Difference between revisions of "Information Technology Cluster"

Revision as of 20:05, 29 September 2012

Who is the IT Coordinator?

The current Information Technology Coordinator should be flagged on the Who's Who page.

Projects

Specific Technologies In Use

Staff Email List

The Bike Kitchen Yahoo Groups page administers the staff email list. Anyone, not just staff, can be on the email list. There are two ways to join the Bike Kitchen listserv:

1. You do not need to have a Yahoo account to subscribe this way, and this is a simpler process. The disadvantage to subscribing this way is that you cannot access the Bike Kitchen Yahoo Groups page with archives, etc.
   • Subscribe to the list by emailing bikekitchen-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.
   • You will receive an email which instructs you to reply to it, which by replying, subscribes you to the Bike Kitchen listserv.
   • You can then email the list by sending emails to bikekitchen@yahoogroups.com.
2. This process to join the Bike Kitchen listserv is more involved, but allows you full access to the Bike Kitchen Yahoo Groups page. You must have or create a Yahoo account for this process.
   • Click here to go to the Bike Kitchen Yahoo Groups page.
   • Click 'Join This Group!' the blue box on the right side of the page.
   • Sign in or create a Yahoo profile.
   • Follow prompts. If you need assistance contact the Greeter Coordinator.
   • Once you are subscribed, you can respond to list emails or start a new thread by emailing bikekitchen@yahoogroups.com.
   • You can view / search the list archives through the groups page.

Before emailing the list, ask yourself three questions:

1. Is my message relevant to only one or a handful of people? - if so, email them directly.
2. Should I use a subject prefix? - if your message addresses a specific topic. A few recommended prefixes are:
   • ATTN = Attention, use this only if everyone should read your message - ATTN: Shop closed Tues for election
   • ED = Education, related to classes - ED: Please comment on tune-up class curriculum changes
   • OT = Off Topic, use this for emails not related to running the BK - OT: anyone have a good herbal remedy for saddle sores?
   • STAFF = Relevant to staff specifically (since lots of non-staff volunteers and others are on the email list - STAFF: Who can man the Sunday Streets table?
   • BOARD = Relevant to board - BOARD: topic for the next board meeting
3. Am I being constructive? - Negative reviews are helpful for avoiding poor experiences but not nearly so as alternative suggestions.

Events Calendar

To keep track of classes and events in the shop, we use a google calendar. If you use google calendar, you can add the Bike Kitchen calendar by clicking "Add -> Add a friend's calendar" under "Other Calendars", and then enter sfbikekitchen@gmail.com for the contact email. If you just want to see the calendar in a web browser, click here. It is also available as a feed and in iCal format.

If you would like permission to edit and/or manage the calendar, email tech [at] bikekitchen [dot] org.

Managing User Privileges

Once you have permission to manage the calendar, the calendar should appear under "My calendars" on your Google Calendar home page. Click "Settings" under "My Calendars", click on the BK calendar, and then select the "Share this calendar" tab. From this page, you can manage user rights and add new editors / managers.

Freehub

• BK started using it in June 2008

Patron Email Distribution List

Ledlie: DO NOT FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS -- we should be using our Vertical Response account.

For sending an email out to our patrons, we have a "group" (list of email addresses) in the info@bikekitchen.org gmail account. Before sending an email to the patrons, the group should be updated by following these steps:

1. Prepare file of new patron email addresses
   1. Log in to Freehub, and go to Reports -> People. Set "Created After" to "2009-09-18" and clear the "Created Before" field. Click "Update", and then "Export all".
   2. Edit the resulting .csv file:
      1. Remove all rows with "email_opt_out" = TRUE or with no email address
      2. Change the corresponding column headers to "First Name", "Last Name", and "Email", and delete all other columns of data.
2. Update the "patrons" email group
   1. Log in to the info@bikekitchen.org gmail account, and click on "Contacts"
   2. Click "Import" (upper-right of Contacts page), choose the file you just edited, and check the box to add these imported contacts to the "patrons" group.
3. Update the date on the first step of these instructions to today's date

Once the group is updated, you can compose an email with Bcc to "patrons".

IT Cluster Coordinator Job Description

The Bike Kitchen uses a variety of mission critical and non-critical technologies to run our organization. The IT Cluster (ITC) Coordinator is accountable for making sure that this mosaic of technologies is stable and available to staff and patrons. Some may be handled directly by the ITC Coordinator while others may be delegated to volunteers accountable to the ITC Coordinator.

An important role of the ITC Coordinator is as the single point of contact for technology concerns. It is important for this person to maintain organized and accessible information on all of the Bike Kitchen's systems so that others can use and maintain them.

This position requires an average commitment of 4-6 hours per week, inclusive of one 3 hour scheduled mechanic shift per week, and reports monthly to the board.

Responsibilities

Mission critical systems

• bikekitchen.org web site - hosting (Bluehost), content updating, DNS configuration
• bikekitchen.org email accounts - hosting, configuration
• Yahoo Group email list
• Staff wiki
• Brown paper tickets class registration
• Freehub membership database - enhancement definition, ongoing software development and user support
• Shop computer and internet connection
• Calendar (through google account)

Non-critical systems include

• Flickr account
• MySpace page
• yelp page
• others?

Qualifications

• Knowledge of and commitment to the Bike Kitchen
• Strong organization and communication skills
• First hand experience with the technologies mentioned above or managing people with that experience

Currently Delegated IT Cluster Responsibilities

• Updating the google calendar (Tim)
• Updating bikekitchen.org (Tim)