By the end of this training workshop it is expected that the delegates will be able to:

• Understand the concepts of the Web, and how web servers and web browsers work together.
• Design a web site structure to meet the needs of the museum, and to plan the development of this, with this web structure identifying the types of pages needed and how they interlink.
• Publish content to the web site with a quality control workflow cycle.
• Manage media files, such as images, audio and video and building up a repository of these for usage on the pages.
• Design and Create a front page as a static introduction to the museum, explaining to the users about the museum, what they can find on the web site, and how to gain access.
• Design and Create a range of more detailed pages, such as for exhibitions, collections, publications, education services.
• Plan a blog structure with useful content, and with a scheduled publishing plan, with everyone in the museum responsible for content.

Marketing and communications personnel, collection managers, curators, conservators, interns, IT and data management, education officers, exhibition managers, researchers, museum management, in fact anyone who have a story to tell about the museum.

For this workshop we will set up a dummy hosting environment, or alternatively can use the hosting environment for the museum. The work done in this workshop is intended to be temporary and to provide the basis for your full web site development after this workshop. If you want this workshop to be the first part of your own museum web site, then you will need to arrange for the hosting in advance of this workshop.

The workshop will cover topics from the following list, adapted to the needs of the institution:

• An Action Learning approach is used, applying the theory back into practical needs at your institution. It is expected that you will bring your specific problems and situations for discussion at the workshop.
• Analysis of your existing web site, and how this can be improved.
• The basis of the Internet and the Web – how does it work.
• The basis of WordPress – what it does, what functions it performs.
• Analysis of existing successful WordPress sites.
• The elements of a best practice web site for museums. Analysis of existing best-practice museum web sites which are developed using WordPress.
• Structuring your home page: deciding what should be on the home page, and what should be delegated to other pages.
• Developing a menu structure.
• Creating footers on the web page.
• Adding pages and posts. Using design features of WordPress. Adding content details.
• Choosing and implementing themes. Customising themes.
• Working with plugins and choosing various plugins to enhance your site. Using the JetPack plugin.
• Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) – how to get your site discovered by the search engines.
• Developing a plan for content management within the museum.
• Use management and access control.
• Applying the settings to customise your experience

 

Database Design and Development for Heritage Collections (five days)

Project Management for Heritage Institutions (two days)

ETHER Base Training Workshop (two days)