New AIC website - a work in progress

[arclight]

I still need to review things with Asaf and clean up aesthetics before we launch, but I expect http://p5.dev.austinimprov.com/ will look a lot like Phase 1 of the new AIC website.

Yes, there were four or so false starts before we got to this point.

I think I have most of the people, troupes, venues, and schools listed, though I can't vouch for all the person<->troupe relationships being accurate. I'm still migrating reviews, articles, and press stuff as well as important stuff like the link to ACoT and the real list of upcoming events. Overall, I'm looking for feedback on site navigation, missing or desired content, and general impressions.

How does the site work for you as a performing improvisor? As an audience member? As a reporter or columnist? As someone who wants to take a class? As an experienced improvisor new to town? As a potential donor?

Think about what each of these people would care about if they came to our site and how easy it is for them to find what they're looking for.

Once we settle on a brand and an aesthetic theme I'll call for volunteers to edit and enter content (fleshing out troupe and performer pages, event listings, etc.) I've done an assload of data entry in the past week and it's time to share the love (aside: who knew Gigglepants had so many members?) So if you want your bio updated, please hold that thought until we've got the thumbs up to deploy this thing.

It's been a long time coming, involving a lot of thinking and worrying and discussing, lots of data entry, and a surprisingly small amount of real brainwork, mainly due to false starts and getting some serious help from my improv graduating classmate Matt Vance. We all owe Matt a huge debt of gratitude for providing the critical insight that got this project moving quickly and efficiently to the state that it's in today.

Anyway, post comments here and they'll get addressed, either fixed in Phase 1 (pre-launch), Phase 2 (next round of updates after launch), or deferred until monkeys fly out my butt (Phase 37.)

And yeah, Andy P.'s name is misspelled. I'm sure of that. Phase 1.

[mpbrockman]

Wow, Bob. Much effort apparent here - nice work!

[arclight]

Thanks. The site is done in Drupal which is easy to install and maddeningly configurable. The problem was figuring out how to do what we wanted and installing the dozen or so modules that helped with that. We tried about 6-12 months ago and got stuck; Matt got busy and I kept adding things until the site collapsed under its own weight.

I tried a more limited approach this time, Matt had more time to help, and he's learned a huge amount about Drupal in the interim. Those three factors made it a lot easier to get the job done. Also, Asaf had asked for a description of the work I thought was necessary and what elements were critical for success so I had to write it down and that's instrumental whenever you try to do web design. Once I forwarded that to Matt, he digested it for a week or so and we knocked out the basics of the site in two hour-long sessions; I've filled in the gaps and sample data and last week the rest of it fell mostly into place.

On the one hand, it wasn't a huge amount of work, but on the other, without Matt's guidance there was no way the site would kick the ass that it does.

[arclight]

Oh, one more thing - you can email me or PM me if you don't want to post any criticisms in public. It's all cool.

[mpbrockman]

The site is done in Drupal...

...which is... maddeningly configurable.

[mpbrockman]

It was either that or "Drupal - the anti-Viagra".