Tlicho History Web Portal Terms Of Reference January 11, 2013
Submitted by Chris McCaffrey, Account Manager YELLOWKNIFE | NORTHWEST TERRITORIES | canada 867.766.6709 | chrism@outcrop.com
SUBMITTED BY OUTCROP COMMUNICATIONS
Terms of Reference Outcrop is pleased to present the Terms of Reference for the Tlicho History Online Web Portal. Contained in this document is a breakdown of each of the major components of the project and our approach to them. The major areas are as follows: • Art Direction: design inside pages, posts, user interface components, media development; • Programming and Development: Google Map Integrations, Google APIs, javascript, social sharing services, multilingual modules, custom content types; • Content Creation: writing, storyboards, studio recording, video editing; • Training and Launch: staging site, browser testing, screencasts, and training manuals,
Art Direction Building on the look and feel established in the early concepts, the design team will be required to work with the Tlicho stakeholders in order to develop themes, stories and imagery that will become part of the overall “look and feel” of the website. The resulting designs will then inform and shape the design of inside pages, interface items, custom icons, and content media. As developers are programming the back-end systematic side of the site, the designers will also be required to work closely with them to help create and establish user interface components for the site and its media, ensuring that everything works properly with the technology and third-party services (i.e. Google Map, Facebook, YouTube). Later stages of content development will also require the copywriter to collaborate closely with the design team in creating key content examples,showcasing major historical events for the Tlicho, in order to engage audiences as well as to instruct site administrators on the best practises of how to form and develop future content.
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Terms of Reference Programming and Development The Tlicho History portal will be a separate site unto to itself: it will require its own installation database, design theme template, custom content types, and Google Maps integrations. That does not mean that the site material cannot be pushed to various common social media outlets (Tlicho Facebook, Tlicho YouTube) as well as shared with the Tlicho parent site, but content, theme, and framework will all be those of an individual, standalone site. Programming requirements are as follows: 1. Base Drupal Install Once we’ve determined and locked down each of the site components and content types, we’ll create a development (skeleton) site on our staging server, and install and configure a base Drupal framework. Here the programmers develop sitebase content types such as inside pages, timeline events, Google map integrations, and image modules, each requiring their own field sets and various media configurations.
2. Google Map Integrations One of the key features of the Tlicho History portal will be the use of Google Maps. Custom modules allow Drupal to integrate with Google Maps, which in turn gives site administrators the capacity to mark or ‘pin’ historical places and events directly on a map, along with the story content, images and/or video. Google provides many services to the public at little or no cost, and this technology in particular has proven invaluable for this project. As a public-facing service, it will also provide an additional marketing tool for the site, as rich content is added over time to the Tlicho lands map area, filling in what currently looks like vacant land.
3. Enhanced Image and Media Module Development Based on the discovery phase and concept artwork, the site will make full use of rich imagery and embedded video displays. Site administrators will have the capability to insert and close crop primary article images, and insert and embed images within stories, as will be able to accurately embed video and audio links.
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Terms of Reference Coupled with the social sharing module, images inside articles will be constantly optimized and configured to display correctly on various social sharing feeds (e.g., Facebook, YouTube, Google+, etc). 4. Social Sharing Services Integration Omnipresent on most sites today is the little strip of share icons that allow folks reading a story to ‘like’ or ‘recommend’ it through the choice of social media outlets (i.e., Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, email, etc). These are automatically added to each page and will be preconfigured to work with the image modules. 5. Theming and Formatting This time-consuming task is the culmination of the all the preliminary steps leading up to it, which is generally why it is listed as last in the development phase. Once all the Tlicho History content types have been configured, and designs rendered to match the functionality on the site, the development staff will begin creating and applying the formatting and styling code (HTML, CSS, Javascript, PHP) which takes the site from a mockup to an interactive website viewable in all current browsers.
6. Multilingual Configuration For a site already supplied with some pre-existing material as this one does, we were requested to take advantage of the multilanguage function offered in the latest version of Drupal (ver. 7), which allows the administrators to easily add Tlicho, and eventually French, translation to site pages. Once a page has a translation available, a toggle between languages will be made active allowing users to switch between them. 7. Content Creation A large part of the success of the Tlicho History site will depend on providing creative examples, content templates and treatments for some of the milestone historical pieces. Bringing to life key Tlicho stories such as: • How Raven Lost His Beak • How the Tlicho Came to Be • The Creation of the Barrenlands and the Couple Inside the Mountain • Woman and the Pups In a variety of clearly defined content types will provide sturdy models and an overall framework for the continued
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Terms of Reference development of rich, engaging material that will draw in audiences and create repeat visits. Careful and thoughtful content templates will also ensure that the site offers users continuity over a long period, through any changes in staff or administration. 8. Training and Launch Product Testing, Staging and Launch - Once all the various parts have come together, rigorous quality assurance and control, and security testing the project enters the final phase. When we have resolved any final issues, site administrators are invited to review the prelaunch version of the website and ensure the site meets expectations. Once final sign-off is reached we’ll begin the necessary DNS set-ups and move the site onto the destination host server, once again ensuring that the site is fully tested against our postlaunch checklists and various browsers.
will work to inform, engage and enlist various Tlicho stakeholders (i.e., educators, students, community members, government staff, etc) to take part creating the content entries themselves in order tell the story and shape the history of the Tlicho people. Staff Training -To ensure Tlicho staff are at ease with updating content in their databases and websites, “screencast” training videos, aforementioned manuals, documentation, and close technical support are training options that we provide, depending on identified client needs and capacity. It is worth mentioning that the Tlicho staff have demonstrated exceptional online communication management skills, taking full administrative control over a large scale content management system, online store, and social media outlets now over four years; it is this fact that make a project like this possible.
Content Creation Manuals for Stakeholders and Educators - Working closely with staff throughout the process, we’ll provide Tlicho staff with a handbook and online instruction which
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Terms of Reference Summary The Tlicho History project marks a significant milestone in the field of online communications within aboriginal government groups. To the best of our knowledge, nothing quite like this site exists elsewhere nationally, or for that matter internationally. With that end in mind, the overall success of this project will be a hallmark achievement for the Tlicho people, and will also provide a success model for other aboriginal groups to use in the preservation and sharing of knowledge within their respective communities. If you have any questions or concerns or require a more detailed explanation of any of the above areas, please do not hesitate to call or email me directly.
Thanks,
Chris McCaffrey Account/Project Manager
Outcrop Communications Ltd. Suite 800, 4920-52 Street Yellowknife, NT X1A 3T1 T. 867-766-6709 F. 867-873-2844
chrism@outcrop.com
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