Communication Plan

Communication Plan

Date: July 27, 2008

Project Name:  Apalachee Ridge Learning Center

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Introduction

This document provides a summary of the communication plan for the Apalachee Ridge Digital Media and Technology Learning Center.  It includes a list of the main audiences for this project, the goals for each of those audiences, the method(s) used to reach of the audiences and the timing of the communications.  In many cases these communication activities will be included and described further in the project’s work breakdown structure.
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Audiences

Sponsor (or other audience):

The overall supervisor/sponsor of the learning center is Terrance McNeil.  Mr. McNeil has a background in music production and education.   

            Goals

Server maintenance is a must.  Mr. McNeil would like the student profiles to all have the same homepages applied through the server.  He would also like to prevent student profiles from downloading content to the computer they are using.  A website is a request, however, due to internal complications that may never launch so it has been put on hold.  He also would like a central storage point where all the files saved under student profiles would also be saved in one location on the server.  Any other ideas as that may assist in improving or implementing technology into the learning center must be communicated with Mr. McNeil for approval prior to working on anything.

            Method

Brainstorming ideas will be discussed with Mr. McNeil prior to the center opening every day, as well as during staff meetings in the board room at the end of each day.  Hiring help is also possibly going to be a requirement for this Fall.

Project Team:

The project team consisted of Kristen Norena, Meka Adderly and Janeca Jackson.  They were going to be assisting in the babysitting aspect of the camp as well as implementing technology education into the students education but has since been pulled from the project.

            Goals

Any ideas that the project team may have which would improve the aspect of the learning center must be communicated with Mr. McNeil for approval.  Some of the major goals are server maintenance, being the only person there with absolutely no knowledge of a server makes it hard to maintain, even after I bought books to teach myself.  Website is necessary, but again, with no guarantee of a launch there was no reason to begin construction.

            Method

Brainstorming ideas will be discussed with Mr. McNeil prior to the center opening every day, as well as during staff meetings in the board room at the end of each day.
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Comments

The computers have been updated and cleaned, as well as separated between working and non-working.  The initial computer lab still needs its own separate printer.  Server maintenance is also still a major need.  Website creation will begin next semester if FSU continues to provide support to this project.  In order for this project to be successful there will need to be a team sent to the center next semester, preferably on willing to learn IT related skills and not child education skills. 

Posted: August 7th, 2008 under Apalachee Ridge.
Comments: none

Currently we have run into a “dead end” with this project.  I have been working on the server issues with no previous knowledge, or help, with operating Windows Server.  I bought “Dummies Guide to Networks” which has taught me a lot about servers that I never knew before.  I have learned about Group Policy and how Group Policy is necessary to have in order to apply settings to a specific profile or group of profiles.  It’s like a rule or law that the server abides by.  The problem I’m having is getting the Group Policy to apply correctly to show through the profile on the client computers.  I have read through the book I purchased and even read through a “Windows Server 2003″ book and have not found a way to troubleshoot the specific problems i am having.  I am trying to set the student profiles to have a specific homepage (www.youthradio.org) and I am also trying to create a storage folder on the server to store all files saved by the student profile.  I have been able to create a “shared folder” but I have not been able to completely utilize it’s features.  I have also followed the necessary steps in setting the homepage through Group Policy and although it correctly sets the homepage on the Windows Server machine, the settings don’t apply to the individual profiles.  After extensive research on the internet, I have found that I only have two options left:

1) Reverting all the client computers back to IE6, as I have read that there are bugs with IE7 that don’t allow Group Policy settings to apply.

2) Changing settings in the registry to make IE7 work correctly.  (It is explicitly stated on many websites that unless I have a good amount of experience using Windows Server, I should not attempt to change anything within the registry)

(Since I have never worked with a server in my life, I must omit #2.)

From here I plan on reverting the computers back to IE6 and possibly try and find a way to create a Group Policy setting for Firefox’s homepage.  The website has been officially suspended until further notice, due to the fact that there is no guarantee in the learning center continuing in the future. 

Posted: July 22nd, 2008 under Apalachee Ridge.
Comments: none

Since the initial post there has been some significant changes at the Center.  The original plan was to restructure, upgrade and maintain the computer labs in the center, perform server maintenance, and design the website for Apalachee Ridge.  The computers have been upgraded and finalized for use in the coming semesters. 

There was a significant and unfortunate chain of events that proceeded when the camp failed to produce students due to bad timing of recieving the budget for the camp.  With no students enrolled in the camp there was a problem utilizing the extra FSU volunteers which resulted in their instructor pulling them form the project.  Frustration mounted within the faculty at the Center which also resulted in the Americore VISTA volunteer no longer working with the project.  Currently Terrence and myself are the only two people working at the Center. 

Since then, more issues have surfaced.  The website has been put on hold as there is no guarantee that it will ever launch.  I have since educated myself about servers and networks and resolved the “User login” issues.  In resolving this issue, all I had to do was assign the “student login” profile to the “user” group within the server.  I still have to address a few issues:

• Create a central point of storage (shared folder)
• Configure universal settings for Internet Explorer and/or Firefox
• Disable downloads for student users
• Attempt to fix one of the network printers currently not in use

I am hoping to complete all of these tasks by the end of the semester.

Posted: July 8th, 2008 under Apalachee Ridge.
Comments: none

Our primary focus this semester will be on 8-13 year olds, providing IT support in a summer camp type of environment.  I will also attempt to create a website for the learning center as well.  I choose to do this project to improve my interpersonal skills as well as increasing my abilities and skills in web design.  So far we have only had one meeting, however, we are meeting Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week for a type of orientation to get to know our duties better and have a better understanding of how we will be helping out this summer.  No challenges yet, I know that this week we will attempt to recruit children for the program.  We have yet to have our first orientation so our progress is still at a minimum. 

Posted: June 9th, 2008 under Apalachee Ridge.
Comments: none

Posted: April 16th, 2008 under Project 5.
Comments: none

This is the link to our project 4 assignment.

http://2007.ispace.ci.fsu.edu/~apr07/blog/Project4

Posted: April 14th, 2008 under Project 4.
Comments: none

USE CASE WRITE-UP:

1. The system displays options for adding the Compatibility application
   • The user will look at their home page and read, under their “Requests” section, that they’ve been invited to add the “Compatibility Application” and wonder how it will work.
   • The system will display a “Compatibility Friend Invitation” under the users “Requests” section.
   • The system must decide to send this compatibility application to all its available friends’ user profiles on facebook.
2. The user chooses the option for the Compatibility application to find out what it entails
   • The user will click the link displayed in the “Requests” section and they will then see a new page with an invitation sent to them by us with a brief description that it was sent by us.
   • The system will display another page displaying an invitation that we sent them as an application we created.
   • The system must decide to display the invitation to the user and give them the option of adding the application by clicking the button that says “Find your match”
3. The user decides to add the application.
   • The user will click the button that says “Find your match”
   • The system will install the application to the users profile and then display the compatibility questionnaire.
   • The system will decide to install the application once the user decides and clicks whichever option button they choose whether it be “Find your match” or “Ignore”.
4. The system displays a compatibility questionnaire to fill out, including information about the user and also on who the user is searching for.
   • The user will read the description of the survey and then fill it out if they still want to after reading the description.
   • The system will display a survey for the user to fill out to find out who that person is compatible with.
   • The system must decide to allow the user to input data into the survey.
5. The user fills out each part of the Compatibility Questionnaire.
   • The user will answer the questions on the questionnaire by clicking check boxes and typing personal information if they decide to.
   • The system will accept and display whatever the user clicks or types when filling out the survey.
   • The system must decide to display whatever the user inputs into the survey.
6. The user submits the questionnaire to the system.
   • The user will click the submit button once they are completed with the survey.
   • The system will accept whatever the user had input into the survey.
   • The System must decide to send the results to the database.
7. All information entered by the user would be placed into a database within the application, where other compatibility application users’ information is already stored.
   • The user will wait for the survey to scan their results into the database.
   • The system will send the input of all the users’ information for each question.
   • The system must decide to input the survey into the database.
8. The database matches up the information that is compatible and sends it back to the system.
   • The user will continue to wait as the system sends back the results.
   • The system will search the database as to which people the user matches up with the best by pairing all the results as close together as possible and sending the user back a list ordered by most compatible.
   • The system must decide which profiles within the database best match the answers the user submitted and send back an ordered list of profiles, ordered by who has the most similarities in survey results.
9. Under the “My Matches” tab of the results page, the system displays to the user who is compatible with them.
   • The user will view an ordered list of profiles that are most compatible with theirs.
   • The system will display the results reported back by the database to the user.
   • The system must decide to show the results sent back by the database.
10. The system gives the user the option to send a message or add who they think they might be interested in as a Facebook friend.
    • The user will notice options next to each profile to either “add to friends”, “send a message” or “how are we compatible?”
    • The system will have three options to click on next to each profile.
    • The system must decide to give the user the options of adding the user as a friend, sending the user a message, or showing the matched areas.
11. The user notices the other two tabs at the top of the results page: “My Profile”,   ”My Cosmic Compatibility”.
    • The user will notice the other two tabs and decide to check up on their cosmic compatibility.
    • The system will continue to display the “My Matches” tab until an action takes place.
    • The system must decide nothing, since there is not action taking place within the application.
12. The user clicks on “My Cosmic Compatibility”.
    • The use will click on the “My Cosmic Compatibility” tab.
    • The system will retrieve the profiles with their compatible zodiac signs.
    • The system must decide which profiles have compatible zodiac signs and search the database for results.
13. The system displays the “My Cosmic Compatibility” tab.
    • The user will view a page that shows which profiles have compatible zodiac signs.
    • The system will display the compatible zodiac signs returned by the database.
    • The system must decide which profiles in the database have compatible zodiac signs and return the results.
14. The user clicks on “My Profile”.
    • The user will then decide to click on the “My Profile” tab.
    • The system will load the users’ profile.
    • The system must decide which page the user is clicking.
15. The system displays the “My Profile” tab.
    • The user will view their current profile through the application.
    • The system will display the users’ profile.
    • The system must decide which the user wants to view and return the results.

LINKS TO SLIDES:

Step 1:   http://2007.ispace.ci.fsu.edu/~apr07/blog/images/prototype1

Step 2:   http://2007.ispace.ci.fsu.edu/~apr07/blog/images/prototype2 

Step 3:   http://2007.ispace.ci.fsu.edu/~apr07/blog/images/prototype3

Step 4:   http://2007.ispace.ci.fsu.edu/~apr07/blog/images/prototype4

Step 5:   http://2007.ispace.ci.fsu.edu/~apr07/blog/images/prototype5

Step 6:   http://2007.ispace.ci.fsu.edu/~apr07/blog/images/prototype6

Step 7:   http://2007.ispace.ci.fsu.edu/~apr07/blog/images/prototype7

Step 8:   http://2007.ispace.ci.fsu.edu/~apr07/blog/images/prototype8

Step 9:   http://2007.ispace.ci.fsu.edu/~apr07/blog/images/prototype9

Step 10: http://2007.ispace.ci.fsu.edu/~apr07/blog/images/prototype10  

Posted: April 3rd, 2008 under Project 3.
Comments: none

By Alex Rosete and Shawn Reiss

Activities of the newer version of the site:

SUMMARY

The main functions of the site, as mentioned in project 1, would be for users who have email addresses and want to join Facebook, would have the ability to network with other members from around the world, as well as with friends they can keep in touch with that they may no longer live within the same vicinity anymore. 

Specifically for the dating portion:

Users, most of the time, are surfing for people to meet and get to know better, although that’s not the entire purpose of the site.  In other words, it is sort of evolving into a Myspace-like site.  Many users use the site specifically just to communicate with old friends, but a lot of the users are also using Facebook as a dating site, which it is not meant to be.  The idea that we came up with to add would be a “dating” type of application where those people who are actually interested in meeting others on Facebook for dating purposes have that ability to.

Example:

Joe Smith is a 23 year old college student and is in fear of being single for most of his life.  His goal is to graduate, start a family and begin his normal life.  With the application we would like to implement he would have the ability to log into the application and browse users who match his profile and interests, to find a compatible match.  The application should be designed to search and link together people with the same interests in music, education, hobbies, interest’s in what kind of person they’re looking for, providing for another dating service free through facebook.

A use case for joining and using the Compatibility application on Facebook might be:

1.       The system displays options for adding the Compatibility application.

2.       The user chooses the option for the Compatibility application to find out what it entails.

3.       The user decides to add the application.

4.       The system displays a compatibility questionnaire to fill out, including information about the user and also on who the user is searching for.

5.       The user fills out each part of the Compatibility Questionnaire.

6.       The user submits the questionnaire to the system.

7.       All information entered by the user would be placed into a database within the application, where other compatibility application users’ information is already stored.

8.       The database matches up the information that is compatible and sends it back to the system.

9.       The system displays to the user who is compatible with them.

10.   The system gives the user the option to send a message or add who they think they might be interested in as a Facebook friend. 

The major interfaces required are:

1.       Login page

2.       Compatibility application page

3.       Questionnaire page

4.       List of compatible users page

Posted: March 21st, 2008 under Project 2.
Comments: none

Group Members:

Alex Rosete: http://2007.ispace.ci.fsu.edu/~apr07/blog/

Shawn Reiss: http://2006.ispace.ci.fsu.edu/~smr04h/blog/

Andrew McDonald : http://2007.ispace.ci.fsu.edu/~agm04/wordpress/

Collaborative System Type:

Facebook.com

Characteristics of Users:

The range of users is very broad.  There are very little restrictions to join facebook, unlike the earlier days when you had to have a valid “.edu” email address to join.  Now, anyone with a valid email address can join the facebook community. 

Primary Activities:

1)      Networking

2)      Joining/creating different discussion groups

3)      Joining/creating different events  in town

4)      Using different applications (mostly mini-games)

5)      Posting what you’re doing  so your friends know

Strengths:

1)      Users have the ability to communicate with other users and expand their personal network

2)      Classmate discussions can be held in the form of a group/event

3)      The privacy settings allow you access to keeping either individual users or people not on your friends list to have access to viewing your profile

Weaknesses:

1)      Anyone with a valid email address can join facebook, even the creepy people who like to stalk people all day long

2)      The news feed broadcasts EVERYTHING you do on facebook so all your friends can keep tabs on you, unless you know to change the settings

3)      There is no compatibility option for those interested in dating

What to Improve:

We feel one area that needs improvement could be the compatibility option.  We will add a compatibility application that is only available to users who are “single” or interested in finding their match.  The application will compare the user’s profile with other similar profiles, via their personal interests (movies, music, hobbies, books, etc.) and then display the matches found.  Then, the user will have the ability to begin communication with whom they are interested.

Posted: March 4th, 2008 under Project 1.
Comments: none

When comparing the old site and the new site for the Tallahassee Democrat i noticed it seems like the Democrat wants to turn their website into a myspace or facebook-like site.  One thing it seems that they are pushing is to involve the user to become a free-lancing reporter for them to post stories and pictures.  Three differences i notice about the new site, aside of the new colors and layout:

1) There’s a “Login”/”Become a member” box at the top of the page

2) At the bottom of the page there is a column that tells you who’s new/recent members and show’s their myspace-like profile picture

3) There is also a new place to post blogs and reportsin the middle of the page when you scroll all the way down.

Posted: February 28th, 2008 under Labs.
Comments: none