Students are strongly encouraged to complete the surveys as they are an important avenue for students to "have their say". The feedback is anonymous and provides the Faculty with evidence of aspects that students are satisfied and areas for improvement.

Student Evaluations

The Faculty of IT administers the Unit Evaluation surveys online through the my.monash portal, although for some smaller classes there may be alternative evaluations conducted in class.

If you wish to view how previous students rated this unit, please go to http://www.monash.edu.au/unit-evaluation-reports/

Over the past few years the Faculty of Information Technology has made a number of improvements to its courses as a result of unit evaluation feedback. Some of these include systematic analysis and planning of unit improvements, and consistent assignment return guidelines.

Monquest Teaching Evaluation surveys may be used by some of your academic staff this semester. They are administered by the Centre for Higher Education Quality (CHEQ) and may be completed in class with a facilitator or on-line through the my.monash portal. The data provided to lecturers is completely anonymous. Monquest surveys provide academic staff with evidence of the effectiveness of their teaching and identify areas for improvement. Individual Monquest reports are confidential, however, you can see the summary results of Monquest evaluations for 2006 at http://www.adm.monash.edu.au/cheq/evaluations/monquest/profiles/index.html

Improvements to this unit

This is the first time this unit has been taught.

Unit staff - contact details

Unit leader

Associate Professor Graeme Johanson
Associate Professor
Phone +61 3 990 32414
Fax +61 3 8622 8999

Lecturer(s) :

Associate Professor Graeme Johanson
Associate Professor
Phone +61 3 990 32414
Fax +61 3 8622 8999

Tutor(s) :

Mr Tom Denison

Additional communication information

Email to

Associate Professor Graeme Johanson, Ph.D.
Director, Centre for Community Networking Research
(www.ccnr.net).
Caulfield School of Information Technology,
Faculty of Information Technology, Monash University.
P.O.Box 197, Caulfield East, Victoria 3145, Australia.

Room H6.42, level 6, in building H, the tallest building on campus.

Teaching and learning method

Lectures, tutorial discussions, laboratory sessions, reading, preparation of weekly tutorial exercises.

Tutorial allocation

On-campus students should register for tutorials/laboratories using Allocate+.

Communication, participation and feedback

Monash aims to provide a learning environment in which students receive a range of ongoing feedback throughout their studies. You will receive feedback on your work and progress in this unit. This may take the form of group feedback, individual feedback, peer feedback, self-comparison, verbal and written feedback, discussions (on line and in class) as well as more formal feedback related to assignment marks and grades. You are encouraged to draw on a variety of feedback to enhance your learning.

It is essential that you take action immediately if you realise that you have a problem that is affecting your study. Semesters are short, so we can help you best if you let us know as soon as problems arise. Regardless of whether the problem is related directly to your progress in the unit, if it is likely to interfere with your progress you should discuss it with your lecturer or a Community Service counsellor as soon as possible.

Monash aims to provide a learning environment in which studentsreceive a range of ongoing feedback throughout their studies. You willreceive feedback on your work and progress in this unit. This will takethe form of feedback in class, individual feedback, feedback on formalwritten assessment, including assignments, lab exercises and exams.

It is essential that you take actionimmediately if you realise that you have a problem that is affectingyour study. Semesters are short, so we can help you best if you let usknow as soon as problems arise. Regardless of whether the problem isrelated directly to your progress in the unit, if it is likely tointerfere with your progress you should discuss it with your lectureror a Community Service counsellor as soon as possible.

If you fail any element of assessment you will be encouraged to attend aninterview with the  unit co-ordinator to discuss your progress.

Unit Schedule

Week Topic Key dates
1 Unit outline. Basic key terms. Differentiate from other  
2 Content and management. Projects and products  
3 Reasons for emergence of Web Content Management.  
4 basic parts of Content Management. Determining when  
Mid semester break
5 Effects of WCM on organizations. Planning for WCM.  
6 Project and product management. Implementation.  
7 Specific WCM systems. Information-seeking needs and first assignment due
8 Techniques – e.g., blueprints, categories, wireframes,  
9 Information retrieval principles. Search methods. Semantic  
10 Metadata. Thesauri. Taxonomies. Controlled vocabularies.  
11 Authoring. Labels. Impact of social networking. Content  
12 Evaluating WCM systems. Few standards.  
13 Review and revision second assignment due

Unit Resources

Prescribed text(s) and readings

None.

Recommended text(s) and readings

Asprey, Len, and Middleton, Mike (2003), Integrative document and content management [electronic resource]: strategies for exploiting enterprise knowledge. Hershey Pa.: Idea Group Pub. [electronic resource].
ISBN:     1591400686 (ebook).
Linked resources: Full text available from IGI Global.

Boiko, Bob (2005). Content Management Bible [electronic resource]. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons.
1172 p. ISBN: 9780764583643 (electronic bk.: Adobe Reader).
Content Management in the Information Age.

Byrne, T. The CMS Report. CMS Watch, www.cmswatch.com.
CMS Watch evaluates content-oriented technologies, publishing comparative reviews of leading solutions. It publishes technology reports that provide independent analysis and practical advice regarding web content management, enterprise content management, enterprise portals, web analytics, and enterprise search solutions.

Mercer, David (2006). Drupal: creating blogs, forums, portals, and community websites: how to set up, configure, and customize this powerful PHP/MySQL-based open source CMS. Birmingham, UK: Packt Publishing

Rockley, A. et al. (2002). Managing enterprise content: a unified content strategy. Indianapolis, New Riders.

Rosenfeldt, L and Morville, P. (2007). Information architecture and the worldwide web. Sebastapol, CA, O’Reilly and Associates.

VanDyk, John K. and Matt Westgate (2007). Pro Drupal development. Berkeley, Calif., Apress.

White, Martin (2005). The content management handbook. London: Facet Publishing.

Required software and/or hardware

Personal connection to the Internet.

Drupal in the Monash laboratories. 

Equipment and consumables required or provided

On-campus students, and those studying at supported study locations may use the facilities available in the computing labs. Information about computer use for students is available from the ITS Student Resource Guide in the Monash University Handbook.You will need to allocate up to 4 hours per week for use of a computer, including time for newsgroups/discussion groups.

Study resources

Study resources we will provide for your study are:

Study resources we will provide for your study are:

  • Weekly detailed lecture notes outlining the learning objectives, discussion of the content, required readings and  exercises;
  • Weekly tutorial or laboratory tasks and exercises with sample solutions provided one to two weeks later;
  • Assignment specifications;
  • A sample examination;
  • Regular online and offline discussion groups;
  • This Unit Guide outlining the administrative information for the unit;
  • The unit web site on MUSO, where resources outlined above will be made available;
  • MULO -- audio of lecture content;
  • guest expert speakers.

Library access

The Monash University Library site contains details about borrowing rights and catalogue searching. To learn more about the library and the various resources available, please go to http://www.lib.monash.edu.au.  Be sure to obtain a copy of the Library Guide, and if necessary, the instructions for remote access from the library website.

The Monash University Library site contains details about borrowing rights and catalogue searching. To learn more about the library and the various resources available, please go to http://www.lib.monash.edu.au.  Be sure to obtain a copy of the Library Guide, and if necessary, the instructions for remote access from the library website.

 Andrew Dixon, FIT Liaison Librarian, will present to the class about online Library resources for assignments.

Monash University Studies Online (MUSO)

All unit and lecture materials are available through MUSO (Monash University Studies Online). Blackboard is the primary application used to deliver your unit resources. Some units will be piloted in Moodle.

You can access MUSO and Blackboard via the portal (http://my.monash.edu.au).

Click on the Study and enrolment tab, then Blackboard under the MUSO learning systems.

In order for your Blackboard unit(s) to function correctly, your computer needs to be correctly configured.

For example :

  • Blackboard supported browser
  • Supported Java runtime environment

For more information, please visit

http://www.monash.edu.au/muso/support/students/downloadables-student.html

You can contact the MUSO Support by: Phone: (+61 3) 9903 1268

For further contact information including operational hours, please visit

http://www.monash.edu.au/muso/support/students/contact.html

Further information can be obtained from the MUSO support site:

http://www.monash.edu.au/muso/support/index.html

If your unit is piloted in Moodle, you will see a link from your Blackboard unit to Moodle at http://moodle.med.monash.edu.au.
From the Faculty of Information Technology category, click on the link for your unit.

Assessment

Unit assessment policy

To pass this unit, a student must obtain :
  • 40% or more in the unit's examination and
  • 40% or more in the unit's non-examination assessment
     and
  • an overall unit mark of 50% or more
If a student does not achieve 40% or more in the unit examination or the unit non-examination assessment then a mark of no greater than 44-N will be recorded for the unit.

Assignment tasks

  • Assignment Task

    Title : Assignment one: Usability

    Description :

    There are a range of definitions – see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usability
    -- which deal with how a user reacts to a website design aesthetically, emotionally, physically, and cognitively. Revisiting a website may be a different experience for a user from the first encounter with it. A simple encompassing definition is as follows:

    Usability refers to how straightforwardly and effectively a functional web design accommodates a user’s operational needs.

    For too long considerations regarding functionality and findability had been ignored in favour of flashy constructions which neglected the primary purpose of websites as knowledge-building, commerce-building, and community-building tools. The concept of usability grew out of a commitment by website developers and business operators to place the needs of ‘end-users’ at centre-stage, in order to provide site visitors and customers with adequate navigation support to fulfil service and business goals.

    Weighting : 25%

    Criteria for assessment :

    1. are all of the assignment specifications addressed by the student?
    2. are the key concepts understood?
    3. are the aims in the essay set out clearly?
    4. are the aims fulfilled, i.e., followed through?
    5. are all the relevant sources of knowledge used and understood?
    6. is any of the work original, special or original to the student, i.e., is it any more than just fulfilling the basic requirements?
    7. is the essay structured in a logical, understandable way?
    8. have up-to-date sources of information been used, and acknowledged fully and correctly according to the FIT Style Guide?
    9. is the communication succinct, relevant, and useful? Is the length, space well used? Is it comprehensive, covering all the important aspects than can be fitted in?
    10. are the findings realistic, and sustainable intellectually?
    11. is it all the student’s own work?
    12. does the student make a genuine effort to engage the audience for the  marker of the essay?
    13. is the content balanced, professional, unbiased, substantiated with reliable, accurate  evidence?
    14. is the form of essay timely and appropriate to the context of the essay presentation?
    15. is the student aware of the limitations of the essay, and topic?
    16. is the marker guided through the essay by the student, i.e., is the structure of the essay clear?

    Due date : 16 April 2008

    Remarks ( optional - leave blank for none ) :

    Make sure that your essay covers these four key points:

    1.Choose a definition of ‘usability’ which you regard as best, and describe why you chose it;
    2.Discuss whether Web Content Management usability relates to the disposition of labelled elements which facilitates orientation in a web environment;
    3.Discuss the different usability perspectives of users and designers which need to be taken into account in Web Content Management;
    4.Illustrate your answers by providing examples taken from live sites on the web.

    Your essay should include a minimum of 4 good-quality sources about the topic. Each source must be at least 10 pages or 4,000 words long, of scholarly quality, i.e., serious text aimed at researchers or in-depth study into the topic. Cite each source in full using the FIT Style Guide in your Bibliography. These sources can be taken from this handout, or you can find others yourself.

  • Assignment Task

    Title : Assignment two: proficiency in the use of Drupal

    Description :

    not yet defined

    Weighting : 25%

    Criteria for assessment :

    as for assignment one

    Due date : 28 May 2008

Examinations

  • Examination

    Weighting : 50%

    Length : 3 hours

    Type ( open/closed book ) : Closed book

Assignment submission

Please hand in the full assignment in classes on Wednesday 23 April, to Tom or Graeme in classes, or upload them to MUSO, or leave them under Graeme’s door (H642), or in his mail box at CaSIT on the 6th floor of H, or fax them to (03) 9903 1077, or post them to:

        Assoc Prof Graeme Johanson,
        Caulfield School of Information Technology,
        Monash University,
        P.O. Box 197, Caulfield East,
        Victoria 3145.

Assignment coversheets

Assignments.

1    Standards for presentation.
All printed assignment work must be word-processed and meet the standards set out in the assignment. Refer also to the guidelines for writing assignments and for citation style, and for additional information on presentation, at: http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/resources/student/assignments/sims-style-guides.html.

2.Cover sheet.    
All assignments must include an appropriate signed assignment cover page available via the "Student assignment coversheets" ( http://infotech.monash.edu.au/resources/student/assignments/ ) page on the faculty website.

University and Faculty policy on assessment

Due dates and extensions

The due dates for the submission of assignments are given in the previous section. Please make every effort to submit work by the due dates. It is your responsibility to structure your study program around assignment deadlines, family, work and other commitments. Factors such as normal work pressures, vacations, etc. are seldom regarded as appropriate reasons for granting extensions. Students are advised to NOT assume that granting of an extension is a matter of course.

If you believe that your assignment will be delayed because of circumstances beyond your control such as illness, you should apply for an extension prior to the due date. All applications for extensions must be made in writing (or e-mail) to your lecturer, and a response to your request will be communicated back to you in the same manner. No extensions are automatic. Every one will be dealt with individually. Tom Denison will refer requests to Graeme Johanson, the unit co-ordinator. Medical certificates or other supporting documentation will be required.

To apply for an extension, use the form on the MUSO website 

Late assignment

Late assignments submitted without an approved extension may be accepted up to one week late, at the discretion of your lecturer, but will be penalised at the rate of 10% of total assignment marks per day (including weekends).

Example:
Total marks available for the assignment = 100 marks.
Marks received for the assignment = 70 marks.
Marks deducted for 2 days late submission (20% of 100) = 20 marks.
Final mark received for assignment = 50 marks.  

After one week, the assignment will score zero.

Return dates

Students can expect assignments to be returned within two weeks of the submission date or after receipt, whichever is later.

Assessment for the unit as a whole is in accordance with the provisions of the Monash University Education Policy at http://www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/assessment/

Plagiarism, cheating and collusion

Plagiarism and cheating are regarded as very serious offences. In cases where cheating  has been confirmed, students have been severely penalised, from losing all marks for an assignment, to facing disciplinary action at the Faculty level. While we would wish that all our students adhere to sound ethical conduct and honesty, I will ask you to acquaint yourself with Student Rights and Responsibilities (http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/about/committees-groups/facboard/policies/studrights.html) and the Faculty regulations that apply to students detected cheating as these will be applied in all detected cases.

In this University, cheating means seeking to obtain an unfair advantage in any examination or any other written or practical work to be submitted or completed by a student for assessment. It includes the use, or attempted use, of any means to gain an unfair advantage for any assessable work in the unit, where the means is contrary to the instructions for such work. 

When you submit an individual assessment item, such as a program, a report, an essay, assignment or other piece of work, under your name you are understood to be stating that this is your own work. If a submission is identical with, or similar to, someone else's work, an assumption of cheating may arise. If you are planning on working with another student, it is acceptable to undertake research together, and discuss problems, but it is not acceptable to jointly develop or share solutions unless this is specified by your lecturer. 

Intentionally providing students with your solutions to assignments is classified as "assisting to cheat" and students who do this may be subject to disciplinary action. You should take reasonable care that your solution is not accidentally or deliberately obtained by other students. For example, do not leave copies of your work in progress on the hard drives of shared computers, and do not show your work to other students. If you believe this may have happened, please be sure to contact your lecturer as soon as possible.

Cheating also includes taking into an examination any material contrary to the regulations, including any bilingual dictionary, whether or not with the intention of using it to obtain an advantage.

Plagiarism involves the false representation of another person's ideas, or findings, as your own by either copying material or paraphrasing without citing sources. It is both professional and ethical to reference clearly the ideas and information that you have used from another writer. If the source is not identified, then you have plagiarised work of the other author. Plagiarism is a form of dishonesty that is insulting to the reader and grossly unfair to your student colleagues.

Register of counselling about plagiarism

The university requires faculties to keep a simple and confidential register to record counselling to students about plagiarism (e.g. warnings). The register is accessible to Associate Deans Teaching (or nominees) and, where requested, students concerned have access to their own details in the register. The register is to serve as a record of counselling about the nature of plagiarism, not as a record of allegations; and no provision of appeals in relation to the register is necessary or applicable.

Non-discriminatory language

The Faculty of Information Technology is committed to the use of non-discriminatory language in all forms of communication. Discriminatory language is that which refers in abusive terms to gender, race, age, sexual orientation, citizenship or nationality, ethnic or language background, physical or mental ability, or political or religious views, or which stereotypes groups in an adverse manner. This is not meant to preclude or inhibit legitimate academic debate on any issue; however, the language used in such debate should be non-discriminatory and sensitive to these matters. It is important to avoid the use of discriminatory language in your communications and written work. The most common form of discriminatory language in academic work tends to be in the area of gender inclusiveness. You are, therefore, requested to check for this and to ensure your work and communications are non-discriminatory in all respects.

Students with disabilities

Students with disabilities that may disadvantage them in assessment should seek advice from one of the following before completing assessment tasks and examinations:

Deferred assessment and special consideration

Deferred assessment (not to be confused with an extension for submission of an assignment) may be granted in cases of extenuating personal circumstances such as serious personal illness or bereavement. Information and forms for Special Consideration and deferred assessment applications are available at http://www.monash.edu.au/exams/special-consideration.html. Contact the Faculty's Student Services staff at your campus for further information and advice.