Planning the OSCE multilingual website

Lucinia Bal-Doebel, November 2006 1

Planning the OSCE multilingual website


Where we started four months ago

• what exists: – a consistent English-language website comprising 35 websites of

OSCE field operations and institutions, on a content management system, with a multilingual search engine and documents in multiple languages;

– several websites in local languages, one mini-website in a second official language, all these not included in the general search;

• the task: to move from one language to multiple languages;

• the opportunity: to bring together scattered partial language versions and bring consistency across languages;


Plan: to bring in consistency across languages

• plan the foundation: database and content management system that can host all language versions

• plan the appearance and content: define audiences and purpose of the multilingual website (are there changes other than the aditional languages?)

• plan the information architecture (is there a need to change?)


Example: a few implicit messages for the current websiteIs there need to change? What?

Quality:

- loads fast

- spelling consistent and correct

- graphics discreet but professional

- fresh info available all the time

- pages not outdated

- accurate information

Transparency:- almost all OSCE documents available- good search engine- clear navigation- timely information- answer to requests fast and polite- privacy policy clear

Active:- not a 'talking shop'- regular changes to homepage items- main photos of field activities

Professional:- consistent editing, of good quality- high technical quality- good off-line services available (info, help)- consistent navigation and pages- graphics unobtrusive supporting content- no aggressiveness in presentation- webteam in control, homepage no battleground- no ego-trips allowed- focus on visitor- editor-led, not IT-led

Focus on target audiences:- content for these audiences- plain and good English- clear navigation- main navigation bar focused on audiences

Comfort (call back users):-pages load fast- promises are kept (what is announced exists)


Step 1 of the plan: the concept paper

• defined audiences and role

• researched existing models of multilingual websites (back-end included), and software support for different languages

• identified the two main types of websites in other languages: the global website (mainly the official languages) and local websites with information of local interest only;

• narrowed down the technical solution (platform, two options for the cms, preferably tailor-made to support best workflow; rough plan for changes to the database, additional meta-data to database items);


Step 1 of the plan: the concept paper (cont)

• defined the main policies, as they will be the core of the new workflow (the policies include responsibilities and roles)

• consulted stakeholders and started to get agreement on the new concept (there is interest and demand of multilingualism, there is possible opposition to a centralised solution, there is push for quick solutions, postponing a sustainable solution)

• included feed-back in the concept paper and will start lobbying for resources; the technical solution might be implemented with existing resources


Ideas to support consistency and efficiency

• unify database and content management system

• define clear workflow with roles for regional-central offices

• plan multilingual search engine and interfaces

• have a reference language on the global website (English): this means, all items must be in English too (as an exception, for documents or publications that do not exist in English, only a description in English will exist);


Ideas to support consistency and efficiency (cont)

• for the local websites, clarify the types of local content needed, and ‘quarantine’ areas of such content, that may exist in the local language only

• predefine navigation: allow for room for manoeuvre only within standardised areas, to ensure consistency; limit the levels of depth


Timeline

• planning: six months

• implementation and migration: eighteen months

Documents

Planning the OSCE multilingual website