1. Please identify whether you currently use any of the following features on your site. Check all that apply and describe briefly.
- Search Engine: Fluid Dynamics
- Personalisation: none
- Registration: Library Catalogue and Sites and Monuments Record (SMR)
- Security features: none
- Survey/voting tools: none
- Email newsletter distribution: Lyris ListManager
- Other: none
2. List any other features that you hope to add to your site, now or in the future.
- Improved search engine from Albert or similar
- Integral mapping and location-based searching using Smallworld Internet Application Server (SIAS)
- Interactive forms using TeleForms
- Online payments using Radius Cash Receipting and SSL
- Self-service email list management using advanced ListManager features
3. Are there, or will there be, any e-commerce transactions on the site?
There are currently no e-commerce type transactions on the site. Online payments will be required in the future and software to enable this has been purchased. Aberdeenshire Council have a universal SSL certficate which will secure transactions where required.
4. Is there, or will there be, login, registration and/or personalisation incorporated?
Both the Library Catalogue and the Archaeology SMR have user registration and login. As more transaction-based applications are integrated this will become more common and a site-wide approach to user registration will need to be considered. No further investigation of this option is required at this time. Personalisation of some site elements (for example home page content) may be considered as part of the redesign.
5. Do you currently, or will you in the future, use a content management system to dynamically update and deploy content?
SiteArchitek Lotus-Notes based CMS is currently used to store, manage and publish site content. A number of fundamental problems have been identified with this solution and it is intended to move to a new CMS as part of the redesign project. The preferred option is to integrate web site content and functional requirements into the existing intranet CMS. This is a bespoke Lotus Notes system which would require some further development to deliver the new web site. Other CMS options may be considered as part of the redesign project.
6. Does the site need to integrate with any preexisting database system? If so, what kind of database is currently being used?
In addition to the site-wide Lotus Notes-based CMS the database systems that are integrated into the current site are:
- Home and Tab Pages, Site Index, Site Map (Access/.asp)
- Contact Form (Access/.asp)
- Site Adverts (Access/.asp)
- Job Vacancies (Lotus Notes)
- Committee Meetings (Lotus Notes)
- Election Results (Access/.asp)
- Local Plan (Access/.asp)
- Public Transport Map (Access/.asp)
- Library Catalogue (TALIS)
- Clubs Directory (Access/.asp)
- Photo Gallery (Access/.asp)
- SMR (Access/.asp)
Many of the above database applications will need to be integrated into the new site. In addition, the number of non-CMS interactive applications will grow as the site continues to evolve from a predominantly content-based site to a service-enabling site. A technical infrastructure must be established as part of the redesign which will allow current and future database applications to slot into the site with low development time and minimum code duplication.
7. Will you be using any scripts or code that have already been established? Are they server-side or client-side (if known)?
A number of server-side scripts are currently used including the Betsie text-only script, print page script and search scripts will not be required in the new site. Others, including ASPEmail and Quick Address which is integrated into the contact form and job vacancies, are still likely to be required in some form.
Client-side scripting is used for form validation across the site and the implications of continuing to use this method will need to be considered if these are transferred to the new site.
A number of batch processes and Lotus Notes agents are currently employed over various timescales. A number of these are still likely to be required including those which copy the SMR databases and images and those which help to control the school closures system. Others which may not need to be transferred include the agent which copies recent news items to the home page and the site advert rotator.
