About The Workshop

On 6 January 2006 the following message was sent to the website-info-mgt list:

This year’s Institutional Web Management Workshop will be held at the University of Bath on Wednesday 14 – Friday 16th June 2006.

The theme of this year’s workshop is ‘Quality Matters’

The call for speakers and workshop facilitators is now open. We particularly welcome ideas related to this theme – e.g. usability; accessibility; how we are ensuring the provision of quality Web services; the concept of added value; quality from a marketing angle; use of quality assurance and quality control within the Web community; measuring quality; auditing; etc. although other aspects related to the provision of institutional Web services are also welcomed.

Programme Committee

Members of the Programme Committee are responsible for the content of the workshop. The committee members represent a cross-section of the Web management community.

  • Marieke Guy, UKOLN (Chair of Programme Committee)
  • Stephen Emmott, Head of Web Services at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
  • Matt Jukes, Production Manager for the JISC Communications and Marketing team.
  • Carolyne Smart, Web Team leader, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
  • Jeremy Speller, Head of Web Services, University College London (UCL)

Brian Kelly also supported the Programme Committee.

Sponsors

The sponsors for the IWMW 2006 event were:

  • Nedstats (Gold sponsor)
  • TERMINALFOUR (Silver Sponsors)
  • Eduserv (Bronze Sponsor)
  • DADENLIMITED (commercial sponsor)
  • Netskills (academic sponsor)

Workshop Topics

Plenary Talks

The following plenary talks were given:

  1. Real World Emerging Technologies
  2. Developing a Web 2.0 Strategy
  3. Managing Standards – Delivering a Quality Assured Web Environment
  4. Delivering Information: Document vs. Content
  5. What Does Openness Mean to the Web Manager?
  6. Sector Statistics
  7. Reflections on 10 years of the Institutional Web

In addition the following additional plenary sessions took place:

  1. Panel: Web 2.0: Behind the Hype
  2. Debate: CMS: Challenging the Consensus

Parallel Sessions

Parallel session A:

  1. The Rise and Rise of Digital Repositories: Communication and Quality
  2. Access Grid Node – the What, How, and Why
  3. Chatting with Brian: What do Chatbots have to offer the Education Sector?
  4. Web 2.0: Addressing Institutional Barriers
  5. ‘Not blue, a bit random, and not too Scottish’: Designing a Web site the hard way…..?
  6. Writing for the Web
  7. Getting your Hands Dirty with Podcasting
  8. Using Web Services to Support e-Learning
  9. Sharing and Exploring Team Knowledge with Wikis

Parallel Sessions

Parallel session B:

  1. Making RSS work in your Institution
  2. FOUND IT! Using Information Architecture and Web Management to Help the User Succeed
  3. Intranet Managers’ Community Session
  4. Search Technology within the University Environment
  5. Archiving the Web: What can Institutions learn from National and International Web Archiving Initiatives
  6. Keep SMILing
  7. User Testing on a Shoestring Budget
  8. Exposing yourself on the Web with Microformats!
  9. ‘Show us ‘yer medals!’ – Who needs Professional Development?

Evaluation

Th evaluation forms have been analyzed. General comments on the workshop we received included:

  • Outstanding and probably life changing
  • The best one I’ve been to (I’ve been to at least 4). Majority of the content was relevant and challenging. Gave me something to take away with me.
  • Good varied programme with lots of choice to pursue interests in parallel sessions. Speakers of excellent quality
  • Annual reality check. The best way to keep abreast of development and issues in the sector and to meet/network.
  • Previous years I’ve come away from IWMW with firm practical advice. This year has been much less practical and much more thought-provoking. I’ve found this incredibly, refreshing and helpful.

In addition Adrian Stevenson wrote a report on the event which was published in Ariadne, issue 48.

Event Summary

Location: University of Bath

Date: 14-16 June 2005

Length: 3 days

Cost (including 2 nights accommodation): £345

No. of plenary talks (including debate & panel): 9

No. of plenary speakers: 15

Gender ratios: 14 M (93%) and 1 F (7%)

No. of workshop sessions: 18

No. of workshop facilitators: 27

Gender ratios: 20 M (74%) and 7 F (26%)

No. of participants: 187

Total length of sessions: 3.75+(3.5+3.75)+4=15.00 hours

Delegate contact time: 15.00*187= 2,805 delegate hours

Evaluation: 4.38 out of 5 (content) and 4.63 out of 5 (organisation).

Special features: The social events featured a barbecue, live music and a display of rapper sword dancing  on the first night (sponsored by Nedstat) and a drinks reception at the Roman Baths on the second night (sponsored by TERMINALFOUR).

Live blog: For the second year Owen Stephens provided a live blog during the event.