Effectively Using Internet Technology

Brian Cordeau

University of Texas – San Antonio

Overview

RSS (Really Simple Syndication)– What is it?

Analyst Chat– How can we use it?

Data Request Help Page– Bringing it together

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

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

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

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

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

Useful Links

www.blogger.com http://www.xml.com/pub/a/2002/12/18/dive-

into-xml.html Google: RSS, News Feeds, News Readers

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

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…?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Questions and comments?

This Presentation will also be online after the conference