Old website - home page - musings!

I could strikethrough much of the text here:

Earlier this evening I thought "This could not happen at a better time!" Suddenly - or maybe not if I'd checked before - the New Year emphasised the age of the h2cm homepage. It did look poorly.

On the old PC in 2005 I updated the home page using Fireworks, that was the last front-end revision. When I checked in a couple of browsers the formatting of the graphics for the menus was falling apart. The links still worked, but the main image was out-of-kilter.

I actually thought this was good news.

For a short while I put a note up apologising for the mangled look. Anyway, it works out I messed up the Doctype declaration. It looks OK now and I've taken the opportunity to highlight the Colombia conference.

The trip to South America later this month means that I've pushed a short break back to March. I've not many holidays left, but plan to pack laptop, spend a couple of days walking and with Drupal plus HTML5 and CSS3. I'm really enjoying .NET magazine and should subscribe. In December they featured a CD with CSS3 video training with Think Vitamin. It does give you an appetite to tear stuff down and start again...

Just to mention, the communication - dementia care teaching session went very well. Six people - one general nurse and five health care support workers. They helped me too adding to my notes. I'd left out the impact of dementia on eating and drinking, they needed reminding about swallowing. Lots of discussion and questions.

They appreciated the basic SENDER - channel - RECEIVER communication model (and I didn't mention bits and bytes). I managed to create a feedback form too. This and the slides I'll feed into the training group as collectively we try to identify, source and brand learning materials. Not sure as yet about the personalised care session, I'll ring up tomorrow morning.

Help wanted: Broken links (and help upstairs)

Periodically on W2tQ I highlight the four care domain links pages, e.g.:

http://hodges-model.blogspot.com/2009/06/heroes-wanted-to-slay-monster-or-just.html
http://hodges-model.blogspot.com/2010/02/topicscape-care-domain-links-in-3d-for.html

Simon Phillips emailed me, copied below: (edited removing the actual broken links)
------------------
Peter,

I am writing to notify you of a small issue that I have just found on one of the pages of p-jones.demon.co.uk

http://www.p-jones.demon.co.uk/links.htm

There seems to be a number of broken links on this page. These are the links that I found were not working:

• Nat. MH Info Center Substance Abuse and MH Services Admin. (SAMHSA)
• Systematic Reviews: Centre for Reviews and Dissemination
• Advancing literacy: A review of LIFE 2006–2009 UNESCO
• Wearable Computer Lab
• Keldy Forest

Obviously it is not a particularly great user experience when the links of a website don’t work, which is why I thought I would bring this to your attention. I trust you will be able to fix this issue soon.

Thanks for taking the time to read this email and for creating such a useful website.

Kind regards
Simon Phillips
-----------------

Simon runs a website about stair lifts, which provides information on choosing a stair lift and a comparison table of UK stair lift manufacturers.

In response I've corrected the links. I do check them with some automated tools, but as mentioned since 1998... they have become something of a monster. Considering the total number the vast majority are valid.

Before you all dash to check and get in touch :-) which would be greatly appreciated, please note that I can't necessarily respond to all such contacts in this way - but I can see what I can do ...

Many Thanks Simon!

W2tQ & H2CM: the old site and CSS3 & HTML5

As mentioned before this blog is shifting down a gear or two (besides - less is more).

The effort to engage by providing creative and original content
+ selective announcements will continue and 

many thanks 

to the people who have recently seen fit to contact me

and say they appreciate what is here.
You are welcome!

I need to 'finish' a basic Drupal 6 site, start on h2cm for Drupal 7. This will include tinkering with the old site. Yes, I know.... but it's a good way to learn about CSS3 and HTML5. I've invested a lot in the links pages and Autumn - Winter's the time to try Drupalesence.

So there will be some changes on the old site, content and formatting which may not look 'finished' (there's that word again) or work cross-browser. Thanks for your patience and your visit.

[I know there are 27 posts on the PostRank list, but there's quite an archive now so the top 27 of 700+ is still sorting itself out.]

Drupal musings 19 to follow just after midnight GMT on DrupalCamp Edinburgh ... ;-)

Drupal musings 11: Git up and go ...

For more than I care to remember I've recognised that version control is an essential facet of software development. During this time though I've not had a need for version control. Renewed awareness of this tool was inevitable as I decided to identify a content management system [CMS], which brought me to Drupal and I simultaneously also discovered Ruby.

Now I'm pleased that over the past three years I did not commit to Concurrent Versions System [CVS] as used by the Drupal community. I listened to talks, downloaded, and tinkered, but now - the (old) news that Drupal 8 development will use GIT.

So, for me it is time to jump on-board with git for version control: a book and presentations next week:

http://cph2010.drupal.org/sessions/git-fundamentals

It's not that I'll be contributing to D8, it just makes sense to git up to speed on this (sorry!). I've been through the program and created my schedule for next week in Copenhagen. There is so much to look forward to!

Version control is one thing, having the need and discipline for testing is another ...

Drupal musings 10: Archive & FAQ

There are now three archive pages more or less complete. I'm using HTML 5 and CCS3 (well trying) to mark and style the pages, with the addition of the new semantic tags:

article, aside, figure, footer, header, hgroup, menu, nav, section {display:block;}

(I'm not sure if these disappeared at one point in the editor, so everything is a work in progress.)

Next up - the FAQs. As a live document this will be styled differently. As yet I am not quite sure how, but I still need to sort the way to handle quotes. The method I found includes blockquote: hover: after in the style sheet, then combines blockquote, cite and p on the page. The problem is you can't copy and paste, something that visitors may wish to do. A related issue is how to display when the page was updated and accessed - an essential piece of page furniture. A search reveals many other examples and now is the time to experiment.

I also have to remember that I still don't know what the final theme and look for the site will be. So global settings, columns and such like need to be kept in-check for the moment. There may be Drupal modules to add page access / updated details, so time to check on this and accessibility. And all with just ten days more to work - then Drupalcon! :-)

The questions and answers are being be completely revised; so if you have any you would like to see please get in touch: h2cmng at yahoo.co.uk

Drupal musings 9: Copenhagen next month & the archive

With less than a month to go now until Drupalcon 2010 in Europe - Copenhagen; it's time to look at the program:

http://cph2010.drupal.org/news/initial-program

- and the tracks available. Already, the session choice is dizzying. In the mix is -

• Designing UI with Seven, Mark Boulton
• Semantic Taxonomies, Johannes Wehner
• Add a mobile version to your Drupal site, Martin Jørge
• Imaginary users can save your Drupal site, J-P Stace
• Writing Better CSS for Drupal, Maarten Verbaarscho

It will be worthwhile considering previous events and sessions attended and building on the content there. I must also check on the education app related sessions, birds of a feather.

I showed someone the styled archive pages - apparently they look old - good to hear! ;-)

Drupal musings 8: Styling the archive

I've been editing the basic html pages (as mentioned before on W2tQ) these include:

• Brian Hodges' introduction with a content listing and the scope of the model to help bridge theory and practice.
• My introduction to the model based on an interview with Brian conducted 28th May 1998 in Manchester, England.

I've been here before and lost the thread, working within Drupal. This time though editing the pages in Textmate, things are taking shape. Three headings, three fonts (currently) Georgia, Droid Serif, Tangerine; styled lists and striped tables. It might be basic, but there is a style sheet that is almost breathing as it INFLATES : deflates, the result of various experiments. The fonts look good except for the FOUT 'flash of unstyled text'. As the previous link shows there are some fixes for that - which I hope will follow in due course. That would be a distraction at this point though as there is much to focus upon. Although the archive will have a style of its own, other parts of the site must reflect its content. That said, there still needs to be some stylistic coherence. ...

Written in Padstow, Quayside Cottage listening to a children's show on the bandstand.

Drupal musings 7: HTML5, CSS3 ... & Mr Hodges meets Drupal

At Manchester airport in May I noticed Web Design Essentials (WDE). Reasons of cost £14.99 and weight meant it was put back on the news stand. The content was excellent! Back in the UK a week later, no sign of it in the supermarket. I found a copy this week at WH Smiths and made the 'investment' - a belated holiday treat.

This is gold mine of nuggets on HTML5, design - wireframes, user experience (UX), fonts and typography:

http://www.font-face.com/
http://fontdeck.com/

- personas, CSS3, jQuery and much more. Now I think about it UX has been around for quite a while, it's a sure sign of how web design has matured such that practitioners can and must focus on the experience. There's another blog post there contrasting UX in web design with UX in health services. Reading about the use of personas in design and planning for a site might also deserve a specific post. As WDE indicates there are companies dedicated to UX. I do not have that luxury and yet I do have to define my initial target audience and their anticipated experience.

The web design related listing I maintain at LINKS I (Intrapersonal) are being updated as a result of the leads in WDE.

Through the scheduling and poll services of Doodle (thanks Chris) and with the Drupal NW England list I'm checking on which day in the autumn - November - is best for a group of volunteers to help jump start the new site. Everything is sorted now for Drupalcon next month.

Drupal musings 6: Content types - Reflection!

Does anyone have any experience in using established models of reflection in:

• education (nursing, public health, information technology)
  
• practice
• therapy
• supervision
  
• carer support
• eHealth
  
• ... ?

If so please get in touch [h2cmng at yahoo.co.uk].

In its initial downloaded state Drupal has two content types:

1. story
2. and page.

The option then is to use these which would be rather limiting. Add to these two by enabling other core modules. Drupal administrators can extend the core functionality by adding other modules which provide new content types.

You can also roll your own. A key content type for the new site is one that uses the health career model to facilitate - reflection - one of the original purposes for the model.

This also provides an opportunity to adopt a model of reflection that is itself supported by research. This may be Gibbs:

• Stage 1: Description of the event
• Stage 2: Feelings and Thoughts (Self awareness)
• Stage 3: Evaluation
• Stage 4: Analysis
• Stage 5: Conclusion (Synthesis)
• Stage 6: Action Plan

John's Model of Structured Reflection

• Aesthetics – the art of what we do, our own experiences
• Personal – self awareness
• Ethics – moral knowledge
• Empirics – scientific
• with its Cue Questions

Smyth’s Framework for Reflection on Action

• Activity
• Inform (Analysis)
• Confront (Self awareness)
• Reconstruct (Evaluation and Synthesis)

There are many others. ...

Once the hedgehog-headlights glare has passed, this is going to be a really interesting project. There must be a way to link one (or more) of the above with each of h2cm's care (knowledge) domains. There must be a way to create a first version that can be extended and support other content types. The possibilities are really exciting - hence the glare (reflected of course!).

Some reflection sources:

http://www.practicebasedlearning.org/resources/materials/docs/reflectiononpractice.pdf

http://www.communityhealthcarebolton.co.uk/SHA/LLL/resources/reflective/Framework%20for%20Reflection.doc

Drupal musings 5: Jump start for a new blog / site

Last month I had a great offer from the Drupal North West UK user group members at Manchester's - MadLab.

The proposal is using a central Manchester venue with wifi for a day engage some volunteers and create a new version of this blog in Drupal. This has woken me up! Putting a request out MDDA - Manchester Digital Development Agency have kindly offered to help out in terms of the venue.

At this months meeting I explained where things are up to and it was clear I still had some sorting to do.

As Chris and the others asked: What can Drupal do that Blogger cannot deliver?

Recently Blogger have extended their template design and functionality. So, now I should be able to find a new (and clean) template and re-introduce comments. In 2006 when I started the blog there were problems with spam.

So... it looks best to leave the blog as a going concern and focus on a new site for Hodges' model and the specific content and functionality requirements there.

I have my ticket for Drupalcon Copenhagen, for me this is 3rd time lucky, last chance saloon. This would be great timing and with the darkening nights too. ...

A phantom outline (currently an example of the 'living-dead') has been known for a while:

• Archive
  
• Case Studies (content types)
  
• Glossary
• Introduction - beginners guide to the health career model
  
• ...
  

If in one day a group of Drupalers can help me jump start this project that would be - awesome! First though I have to get an idea of numbers and a poll to gauge which day is the best for people - looking ahead to October - November. Before then I have some work to do...

Drupal musings 4: Modules and the nursing masquerade

Periodically I go through the list of available modules for Drupal both the current version and that in development - at present that is versions 6 and 7.

Reading the descriptions and reflecting on a module's functionality it is surprising where they can take you. Some of the modules stand out, prompting thoughts of potential applications. This is not just a case of descriptions fulfilling their role. Some of them shout out just by virtue of their name.

'Organic groups' will change to 'Group' in Drupal 7. If there is one thing about groups in nursing they are organic - whether that's disciplinary groups, groups held by nurses. Groups are a basic part of the structure and content of Hodges' model, and so it may be well worth factoring in the Group module from the outset.

As I read about the Masquerade module:

The masquerade module is designed as a tool for site designers and site administrators. It allows a user with the right permissions to switch users. While masquerading, a field is set on the $user object, and a menu item appears allowing the user to switch back. Watchdog entries are made any time a user masquerades or stops masquerading.

I thought of the tribes and camps within nursing and health care in general. Have we moved on? Well OK, let's see how holistic, integrated, multidisciplinary nursing is these days: picture then the nurse in medicine, surgical, operating theatre acting as a mental health nurse, learning disability nurse and vice versa?

Can we spot the imposter? One suspects (surely) that given a technical case study, care scenario then the game would be up very quickly. As to basic nursing care situations, there might be an interesting party there?

Image source: http://www.mchooksinc.com/catalog/index.php

Happy Birthday: W2tQ is Four! #h2cm #w2tq

Welcome to the QUAD [W2tQ] appeared four years ago today.

It started very slowly with just three posts between April 2006 and August. The annual post totals are:

2010 - 69 (so far)

2009 - 183

2008 - 180

2007 - 138

2006 - 28

Unfortunately, the plan to feature comments (this is supposed to be blog) came unstuck as back in 2006-2008 spam was an acute problem on blogger. The spam situation's much better now, but in re-installing comments the template I've adopted is proving problematic in some cussed ways. I could change the template and try again, but all that takes time ....

Although 'devoted to' Hodges' model (h2cm, the health career model), three broad themes have emerged:

1. nursing, health, global health, public health, policy, politics
   
2. informatics, technology, sociotechnical, visualization
   
3. education, nursing education, academia, conferences, curricula
   

Let's have a look at a selection of tag-label counts:

Hodges model 150, care domains 45, definitions 41, reflection 21

• nursing 80, health 45, global health 54, older people 39, public health 36, policy 93, politics 59
• informatics 213, technology 62, sociotechnical 44, visualization 27
• education 131, nursing education 9, academia 24, conference 61, curricula 18

Surprises (if any) include:

• Drupal 52
• economics 38
• aptitude 4 and attitude 15 (good to see them there, I stress these constantly with students)
• public mental health 38 (Still so much to do!)
  

I realise informatics is a great personal interest, but not to the extent of 213 posts. Of course, if I am helping to publicise conferences and these are faintly, just a tad bit technical then they are usually tagged informatics too.

• dementia 26 and mental health 45

As I work in mental health and the care of people coping with dementia and their families is an ongoing part of my daily work these tags could figure more. This blog is not solely focussed upon work.

I would like to think that the blog and its posts point to the future also, by way of:

• research 89
• concepts 23 conceptual spaces 21
• references 12
• h2cm community 28, h2cm website 38

It was only last August that I added the bibliography to the blog, and as mentioned there if you can add to the list of publications please get in touch.

So as I close this post, to go light the four ;-) candles on the cake,
may I say a big -

Thank you!

- to all W2tQ's readers and supporters.

Images source:
http://www.beatrixpotteremporium.com/

The post totals and tags above are subject to change as some posts may be deleted, tags merged...

Notes (IV) for a 2010 introduction to the Health Career Model

... Influences past, present and future

The above [development, definitions] can be explained more coherently by reflecting on events and influences at the time when Brian Hodges first created the model commuting between Manchester and his home in Sheffield in the NW England. We can compare and contrast the situation from 1983-84 and so highlight:

• models of nursing
• the nursing process
• individualised care (through the nursing process)
• mind mapping

Models of nursing and nursing theory are still there on nursing curricula. Students still write the essays in their first year (as I learned this week), but their importance on many nursing courses - be that foundation, the adult, paediatric, learning disability or mental health branches; or post-graduate is diminished. This does not mean to the extent that they are no longer worthy of Masters dissertations and Doctorates, but the academic agenda and theoretical emphasi*, found in the curricula, practice and management have however moved on. The nursing process is now transparent, it is embedded into theory and practice in the form of paper (the nursing Kardex) and electronic record formats. What is interesting is that individualised, or personalised care remains a challenge to achieve and measure. The final item listed above - mind mapping - is in many respects coincidental, but was concurrent and of great importance for Hodges' model, informatics and the social sciences. For decades before Hodges' model was created the potential of diagrammatic forms and representation as an educational and learning tool was recognised and championed in several quarters notably in the 1970s by Buzan and others.

So, in 2010 we can identify needs - both old and new - to account for #:

• person-centred care
• public engagement
• preventive health programs (NHS = 'ill NHS')
• public health and public mental health (in which mental health is still 'lost')
• global health and nursing's role in achieving the aspirations of health for all (bridging other divides - local - global: glocal)
  
• information technology - various schools of informatics
• self-care
• demographic trends
• economics and care delivery / commissioning models
• information and visual literacy

In addition to knowledge, in light of the above, we can also add information as a key concept to help explain Hodges' model. The website in updates after 1998 attempted to introduce information as a concept that can conjoin Hodges' model, health and social care (nursing) and informatics (in particular the socio-technical). Of the original purposes the statement concerning bridging the theory - practice gap is too general to inform this introduction. ...

* emphasi = neologism: it just sounds right?
# At the same time - is that possible?

(Notes V to follow)

[These are notes. If you have any thoughts, views on a new introduction to the model please get in touch:
h2cmng @ yahoo.co.uk What do you feel needs to be explained? Which audience should be addressed in the first instance? What assumptions can be made? ....? Many thanks PJ ]

Notes I intro for 2010

Notes II intro for 2010

Notes III intro for 2010

Notes (III) for a 2010 introduction to the Health Career Model

Definition through purpose

The original purposes for the model's creation are as relevant today as they were in 1983-84:

1. To produce a curriculum development tool;
2. Help ensure holistic assessment and evaluation;
3. To support reflective practice;
4. To reduce the theory-practice gap.

Items 1-4 plus safety are all dependent in one way or another upon knowledge. Admittedly, this is a case of stating the obvious and something of a non-statement in that everything comes down to being knowledge (or nonsense). Resort to some global notion of 'knowledge' amounts to non-differentiation and this tells us nothing. On the contrary: this is how the simplicity of Hodges' model can cultivate and give rise to global complexity. This can help explain the model's potential and utility as a cognitive tool, an aide memoire, a mental prompt and structured conceptual checklist to frame:

• thought
• knowledge (ontology)
  
• perspectives
• dialogue
• problems
• strengths - weaknesses
• plans and actions
• outcomes
• and much more ...

Whether student or specialist practitioner various conceptual elements and (care) threads can be acquired, constructed, integrated and mapped from the dual (in-situ) worlds of theory and practice to the cognitive (personal - reflective) and virtual [cogeographic?]. This means the model can be used as a mental prompt helping to inform theory as in a lecture and subsequent essay; or practically during an interview or care assessment. Beyond this cognitive application, the model's produced can then also be captured and represented on paper, or as an electronic record - by various user communities. ... (Notes IV to follow)

[These are notes. If you have any thoughts, views on a new introduction to the model please get in touch:
h2cmng @ yahoo.co.uk What do you feel needs to be explained? Which audience should be addressed in the first instance? What assumptions can be made? ....? Many thanks PJ ]

Notes I intro for 2010

Notes II intro for 2010

Drupal musings 1: To Do List - Not To Do List

I have not written about my tinkerings with Drupal for a long time. Now I've new reading glasses with occupational lenses to boot I can hopefully make some proper headway.

The new PC is going to have to wait a while, so although the PC can and does run WAMP and Drupal I'm using a refurbished 15" Macbook Pro running MAMP to explore the budding functionality of Drupal 7.

As posted under Drupal on W2tQ ages ago I have taken the old html pages:

1. My introduction to Hodges' model (1998)
   
2. Brian's original course notes (I)
3. Brian's original course notes (II) Bridging theory and Practice

- with the aim of creating an archive within the new site. I'm re-visiting this job and have stripped the pages - naked: right down to the body and p tags. Eventually I will build some styling with CSS. I need a handle on the basic functionality to offer from day 1. The plan now is to push this (personal) envelope ever further without having a repeated scratch start. Drupal really does demand persistence. That's a problem when you can't give a project like this your ongoing attention.

A couple of additions I must organise include the constant companion that will be the Drupal notebook and a whiteboard. These will be useful over the coming weeks and months. The Drupal and PHP communities through a wide variety of sources are full of tips and code that you want to capture, filter and so possibly infuse into your project. I'm fast running out of excuses for the Drupal site no-show. On the positive side I have invested a great deal already attending the European Drupalcons in '08 and '09. Meeting a great group of Drupallers in Manchester and abroad. Reviewing my notes from Szeged + Paris and now with Copenhagen August 2010 in my sites (sorry!) - this means the project To-Do-List can get lengthy and threatens to overwhelm.

So, .... the Not-To-Do-List is even more important!

Many more Drupal musings - to follow ...

Notes (II) for a 2010 introduction to the Health Career Model

... Where to start?

By its very nature as already suggested Hodges' model is difficult to explain. There are so many elements that demand our attention and so many avenues to run. Despite revealing one heading to be followed, Murphy (2002) describes how a theory of concepts is still elusive. From this we might focus purely on nursing and take a professional stance. We should be able after all to assume solid grounds for the system that supports nursing: namely nurse education. There is no need to do this as existing theories of concepts can provide a vehicle for explanation and research of Hodges' model.

Frequently acknowledged as a science AND an art, the individual-group axis in Hodges' model and the accent on communication makes individual and group psychology as much a pivotal source of knowledge as human anatomy and physiology. There are differences in the methods of verification, but the dependency is there and evident in the core nursing curriculum. Even though psychology remains a young science, resort to psychology is advantageous in other respects as the development of cognitive science and computer science can also inform our thought and research on Hodges' model. Fundamental to this is the basic form of the model construct the 2 x 2 matrix.

There are a great multitude of models that take this 2 x 2 matrix form. Apart from mathematics examples one the most commonly cited and influential is the so-called Johari window model of Harry Ingham and Joseph Luft which dates from 1955. Luft and Ingham were psychologists who created their model at the University of California, Los Angeles, while researching group dynamics. The Johari model has found a home in soft systems problems and can now be found in many other variations and one-off examples. There are whole books devoted to the subject of '2 x 2', an acknowledgment indeed of their utility and ubiquity (Lowy and Hood, 2004). From the OHP transparencies of old to the latest data projection forms, the 2 x 2 matrix is the tool of choice in the management consultant's armamentarium. This special cognitive device can also serve the (global) health and social care community and do so right across the board*. ...

Ref:
http://www.amazon.com/Power-Matrix-Thinking-Decisions-Management/dp/0787972924

Additional links:

http://hodges-model.blogspot.com/2008/02/big-book-of-concepts.html

http://hodges-model.blogspot.com/2010/02/notes-for-2010-introduction-to-health.html

*I would not include that last sentence in a new introduction, but it completes the post.

Notes (I) for a 2010 introduction to the Health Career Model

.... The structure and composition of Hodges' model can be viewed as a sketch, a back-of-the-envelope idea expressed as a diagram as per (insert figure 1 and 2) and in combination (figure 3). While this is a perfectly valid interpretation it invites the view that Hodges' model is simplistic. In its basic unpopulated form the model is simplistic, in the same way that a blank canvas, computing device display, or piece of paper is simplistic. There is however, much more going on here, consideration of which can lead us to new ways to justify and explain the model.

"Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler"
Albert Einstein

Einstein is helpful because while simple - the model provides the foundation for global conceptual scope (complexity) should this be needed. Hodges' model demonstrates the complexity of health and social care without making it simpler.

"Simplicity means the achievement of maximum effect with minimum means."
Dr. Koichi Kawana, Architect

If Hodges' model is simple, a way to represent the tip of the health and social care iceberg, then why should we then wish for global conceptual scope? The reasons are manifold, but revolve around one factor:

safety.

...

Quotes source: http://www.petefreitag.com/item/496.cfm

Sun Microsystems blog: Pretty good example* of a Strategic (Design) Brief

The Sun Microsystems site includes a blog (Martin Hardee) with an article entitled as above that poses eight questions. These questions can greatly inform the process of creating a strategic brief (which is also provided for download). Although the item is from 2005 and the context differs - contrast a corporate website design and a future website for Hodges' model - there is value for me in answering the questions. So here goes... starting with the opening paragraph from the original blog post then the questions in bold, interspersed with my responses:

As I've mentioned in previous postings, the most important single step you can take in designing anything for the web is to create a strategic brief. This should be done early in the discovery phase of any design project. The reason it's so important is that it will make you focus and it will provide a guide map for whoever is creating and implementing your design. To write a strategic brief, you'll need to know a lot of important but oft-ignored basics such as:

A) Why are you embarking on this design (or new web site, or whatever), anyway?

The existing website was created in 1997 using Hot Metal Pro and written in HTML. The site was built as a personal and spare time project around the original course notes of Brian Hodges. These were in the form of Word files produced with secretarial support as part of a Post Graduate Certificate of Eduction project. As a result the current website has developed in a rather ad-hoc manner, with the addition of pages on informatics and information. The home page was re-designed in 2005 using Fireworks reflecting the model for which it is 'home'. At no point thus far has the website provided a community for users of Hodges' model. The site is currently static, without a database to support dynamic content development and a community of users.

Use of Drupal will provide a (truly) dynamic lever by potentiating the following:

1. sheer unadulterated enthusiasm and fun (lifelong learning - literacy skills);
   
2. a more professional footing (hosting...);
3. international customisation (multiple languages);
4. ultimately address several audiences (health, education, informatics and public);
5. find out what would-be users of the model want;
   
6. create some consistent styling;
7. provide an archive;
   
8. building on the foundation provided by the website and this blog W2tQ;
9. provide a foundation for future research (by producing my 1st Drupal site - a beta);
10. (As already noted I have wondered about linking this project to a research course, but at the moment I ask myself what's the point...?)
    

B) What are your business objectives and how would you measure success?

There are no 'business objectives' as such, but if this blog and a future site can generate some revenue to support purchase of hardware, (some) software and services then "that's about time". General objectives are to generate critical thinking and decisions on:

• content types to support the use of Hodges' model;
• phased development;
• interface design - use of Ajax, jQuery.

Ultimate (reach for the stars...) objectives:

• to invite users to contribute to the model's development;
• reopen the question of visualization in the social sciences;
  
• to learn of other conceptual frameworks that might also support 'global health for all';
  
• to produce a virtual learning environment that conjoins health, informatics and education;
• to influence nursing curricula development;
• to create a self-sustaining global community of users
• to cover some costs and let go. ....
  

C) Who are your various audiences or customer segments and what are their objectives (often different from your business objectives, btw)

+ students (health and social care); students (generic - PSHE);
+ all qualified care professionals
+ lecturers

The objectives here are diverse, but include completion of learning and course tasks, including essays and case studies, tools to support and demonstrate reflection and holistic / integrated care in theory and practice. Lesson plans and means of assessment are also essential, to what extent can students and professionals - indeed all users of a conceptual framework demonstrate - competency? This has to be through specific assignments and marked assessment which could include:

1. essay;
2. case study;
3. oral presentations, audio, video podcasts;
4. quizzes, e.g., multiple choice;
5. and possibly specific 'roles' through the Drupal site.
   

The politics of the educational establishment include that tools should be evidenced, safe, fit for purpose. There may also be a requirement to dovetail with use of dedicated learning management systems and standards such as SCORM. As such a new site should seek to incorporate such standards - through Drupal - in so far as they do not affect innovation and projecting the model into the future.

+ patients and carers

Patients and carers would often benefit from a means to facilitate dialogue with their keyworkers and the associated health and social care team. Hodges' model can help provide a schema, portal and media form for such dialogues. This dialogue can potentially act as:

• an aide-mémoire for the patient during a Consultant appointment (maximising the time available for both parties);
  
• a means for educational engagement (medication concordance, relapse prevention....).
  

+ policy makers and care commissioners
+ managers

These stakeholders are concerned with metrics, outcomes, quality and evidence.

+ information and communication technology staff

In addition to project management tools ICT staff would benefit from tools that support socio-technical perspectives.

For all the would-be users of Hodges' model the critical question is evidence. The new site should provide a foundation for research in Hodges' model and other conceptual frameworks.


D) What's the scope: How much are you going to tackle at once?

By using a content management system Drupal provides a means to be more productive (once sufficiently skilled!) in terms of addressing the objectives and scope delineated above.

This is the key question!

I need to acknowledge advice already provided from friends at the Drupal NW England group and Ruby community. Basically - do what you need to to get a site out of the door. What I must identify is the baseline functionality and design that will provide the foundation for a site. The baseline must include:

• roles and access rules;
• at least one specific content type (whether existing or new) for Hodges' model;
• RDF;
• accessibility.

E) What sort of constraints do you have in terms of product, business process, technology, or budget?

Hodges' model is nebulous and grand in its potential scope so it is vital that constraints are imposed on the project. A new PC and software will prove a great advantage leaving behind a trusted 7 year old machine. There is a no dedicated budget for the project.

The biggest constraint is time. This is non trivial and has already impacted this blog in that the comments are disabled. Early on the comments facility invited spam.

F) What existing projects and groups does this project need to coordinate with in order to avoid a train wreck?

None. The only legacy commitment are to move the existing pages to an archive that is readily accessible and signposted.

There are however two considerations:

1. Since first identifying Drupal as the platform to adopt, it was at version 4.7. It is now on the brink of version 7.0. This dynamic development environment presents challenges of its own.

2. As already highlighted if the new site is to reach the educational community it will be necessary to take heed of existing Drupal modules and resources, e.g. the DrupalEd distribution, The Scientific Collaboration Framework and assess their suitability - 'off the shelf'.


G) What kind of market and "voice of customer" research (including site metrics) do you already have?

In ten years with the existing site evidence shows that people do not have time to 'get in touch'; more needs to be offered. The existing website is 'failing' in terms of:

• as stated its dated design;
• site metrics - hits;
  
• publishing standards (academic, relevance, timeliness and currency, referencing, styling, semantic markup);
• and user engagement.

Despite the non-trivial constraint of time and website 'stasis' this blog is an emerging as a potential channel of engagement. The clustermaps and recently added 'flags of the world' demonstrate the global appeal of the content here and hopefully the model. Since there is little time for analysis of Google analytics data, the new site will utilise core statistic functionality and contributed modules as available (and proven).


H) What are the roles on the project? For instance, if you're engaging a design vendor what are they delivering vs. what are you delivering to the final mix?

As per the existing site and given budget constraints (i.e. there is none) there are no 'roles' on the project. All are up for grabs and presently rest with me. Hence the appeal of a content management system (Drupal) to ease the design and development burden.

Additional links:

Sun Microsystems blog post:
http://blogs.sun.com/MartinHardee/entry/pretty_good_example_of_a

Drupal

* The good example here is the title of the Sun Microsystems article and not necessarily my answers to the questions.

Image sources:
Drupal Groups
Chess piece:
http://www.mindful-leadership.com/Strategy%20Facilitation.htm

Global reach 4 a model in search of creative, innovative (caring) minds

"An idea is not an innovation until it r e a c h e s people." p.45
the myths of innovation, scott berkun
O'Reilly

At Drupalcon Paris in September in his keynote Dries (Buytaert) highlighted the importance of reach in that mix of:

RICHNESS + R E A C H = SUCCESS

As per the 'badge stack' lower right in a search for traffic a while back I registered with feedmil.com. They offer real-time feed search. I realised I had not replied to them following a request for extra details. Here's what I have sent through for "Words from the Author(s)":

Welcome to the QUAD is an experiment of sorts. What I hope will prove a valuable stepping stone from a static website c.1998-2005 to a new dynamic, database driven resource devoted to Hodges' model and related learning. The blog reflects this - and I hope the creative potential of Hodges' model which is an *open* conceptual framework. This explains the scope and range of the blog across nursing, health, education and informatics. I am planning to use Drupal for the new site and although comments are disabled my e-mail is available so please get in touch. Always open to hear from people using the model, and keen to learn of the features and content types users of a new site might wish to see.

One of the appeals of Feedmil for me and the growing archive of content on W2tQ is their goal to allow users -

to serendipitously discover high quality,
but less popular feeds located in the long tail of feeds.

I've been using Clustermaps for quite a while and have the visitor's map updated every month, here is the (clickable) map for W2tQ through October 2009.

1,844 hits for last month,
that's terrific:
thanks to everyone for your support!

A pantological links palette

The table below displays the existing link categories for all four care (knowledge) domains of Hodges' model:

INTER-intraPERSONAL : SCIENCES
          SOCIOLOGY  : POLITICAL

The categories included on the links pages are intended to be suggestive rather than definitive of Hodges' model. Advice regards broken links is much appreciated (I am aware that health promotion is listed twice).

Psychology I	Psychology II	Mental Health	Therapies	Anatomy & Physiology	Care Theory & Practice	Evidence Based Practice	Quant. Research
Philosophy	Creativity Ideas	Communication Studies	Theology / Transdisc	Coding, Classification	Health Informatics	Info Sources	Diagrams
Health Promotion	Study Skills	Education	A.I. Knowledge Man.	Visualization I	Visualization II	MarkupLangs	Ajax & XML
Human-Computer Interface	Accessibility	Creativity	Graphics	Environment	Virtual Reality	Science	Astronomy
Rest & Rec				Maths, Logic	Engineering	Programming	[Toolset]
7 Ages	Health Promotion	Patients & Carers	Practitioners	Development Poverty	Democracy Justice	Economics	Policy Studies
Computer Supported Collab Working	Sociology I	Sociology II	Qual Research	Activism	Citizenry	Employment	Human Rights
Anthropology	History	Art, Tech &CultureI	Art, Tech & Culture II	Info. Gov Assurance	Standards	Open Source	Community Informatics
				News	Software Hardware	Search	Organisations
				Commercial I - IV

Definitions: pantology