Ruby, Ruby, Ruby, Ruby...
08/01/2008
It is always a pleasure to work with a client who understands that any successful application starts with the user. So when an invitation to tender for a project stating a primary criterion as being "user-centric design" arrived, our response was an immediate and heartfelt "Yes!"
Becta, the government's education technology agency, developed the self-review framework in 2005. The framework provides a straightforward method to allow schools and colleges to create and implement effective ICT strategies. Becta plan to enhance the framework by offering a highly tailored, user-centric tool that will not only provide resource and support to school leaders, but will also allow the participants to share their experiences online.
In early October we received the news; Technophobia won the contract, beating off stiff competition. Our goal is clear: develop a website for the users, based on solid technologies and Web 2.0 theories, implemented using well defined and accepted web standards, and underpinned with strong Project Management.
We have a long and successful history working alongside Becta developing web tools, and this project sits squarely within our remit. We pride ourselves in developing user-focused, accessible, and highly functional websites that exceed our client's expectations.
Our winning proposition incorporated a complete Administration Suite based on existing Becta work flows including a bespoke Content Management System. For this reason, one of the underlying tenets of the self-review framework proposition is a bespoke content management system. A system, built from the ground up, considering the users work processes allows the users to seamlessly integrate the new application into their daily work.
Technophobia also embraces well defined web standards as part of their commitment to web usability; the Web should be accessible to all and through the use of web standards, we can work to ensure that anyone will be able to access all the features of the Self Review Framework tool.
We plan to implement these processes using a new technology called Ruby on Rails. Ruby on Rails, or RoR as it is called in the development community, offers a framework built specifically for online development. Since its introduction in July 2004, Ruby on Rails has attracted a throng of developers all over the world due to the basic beliefs of only specifying unconventional aspects of the application and locating information in a single, easy to find place. These two rules lead to speedy and efficient development by avoiding unneeded repetition in the code.
Our final part of the proposition was our commitment to Project Management. We believe that no application can be developed without a clear plan and to this aim we commit ourselves to not only developing this plan but also ensure that Becta are fully involved during the entire process. All of our projects are managed to a PRINCE2 standard ensuring that they are delivered on time and on budget.
We look forward to releasing the new self-review framework tool in Summer 2008, so watch this space...
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