15 Oct
Posted by Raphaele
The microformats website itself give the simplest definition: “Microformats are small bits of HTML that represent things like people, events, tags, etc. in web pages.”
That’s it. Microformats are a normalised way to describe web pages content, taking them small bit by small bit, instead of describing the whole document as we are used to with XML format. By structuring sub elements of a web page, microformats make them readable and searchable for computer eye. Microformatted elements are then easy to exchange and combine.
Is this useful for my website?
Among other technologies and formats, microformats are a step toward semantic web. They are a simple way to structure your content to make it (almost) universally understable. Taking part in such a way to make the web more inteligent may not be immediatly useful. But if these formatting rules are widely used on websites, they will become really interesting and fun to play with. Even if microformats don’t end up as THE semantic standard, you will have spent some time thinking about structuration of your content, it is not a loss of work.
How may I get microformatted?
One other good thing about microformats is they are simple to implement, at least for the familiarisation phase (I got started with hCard and hReview and I still have some work to do onit). For some of them, such as hCalendar ou hReview, you can find code generators. Once you’ve got the code,you don’t need any more tools than your usual text editor. As this is an open format, you can also contribute to microformats expansion by implementing, giving feedback, writing documentation, even proposing a new format if needed.
Any more questions?
14 Oct
Posted by Raphaele
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The Website Manager’s Handbook, by Shane Diffily
Oct 8, 2007 by
Raphaele Lamaze-Beyssac
product
The Website Manager’s Handbook
★★★★☆
This book is the only one I have come across giving a realistic insight in the profession of website management. It gives a clear description of daily tasks as well as ways to manage new projects such as website (re)development. All in all it is a great testimony about the fact that managing a website is a proper job, which takes specific tools and methods to get a professional result.
Among other interesting points, Diffily breaks down website management tasks in several core roles. For instance the publishing process is to be handled by the following roles: editor, contributor, moderator, legal reviewer, designer, developer. He also gives an interesting list of documents to use to ensure website content will meet highest quality standards.
The book also gives a good picture of the web design job, identifying major actors beyond the so well known Graphic Designer. Diffily pays tribute to Information Architects and Interface Designers, and it is good to read.
He repeatedly points out common misconception about supposed easiness of web design and development. The sections about website design demonstrate how an amateurish approach can result in a poor website on graphics, content and functionalities points of view.
A whole chapter focuses on the importance of governance. A website can’t be managed by a poor isolated guy and meet highly strategic goals. Diffily describes entities and documents that may help to make website strategy visible and actually help it to be a global tool for organisation.
Reading The Website Manager’s Handbook is therefore highly recommended for professionals. But they should also recommend it to their managers to help them to get a good overview of what managing a website involves.
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