Basic Joomla Site

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These are wireframe for the basic Joomla site for the Global Village Construction Set (GVCS) project website. The most recent version is at the top of the version of the wireframes is at the top of the list under the architecture section.

Name

The name and URL for the website is still undecided.

  • Open Ecology Network does not capture the notions presented on the OSE Legacy Site. Is that important?
  • The Open Ecology Network (openecology.org) doesn't exist yet but when we build that broader web presence it will most definitely capture those notions.


openecology.com is taken by Elain Rainey (e.rainey@tiscali.co.uk). People might mistakenly type dot COM instead of dot ORG We should at least register openecology dot NET too

Or maybe osecology.org is a better bet, since dot COM, dot NET and dot ORG are all up for grabs.

See discussion at the forum.

--Elifarley 23:24, 25 September 2010 (UTC)

Architecture

Wireframes

Version.92 File:FactoreFarmv1.2.pdf

Version .91 File:FactoreFarmv1.1.pdf

Top Level Pages

Welcome

Home page that delivers introductory messages to the visitor, top news stories and a variety of ways to connect to and support the project.

-Summary1- is an introduction message that takes the user to the 'Our Work' section of the site.

  • How about "We're a land-based NGO developing the tools for creating resilient communities....
  • Organizations are certified as nonprofits in the US, the UN certifies NGOs, so we're definitely not an NGO. I think important words to include are: open source hardware, resilient communities, abundance, agriculture... Let's think more about this.

-FeatureWelcome- has large photos and headlines automatically pulled from 'featured' articles. This is a common Joomla plugin.

-News- is a combination of posts from the blogs and projects. This could be organized in a number of different ways.

-Support- is a module for subscribing, donating, fundraising and 'sponsoring' (if deemed appropriate) the project. This could be a BEEx widget or put together with hyperlinks.

  • List funding requirements for all projects - a budget for each project. Budget must be backed by a concrete proposal which also guarantees that there are people who can do the work. This shall be pulled right out of Proposal 2011 - where budget details for each project are stated. A funding basket can be put up, but only if there are people to do the actual work.
  • This module is small and for general fundraising. The type of baskets you're discussing are good for the Projects Matrix on the Projects page.

-IntroVideo- is a video that summarizes the whole project. I think you've been working on a 2 minute summary

  • Yes, a 2 minute video should be available by Oct. 4, by Isaiah. This video is for our Buckminster Fuller Challenge application.
  • Awesome.

-Social- are social feeds hosted on Identi.ca (a deployment of an open source version of Twitter called Status.net). People could reach us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc from this module.

  • Let's firm up who is running each. Jeb and Elifarley have been working the social networks.
  • Agreed. We need someone in charge of social media outreach, who will be guided by a social media strategy we need to outline.

-ProjectSummary- is a list of all the projects being undertaken.

Our Work

The vision and philosophy behind the project. This is static (doesn't change.)

-Banner1- is a 'banner ad' for the project created by a user. I think a project to come up with banner ads for the GVCS would be cool/popular. We could float it around some online design competitions.

  • Who is the user?
  • User is anyone who submits a design.

-FeatureVision- is an info diagram (possibly a slideshow) that contextualizes all the tools being worked on.

  • Who can do this? I can provide a basic design, and a graphic artist can finish it off. It should not look like a messy hairball, but more a masterpiece of information architecture like understandingusa.com. I plan on visiting Isaiah on my Sabbatical this winter.
  • My friend is a great designer and she's excited to work on this. I'll connect you with her today.

-VisionEssay- is a static essay explaining the vision of the project with a table of contents. on the right hand side.

-BannerSolicit- is a button that brings people to the submission page for the banner competition.

-Support-

-Video1- Video focusing on the project's vision.

-Social-

-BEExSupport- is a BEEx widget that displays all the action people are performing to raise money for the organization. This widget will be released this week.

  • Great idea. This is like 'matching gifts'. We could list stories of how people support us in different ways.

Projects

Dynamic information about the projects within the GVCS including status information about all and each project as well as links to go deeper.

Active development (this can mostly be pulled from the blog; if there is a clear Status Page, Marcin volunteers to update this on a regular basis):

  • LifeTrac II completed 9/14/10; under field testing until Nov. 15
  • PowerCube - Prototype II build is current
  • Steam Engine, Steam Generator, Gasifier Burner - Design/Build Subject Matter Expert recruited; see blog post 9.21.10; currently defining conceptual design
  • Induction furnace - seeking Subject Matter Experts
  • Torch table - Prototype I stalled since Nov. 2009; requires Subject Matter Expert for open source stepper motor controller
  • Ironworker Machine - hole puncher prototype I done; this should be added to RepLab
    • Pelletizer - conceptual design done. Need technical drawing, followed by outsourcing to local fab shop.
  • RepRap Build - Peter Koeleman will build one for Factor e Farm. We sent the parts to him, and he agreed to do it by December 1, 2010.
  • ...

-Milesontes- is a timeline for all the relevant milestones, focusing on the release of stable versions of the technology packages. We can use MIT's open source SIMILE timeline maker for it. (http://www.simile-widgets.org/timeline/)

  • This time around, we may actually be able to keep to the milestones, but that depends on how much support we get. Timeline must be integrated with budget must be integrated with personnel.

-Fans/Fundraising/Hours- We can use SIMILE to chart milestones in other things like fans, fundraising, time spent, etc.

-ProjectHomeHeader- This was mislabeled but basically it's a progress bar for whatever fundraising event it currently taking place. BEEx powered.

  • We need Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). We should have another milestone chart for SMEs. SMEs guarantee good project planning, therefore, successful fundraising and execution.

-ProjectMatrix- is a grid of project information. It would list all the projects vertically and then different info about the project horizontally such as Icon, Status, Title, 5 word summary, Blog, Next Step. This could be created with a Joomla content construction kit.

  • I like this. We should recruit a serious Information Architect for this.
  • It's just a grid, no info architecture necessary (at least at this point.)


Project Page - Every project has a unique page that displays the stable product (version completed) info as if it were a product you could buy in the store as well as links to the collaboration/communication features surrounding each project. These would be hosted elsewhere under the OpenEcology brand.

  • I suggest OSE Label pursuant to OSE Specifications and third party certification. OE is not OSE, once again, going back to the OSE Legacy Site.
  • Let's discuss the label, the certification and how OE isn't OSE because I don't understand why they couldn't be the same.


-ProjectHeader- Each project has it's own name/header image.

  • Who is doing the images?
  • Could just be a font choice. All I'm saying it that there should be a full header... not very important.

-ProjectSummary - is a tweetable description of the project.

-ProjectInfo- is the static product information as if it were something you could buy in the store. Clicking on these buttons will change the Content area of the page.

-BUILDNOW- is a complete downloadable package that gives the user all the info they need to build the product.

  • Nice. We need to recruit help for this, and this would make a useful DPV
  • I think this package will emerge naturally as product's stable version is released. It'll be a PDF and videos with how-to info, CAD files, etc. We'll definitely need help designing it. DPV could definitely be useful.

-OpenEcologyResources- are links to the project's presence in the broader OpenEcology (OE) collaborative platforms. I'll explain each button... (1) Buy would take the user to the OE store where they could purchase the whole product or parts. (2) Discuss would take them to the project's page in the OE forums where hopefully the community is answering questions/providing support. (3) Community would take them to the OE social network which could be build on JomSocial or Diaspora (if it ever comes out.) (4) Contact would be a contact page where people could reach out to a coreteam member if they want to get more deeply involved. (5) Support is about raising money/awareness for the specific project. I think I'll combine Contact and Support together and call it Get Involved. (6) Build is a link to the how-to build section in the OE wiki.

-ClusterFundraise- is a BEEx widget that shows the most recent fundraisers taking place for this specific project.

-ProjectBlog- is a feed from the project's blog.

About

Answers the who, what, when, where and why of the project with static information. This is technically simple with pages entitled: mission, history, team, sponsors, contact. Easy to change.

Blogs

General updates about the status of the GVCS as a whole as well as updates for each project (labeled via category)

Open Ecology Network

- an ever present menu item in the header that links to Open Ecology Resources that other websites and initiatives share such as a the wiki, store, forums, community site and contact information. These resources are hosted on openecology.org and are all powered by third party applications.

Wiki - media wiki

Store - lots of open source options (http://blog.webdistortion.com/2008/05/03/9-kick-ass-open-source-e-commerce-platforms-reviewed/)

Forums - I like VanillaForums but there might be better options.

Community - JomSocial or Diaspora

Project Management - Maybe BetterMeans/TBD

Roles

The new website requires people to fulfill a number of roles when it comes to producing and organizing content.

Monthly Newsletter summarizes the GVCS's progress, highlights openecology community news from the wiki, open pario, etc, digest of blog entries created during the month and a monthly wrap up video by Marcin (5 minutes.)

Homepage video - introduces people to the project

Vision video - explains the vision of 'evolve to freedom'

Project video - it would be great if every project had a 1-3 minute video

Project News - we need people to writing project updates that include how-to information as part of the open development process

Social Media - social media needs to be posted

See Also

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