How To's as Article Subpage on SBN?

[bzbatl]

As I was bored at work today (Spring Break, everyone gone), I came up with a little mockup of the page design comp.

I designed it using Visio wireframes first to develop the architecture - there's a concept around navigation of the various areas of the sub-site. I brainstormed a mini taxonomy as well, if we decide we need that (assuming Fred/mods will even want this in the site).

I'm cool with coding this out in a Dreamweaver template (dwt) or implementing PHP to automate some of the functions (breadcrumbing, pulling related links, etc).

Pros of this method:

- we can apply architecture principles to keep the sub-site much better organized through use of a taxonomy
- a clean presentation of the content
- and highly accessible information through the navigational structure.

Cons are:

- lose the message-board functionality of these pages, eliminating the feature of rapid editing of the information contained within the documents
- someone has to maintain the pages/site
- designed to be organized by generic topics... basically whoever completes a How-To will not be able to generate a model-specific task


Of course, we could have multiple articles dealing with the same how-to... in the same way we have model specific forums. The user interface could be enhanced by tagging... but that's another can of worms.

Personally I think we should use the How To subforum to generate the initial how-to, allow questions and discussion, and then "finalize" it onto this sub-site. They should be fairly general tasks to get into the sub-site.


And before anyone asks, I'm an Information Architect that specializes in user interfaces for enterprise sites.

[AnKleBiTer]

Cool Bobby. That looks really good!

[RugbyCanada]

wow. You, my friend, are officially a computer nerd.





hehehehehe

[bzbatl]

Information Architecture doesn't just apply to computers!

Just... mostly.

[hybrid]

I dig it.............let me put it up in front of the super boss.

[Ducman851]

Bobby so far its very well received. I would expect Fred to be contacting you for the implentation.

What we gotta do?

[bzbatl]

It's built out - I did minor editorial review on hybrid's chain guide, but you can preview here:

http://www.southernhive.com/tutorials/index.html

It's under Regular > Drivetrain > How to Clean and Lube Your Chain

[CBRAWR]

maybe you could add something that would let individual users add a how-to but it doesnt actually post to the page til a mod approves it

[bzbatl]

I'd love to add a Content Management System with automated workflow - but there aren't very many good free ones out there

The system that'd be in place is that they'd start out here, hybrid and others would review and make edits, then the guide would appear on the microsite. It's a little more work in that manner, but it'll suffice with the tools we have available.