A New Look for the Boston Mensa Web Site.
October 1, 2009


Currently, Boston Mensa is maintaining three web sites
Tom Birchmire Boston Mensa Main Web Site 
Al Beecy  Boston Mensa two RG web sites and Region Website
Three sites on three servers.

 We also have a Boston Mensa Facebook page.

This document is a presentation of website features Boston Mensa might want to have. There is no mention how this is all implemented.  The discussion about servers, programming language, etc is omitted as there are any number of systems available. We need to decide on the features needed and then discuss methods. I surveyed several commercial sites and they all seem to offer similar features:

Desired Features For Boston Mensa:

This is an online system. Any changes are available immediately available.
A common theme for the site. Similar looking pages easily created from a theme data base.
A easy to use web-editor that members can use to maintain pages, enter new content without having to think about HTML. There are a number of free web editors available.  TinyMCE is one of the better ones.
I envision that the various committee heads would maintain their pages.  

Some Features of Social Club Sites and How Boston Mensa might utilize them.
 
Calendar
Shows an online calendar with dates highlighted. When you click on a date the specific event is shown in detail. The calendar editor can enter events on line using the web editor. The events can have a Mapquest-like link and driving directions.

Newsletter
The newsletter can be HTML based or can be uploaded .doc or .pdf
E-Bulletin.  Once again web-editor based to allow the contributors to easily send content to the editor. Content easily downloadable/uploadable for the editor. 

Member Directory

Lists the membership name and contact info and some minimal info
Sometime the directory is hidden in a members area. Sometimes not available online at all.
Allows emails to be sent to the membership including the newsletter and up coming events
Provides for members photos if members had a bio.

Administration

There is a web administrator who has control of the site.
From there he can grant authority to various members to be able to maintain the entire web site, or only certain pages.  For example the calendar needs to be able to update the events page and the calendar page but does not have edit the membership directory.
This means there has to be variable authority built into the pages.
The web administrator needs to be able to easily maintain the sites pages/menus.
If a type of page such as Photo event, newsletter, or calendar needs to be created, there is an existing template that can be added to the Menu/Index page as a main page or a subpage. From there the Photo editor can add photos, rearrange, retitle, etc.  The newsletter editor can archive the current edition and create a new one. Committee chair-people can maintain their event online.   

Sponsorship
Some clubs can have sponsors who can have credit mentioned in several categories (All over the site, on specific pages, etc.) One of the selling points is the obvious -  it helps pay for the site. 

Home Page Announcements
  Quickie announcements easily added to the front page.
Meeting Location and Map
  Mensa has lots of meetings at lots of locations.  An on-line meeting/events calendar could have Mapquest links added for each locations as part of the event write up.
 
Officers Page
How to contact. The site could provide a contact form that does not reveal any email information during processing. Event sponsors could have a contact form exposed to the general public that would not reveal their email address.  They, of course, could put any level of contact information on their event.   

Contact Us
  Mensa could have a Gmail site where questions and answers could be discussed.
   There could be general contact form as described in the Officers Page.
   
About the Organization
  Purpose.
  Charter.
  How to Join.
  Testing 
     This is one area where the testing coordinator could maintain their own page.

Useful Links

Site Map
  Provides direct links to the various pages as an option to the menu sidebar.

Event Planner
 Allows special pages to be created for specific events along with a PayPal/Credit Card payment feature.  Events with a location display a Mapquest like map and directions.   

Photo Manager 
  Once again online based with the ability to easily create new photo albums and to easily upload event pictures.

Discussion Forum
  We have a Facebook page where certain a amount of discussion occurs. We also could have a similar Boston Mensa format 

Message Center

Dues and Billing

Committees 
  Each committee would maintain their own pages online using the online editor. 
  Some offer on-line committee signup and assignment of duties.
 Classified Ads
   Members could post ads.
File Archieves
   The database could store both public and public and private archieves.  The current system is very haphazard.  Beacon Back Issues, Ex-com minutes, photo,  and event write ups drop off once the initial posting is past.