THNC -- Planning - Website Design

Computer Systems and Website Planning

Planning -- Last Section: E - EMPLOYEE ACCESS | Next Section: G - SYSTEMS

F. Website Features and Design

Updated on July 13, 2011

THNC will need the services and advice of a qualified web site designer. The web site will be dynamic, meaning that it will be constantly changing. Its design will allow THNC employees to interact with the web site as information is added and revised in the database.

HTML5 Programming Source Code

Open source implies that THNC employees can modify the code.
Website code will be written to be compatible with mobile devices and the mobile operating system environment, including products by Apple, Android, and BlackBerry.
To take advantage of HTML5 features that allow better security, better chat and audio/video capabilities, and the "canvas" feature so that interactive content will not need to use plug-ins.
Ultimately entirely HTML5, but written now to be compatible with major browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera, and Safari.
HTML5 information in this section came from Technology Review, November / December 2010, pgs 46-52.

Strategic Planning and Development

The web site will reflect everything that is going on in THNC's development.
Use of a network-based Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) (credit - Abagnale)
Developers need to understand secure development practices, such as the Secure Development Lifecycle (credit - Abagnale)
After funding is received, THNC employees will begin an initial six-month period of research and information-gathering. THNC will need this time to begin accumulating information that will be made available to members;
Membership recruitment will begin after the initial six-month period;
Basic informational screens will be displayed during this time;
The accumulation of each type of information in the database will lead to the creation of new webpages for new services and products. Existing pages may be modified for the new features and capabilities.
Informational pages will be displayed, describing what will be coming.
New pages will be activated to support each new feature and capability.
Each new service will cause these steps to be repeated
Broadband Internet and quality long distance telephone service will somehow be tied together so that THNC employees will have both wherever they are.
Members will use their computer to access THNC's website and their telephone service to place calls to THNC for answers to questions
Employees may work from their homes or satellite THNC offices -- anywhere that the Internet and long distance telephone service exists -- or be working from THNC's headquarters in Columbus, Ohio
Most important means of recruiting new members will probably always be THNC's website. Marketing teams may supplement this by traveling to trade shows, business locations, and other sites to speak directly with potential new members;
Contact between THNC and its members will be our web site, via telephone and email, and via First Class mail, parcel services, and freight carriers for delivering newsletters and materials purchased in the online retail store.
Other means of communications may include membership activities such as trade shows and conventions.

Attributes of Website Use

All sensitive data must be encrypted or password protected before transmission, such as done by Adobe Acrobat 7 (credit - Abagnale)
Research attributes -- Research will be conducted using THNC's website (or an employee portal) and other information sources. Employees will use a database management system that will enable access to the research database. There will be additions, deletions, and editing by many employees. Information will be stored in tracks related to 100+ home network industries and cross-referenced to facilitate keyword searching and database maintenance.
Employee attributes -- Employees will help members locate needed information using THNC's website. Employees will guide members through website screens, helping them to learn ways to use the website.
Product and services attributes -- While employees are adding new information to the database, others are creating new and updating existing books, Educational Presentations, and other products using the information there.
Member services -- Members will use all of the screens described in section D. Many of the tools described here will be necessary to support their access.

Scalability

The web site must be designed to allow for matching the growth rate of THNC.
In the future, hundreds of THNC employees may be adding their work to THNC's database. Other employees may access this database and prepare hundreds of Educational Presentations, books, webinars, and other items designed to educate and protect the public.
Much of the source material for this work will come from the member's area of THNC's research database.
THNC will strive to bring to its members the latest developments in over 100 industries that help to make home networking in itself a rapidly growing industry.
THNC employees will be constantly adding-to or revising information in the database and subsequently available on the web site.

Purchasing and Specification of Features

Pay extra for quality designs. A well-designed web site will instill confidence and project the image that THNC is indeed a reputable company.
THNC should purchase an off-the-shelf shopping cart product that is open-source. This means that the code may be modified by THNC employees to customize the cart to our exact requirements. This can be done at a fraction of the cost of building a shopping cart from scratch.
Whatever computing language is used for the shopping cart product, it must be compatible with HTML5
A Real-time Payment Gateway should be set up. It should have a secure merchant gateway to a bank. It may also be coupled with a "Virtual Terminal" that allows processing of MOTO orders (mail order/telephone orders). Also involved will be a Merchant Account Provider. Details about credit card information encryption, storage and safety should be explained. Various methods for information encryption should be described by vendors. Their respective guarantees for fail-safe performance need to be explained.
Whatever computing languages are used for the Real-time Payment Gateway and "Virtual Terminal", all must be compatible with HTML5.
Risks associated with keeping sensitive and confidential information of members in online applications should be explained by vendors. The question "Which should not be online?" should be explained by vendors as well as the quality of their services and levels of encryption being used. If and when such security is breeched, there are other, very important issues: "How was security breeched?" "How likely is the information to be de-encrypted?" "What measures are being taken to prevent reoccurrences of the crime?"

Promotions and Advertising

The value of customer testimonials must be determined. If such testimonials are to be used, a startup time must be established. If used, each should be real. Only believable testimonials should be posted.
Promoting THNC's website must be carefully and thoughtfully done. Affiliates should be employed to promote THNC's web site. THNC's website will be dynamic and database-driven. A good affiliate can direct traffic to THNC's web site for a small commission should a sale be made. The means for tracking such activity on the web site should be explained.
It is important to keep members informed. One way to do this is by creating an online version of a quality printed newsletter, sent out only when THNC has something important to say.

Database Search Features
Eventually, there will be a very large database of information about home networking products and services, available to members and to employees. Helping members to more easily access this information will increase membership sales and prolong the time that members remain members. The following features will be developed on the website:

keyword search engine capabilities
highlighted words and phrases (located by keyword searches)
easy access to multiple information tracks
cross-referencing from one track to other tracks
advanced search capabilities

Applications for new employees and volunteers

Collection and retention of applicant responses to questions
Possible processing of responses and reports listing the results
If another software tool is to be used, responses must be routed to that tool
What questions can be asked?
What questions test or evaluate aptitude?
How can writing and problem-solving abilities be tested?
Can the Myers-Briggs test be used? ( http://www.myersbriggsreports.com/ )