Content & Data Entry Stage

For every new version of PLU we needed to repeat the data entry stage. We could not reuse the previous data mainly because PLU was still a young application so the data model changed and improved for every upgrade. We used two installations of PLU for Premier Go Program, and Premier Get Set Program.

Contents of these two programs were all available in Print and DVD formats, but contents could not be simply copy-pasted into the system. An educational booklet is a linear sequential list of static pages. Information within an online learning environment are none linear and dynamic. We needed content developers with good composition and computer skills who could hand pick pieces of useful information from the Print/DVD medium and then reconstruct them within the Learning Unit environment.

For the first implementation of PLU, Megan Artz, a brilliant content developer, was hired to do the data entry process for us. She became acquainted with the application’s administration interface in a relatively short period of time under my supervision. She also managed to create a set of help documentation  for the end users, and we exploited PLU’s environment to educate users on how to use the application. Megan was also one of the first people who helped us seek and destroy bugs in the newly developed application.

PLU 2.0 content entry was don by Kristen Vander Hoek , a smart political science university student with great patience, academic knowledge, and computer skills. Kristen would specifically pay good attention to the details and in the period of  two and half month that she worked with us, she learned the structure of PLU so well that she could take part in decisions makings regarding the content entry and information design issues. She was the best person after me who could answer questions about administrating PLU.