Project Sites - Purpose and Examples
The purpose of a Project Site is for working groups to collaborate and share resources efficiently. Key features should emphasize:
-
A simple-to-use and intuitive navigation system;
-
A rich/complete set of features and tools including things like issues tracking, task scheduling, calendars, fine-grained and easily assignable roles and permissions, a variety of interpersonal communication tools, workflow and reporting, progressive project visualizations, etc.
-
Customize-able "dashboards" so individuals and project teams can easily collect and display their specific pages and information;
-
Optimized for speed - an over all lightweight framework for speedy page-loading and editing.
A Project Site should be deployed for small companies or working groups within organizations who have processes and materials they need organized into a functional and efficient online working space (i.e. for remote collaboration on a project). If these folks are not adept at using technology, a team of three is a good beginning for such an enterprise:
-
Site Builder (Builds the site and trains the Producer in how to add and manage the content on the site) Probably you.
-
Producer (Adds and manages the content on the site) Probably someone they already know (i.e. an assistant, possibly their spouse, or a student intern could be employed).
-
Content Provider(s) (Provides outlines of the existing workflow for the Site Builder to convert into forms and processes on the site, and the framework for organizing the documents, media and other materials presented and archived on the site). Probably an administrative executive or assistant who is already familiar with the group's working processes and resources.
My favorite distributions for working group Project Sites:
Other excellent and fairly stable distros I have tested that provide more generalized group communication and presentation frameworks, or are custom-purposed for more specific use-cases (and may be less customize-able at the Site Builder level), or are not as "speedy":
-
https://www.drupal.org/search/site/civicrm - A complete toolbox with the mother load of features for non-profit organizations. Can be re-purposed, and any drupal modules added, but not as easily customized due to its own highly customized out-of-the-box feature set.
-
https://www.drupal.org/project/idea - Admins or (optionally) users can post "Challenges" and other users then post "Ideas" to solving those challenges. Very cool, and nice looking theme out-of-the-box.
-
https://www.drupal.org/project/group_mind - User-posted Questions and Answers. Like Quora.com, StackExchange.com or Experts-Exchange.com.
EXAMPLE
I use distributions to build my own personal working spaces.
Since distributions are easily and extensively customize-able and interconnect-able, they are the ideal building blocks for my online empire. I can separate, organize and implement my ideas into logical bits, and create test sites to my heart's content. This makes me happy.
Currently my "master site" (or "portal site") is at http://microchic.com.
--
Just getting started on this... message me (https://www.drupal.org/user/18028/contact) if you'd like to contribute to this section...
