Web Services
Overview
The Web Services group is now located within Ag Communications and Marketing. Our mission is to provide Web-based tools, means, and solutions for the college to enable effective communication of research, teaching, extension programs, and impacts to our stakeholders.
Service Requests
We have also implemented a new system for requesting services from our group. The Web-based request forms will allow you to describe your request or question, increase the speed of resolution, and allow you to see everything in the queue ahead of your request. By filling out the form, everyone in the group will be notified and all information will be documented, allowing you to receive quicker service. The forms are linked at the top right of this page and include a problem/enhancement form as well as a more project request form.
You may also check out the Web Services Intranet site for detailed information on the team and all our requests and projects. You may also read the documentation on our "Procedures and Practices" that explains how all requests will be handled. Please login with your AG\username domain account.
For general questions, please contact webservices@ag.psu.edu.
Strategy
In the past, the college's Web sites were based in Dreamweaver, creating workflow that did not allow the authors to focus on content. Because visitors return to Web sites for interesting, relevant, and frequently updated content, an author's time is better spent on writing than on other areas of Web site development.
Our solution to this problem was to choose a content management system (CMS) that allowed for central control of the Web site aesthetics and structure. Using a CMS allows for greater consistency among sites, ease of navigation, and future growth of college Web sites. Under the new system, Web content becomes the responsibility of end users.
An author of a Web site now only needs to worry about content: a Web site's text, images, or links. By shifting the author's focus to content, we place more emphasis on the areas of Web sites that keep visitors returning, which will benefit the department/unit and college as a whole
