Web Manager University – Fall 2008
Class Title: Managing Government Websites 101
| Class Format: | Two–Day Course | |
| Instructor: | Candi Harrison and others | |
| Date: | Tuesday – Wednesday, September 23–24, 2008 | |
| Time: | 9:00 am – 4:00 pm ET | |
| Place: | Department of Labor (DOL) | |
| Fee: | $400 federal, state, or local U.S. government; $600 for non-government |
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Register for this course (registration form hosted by a third–party vendor)
Course Description
Have you recently been hired to work on a government website? Or are you a more seasoned web professional who needs a refresher on basic web management skills and best practices? If so, Web 101 will provide you with the solid overview you need. We'll cover the current status and strategic direction of government websites, how to participate in the government web management community, and discuss laws and other requirements that you're required to meet. We'll talk about the roles of government web managers and go into some of the most important aspects of being a great web manager: listening to your audience, focusing on top tasks that your audience wants and needs, and creating content that communicates effectively. We'll also touch on some of the exciting new directions in using social media to reach our audiences.
What You Will Learn
The course will cover:
- Basics of web governance (web policies and procedures, etc.)
- Roles of a government web manager
- How to identify your customers' top tasks
- Basic rules for writing for the web
- Principles of user–centered design
- Practical uses of web metrics
- Tips on optimizing your content for search engines
- Current uses of social media to engage our audience and market our services
- Top 10 best practices in government web management
- Suggestions for next steps
Course Outline
Day 1
| 9:00 – 10:00 | Introduction |
- Where we've been, where we are, where we're going
- Current government web strategy
| 10:00 – 10:15 | Break |
| 10:15 – 12:00 |
Basic Governance |
- Your role as a web manager, in your agency and in the community
- Effective governance
| 12:00 – 1:00 |
Lunch |
| 1:00 – 1:30 |
Putting Citizens First |
- Listen to the audience; top tasks
| 1:30 – 2:15 |
Using Web Metrics |
| 2:15 – 2:30 |
Break |
| 2:30 – 4:00 |
Principles of Usability |
Day 2
| 9:00 – 10:00 |
Writing for the Web |
- Basic rules of writing for the web
- Group writing exercise
| 10:00 – 10:15 |
Break |
| 10:15 – 11:00 |
Basics of SEO |
| 11:00 – 12:00 |
Web Requirements |
| 12:00 – 1:00 |
Lunch |
| 1:00 – 2:00 |
Social Media |
| 2:00 – 2:15 |
Break |
| 2:15 – 3:00 |
Best practices |
| 3:00 – 4:00 |
Summary and Next Steps |
- What you can/should do for yourself
- What you can/should do for your community
- What you might expect in the coming transition
Who Should Attend
Government web team members (federal, state, or local) who have been in the job two years or less, new web managers, government employees who want to be web managers, and seasoned web managers who want a little refresher.
About the Instructor
Candi Harrison was web manager at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, from 1995–2005, where she managed HUD's Internet and intranet websites, web-based public kiosks, and web clinics for HUD partners. Under her leadership, HUD received numerous awards, including the first Digital Government Award in 2000 for outstanding use of the Internet in serving citizens; the E-Gov Trailblazer Award in 2001 for HUD's web clinics; and the E–Gov Pioneer Award in 1999 for HUD's kiosks.
In 2004, Candi co-chaired the interagency U.S. Government Web Content Standards Working Group (currently known as the Federal Web Managers Council), as part of the Interagency Committee on Government Information (ICGI), required by the E–Gov Act of 2002. The group researched and recommended policies for federal public websites that resulted in OMB's direction to agency heads in OMB Memorandum M–05–04. Candi organized and led workshops across the country to train government web managers on the new federal policies and best practices; and she helped create Webcontent.gov, as a resource for government web managers.
In 2000, Candi founded the Web Content Managers Forum as a means for government web content managers to exchange best practices and lessons learned, a group that now numbers more than 1,300 members across the country. She remained part of its leadership until she retired in September 2005, after 24 years of federal government service.
Since her retirement, Candi has taught several courses for Web Manager University, including courses on web governance and web manager leadership. She also maintains a blog on her experiences and ideas to improve the way government communicates with citizens.
Prior to working in government, Candi was a member of student services staffs at the University of Pennsylvania, PA, and Rider University in Lawrenceville, NJ. She holds a B.S. in English Education and an M.S. in Higher Education Administration, both from Indiana University.
Candi now lives in Tucson, AZ.
Return to the Fall 2008 Schedule of Classes
Content Lead: Meghan Burrows
Page Updated or Reviewed: July 28, 2008
