Mike Radzicki is stepping down as Secretary for the System Dynamics Society and Jack Pugh is taking on new responsibilities as Webmaster for the Society. Here is an overall plan for managing these transitions around web development for the Society.

	The home office will hire Vedat Diker on an hourly basis to work with Jack Pugh between now and the end of the summer to make as much progress as possible.
	The Policy Council Home Page will be moved to Albany.
	WPI will hold on to the Windows NT server and continue to move forward on the project of getting models to run over the WWW.
	Jack Pugh will map out a strategy to move forward. Vedat Diker will work with Jack to implement this strategy, as possible, over the summer of 2000.
	Since Vedat is a graduate student, this is by definition an interim arrangement. We will have to track how this works and work on a more stable and long run development strategy.

What Tasks Need to Be Worked On?

1. Move the Policy Council site to Albany

   	Get account and password for Jack at Albany.
   	Hire Vedat on an hourly basis.
   	FTP the Policy Council files to Albany.
   	Merge the Policy Council files into the Albany site.
   	Re-organize the Policy Council files and make them consistent with the Albany site.
   	Link changes.
   	Create a merged "look and feel" version.
   	Mike keeps WPI running as a parallel site until "cut over" is okay.
   	Create documentation for all progress made. Work on a password protected space for Society members Password protect the Policy Council pages for member access. Build a "members only" section. Decide on what is "members only" information (e.g., membership directory, bibliography, Policy Council minutes, financials). Sort out priorities among other projects and then "pick the low hanging fruit" Put up membership directory. Put up bibliography. Set up search engine, especially for membership directory and bibliography. Create method for on-line update to membership directory and bibliography. Put up working models. Create e-commerce capabilities. Create access to tutorials and other teaching materials. Create appropriate links to Wiley. Jay wants a site of models that are published in the journal. Find and point to current curricula in system dynamics (Jack will prod curriculum committee). Catalogue and point to distance learning resources. Place good descriptions of SD on our web site for the general public. Do whatever is necessary so that commercial search engines find our site when looking for SD. Support conference management on the WWW. Create site documentation strategy. Seriously monitor progress and plan for a more long range solution Document what we have and what we plan to do. Review WWW development alternatives post-September 2000. Develop a longer run plan and plan a transition from Vedat to next phase. Create a time budget for planned work. Account for how time is actually spent on this work. What are the Key Roles? Jack Pugh is the Society Webmaster who designs the overall look and feel for the site and sets work priorities for the summer. Jack will work directly with Vedat Diker. Vedat Diker will do the "hands on" web work at Albany, working directly for and with Jack. He will be paid on an hourly basis and will support Roberta's effort to track effort levels being invested in the WWW. Mike Radzicki will continue to work on the WWW development at WPI, concentrating on applications that run models in the Windows NT environment. He will play a key role in the transition of the PC site to Albany and will keep the WPI site up in parallel until that transition is successful. Roberta Spencer will be Vedat's formal supervisor in Albany, even though Vedat will be working directly with Jack. She will resolve any conflicts around Vedat's time (e.g., Jack needs something and the Bergen conference needs something from Vedat in the same week). She will create a system that tracks level of effort on WWW issues for planning and budgeting purposes. David Andersen will work with Roberta to budget for WWW development in the 2001 Society budget. Back To Policy Council Business Page Back To Home Page

   Last modified: November 02, 2000