Effectively Using Internet Technology

1. Effectively Using Internet Technology Brian Cordeau University of Texas – San Antonio

2. Overview • RSS (Really Simple Syndication) • What is it? • Analyst Chat • How can we use it? • Data Request Help Page • Bringing it together

3. RSS • What is it? • Something new • How can we use it for our office? • There are many different ways • Can it be easily implemented? • Yes, through existing mediums • Examples we have used

4. RSS, News Feeds, Orange Button • What is an RSS Feed? • It is a useful way to keep visitors informed about what is going on in the office • Visitors can subscribe to the feed and get updates as they become available • It allows them to stay up to date with the office without having to check the website for updates

5. Some Possible Uses • Website Updates • New pages, new reports, generally useful information about what is changing on the site • Ideas for Quick Statements • Using Google Alerts • Example

6. Implementation • Blogger • The most efficient way I have found • Allows your office to create a Blog and the RSS feed is generated automatically • It is easier to use than other RSS generators

7. Caveats • Not all Internet users know how to use them • This is public information • Be careful what you post • Keeping the Blog up to date takes some time management

8. Useful Links • www.blogger.com • http://www.xml.com/pub/a/2002/12/18/dive-into-xml.html • Google: RSS, News Feeds, News Readers

9. Chat with an Analyst • Why would we want to do this? • To provide quick information (in writing) • What can we use to implement this? • AOL • Yahoo • Any Other IM service (Google Talk, ICQ, MSN..) • What it is not used for? • Questions requiring in depth conversation • Sensitive Information

10. Why? • Clients need • Quick status updates • Possible time frame • Answers to any questions about the process • Future Clients • What do I use this Data Request form for? • What information goes in field X? • Do you have information on…?

11. Chat Services • The Two that we use • AOL Instant Messenger • Yahoo Instant Messenger • Each have a simple set up • Chat Programs such as GAIM or Trillian combine these two formats

12. Some Points • It is not used for in depth analysis • This would be tedious • Not used to submit new requests • Direct users to Data Request form • Currently we are in the testing phase

13. Implementation • Simple to implement • Simply paste the screen name(s) into the web page • This allows users to cut and paste our screen name into their Contacts list • There are other ways using proprietary methods

14. Useful Links • http://www.aim.com/ • http://www.yahoo.com/ • http://www.ceruleanstudios.com/ • Trillian allows multiple connections • http://gaim.sourceforge.net/ • Gaim also allows multiple connections

15. Our Data Request Help Page • Frequently Asked Questions • Allows clients to get a feel for the Data Request Process • Analyst Chat • Short Explanation about using Instant Messaging • Positive Feedback • Allows future clients to see that we are doing a good job

16. Data Request FAQ • General Questions • Time Frame • Types of Requests Filled • How does this work? • Step-by-step • What information goes into each field on the Data Request form? • Each field is described here

17. The Finished Product • The UTSA IR Website (http://www.utsa.edu/ir) • RSS Feed and Blog • The Data Request Help Page • FAQs • Chat with an Analyst • Positive Comments

18. Questions and comments? • This Presentation will also be online after the conference