NL people.
Once more I am faced with a decision-making problem (due to lack of intelligent info) on how to approach the issue of building an Education Portal
You must forgive my approach to soliciting intelligent responses having not contributed to NL questions in a couple of years. So here goes

1: How much would you charge for a University Education Portal that does not have a budget
2: Would you design in phases (evolve from information only to complex features/functionality such as communities, blogs etc)
3: What will be your most credible points in your business case (what measurable benefits can you state to win the project bid)
4: What technologies would you use to build the portal (Opensource or Commercial)
5: What CMS would you deploy (dependent on question 4)
6: What time frames would you suggest

You can skimp on the details (if it would be too technical) as general advice will be most appreciated

Thanks for your online/offline time

Your problem is the word "portal". It's too vague.
How about: "Student Registration and Result Management System"?

Thanks for pointing that out. but who am i to challenge a Professor who is also influential in waiving my yearly alumnus dues?

I think "portal" is unfathomable (it never ends) but the word stays because I am told the vision goes beyond Student Registration and Results Checker. they are looking at a Harvard University type affair (without the perceived costs i suspect).

My fear is that I will propose a "portal" inevitably and a decision will be reached. costs estimates agreed and mobilization paid only to discover that what is actually required is a Spaceship that Students can get quality University Education in (something i don't plan to do even with a multi-billion naira budget)

I need help in articulating typical University Requirements for website (portal) such that there are measurable benefits to all stakeholders (students, parents, cultists, police, lecturers, Government, Unions etc)

I am sure NL members have been involved in at least 90% of all University websites in the country, i am hoping to share knowledge, project, and experiences.

Hmm, you sound as if your alumnus dues are in the millions In any case:

1: How much would you charge for a University Education Portal that does not have a budget

It depends on functionality required. I personally wouldn't go for anything less than N150K

2: Would you design in phases (evolve from information only to complex features/functionality such as communities, blogs etc)

Yes, and I am happy you said "evolve". Do it piecemeal (of course, state this in your proposal as well), measuring what is out there at a particular time, solicit feedback from users, then do more. Then repeat it all over again.

3: What will be your most credible points in your business case (what measurable benefits can you state to win the project bid)

The following come to mind: Your portfolio, recommendations from past clients, providing them with statistics on a regular basis.

4: What technologies would you use to build the portal (Opensource or Commercial)

You mentioned they have no budget. Granted it is none of your business (wetin concern bird with toothbrush? ), I would stay stick with opensource. This would also help your profit margin.

5: What CMS would you deploy (dependent on question 4)

Chances are that you will be handing the site off to someone less technical than you are at the end of the day. Based on my research, Joomla! would be my choice as the learning curve for a non-techie isn't that steep. Not to mention, it comes with a lot of plugins, many of which are free.

6: What time frames would you suggest

I think you should ask the prof this question first. If it is something you can't work with, then refer to my notes in #2. If he wants it in 2 weeks, you give him 2 wks worth of work then work in the rest. I believe in "meeting minimum requirements" and "under-promising but over-delivering". If you are pressed to come up with one, I would say nothing less than 2 months. This gives you time not to prove "how good you are" but to test (something that is lacking in many of us), gather info, etc. As you said, this prof is very influential. Think this in terms of going beyond waiving alumnus dues

Good luck!

@yawa-ti-de.
1: N150k does not sound like a good incentive to leave the comfortable (un) streets of Lagos to another state because of website (portal)
2: I will try the over-billing bluff first then see his reaction (maybe N500k) worst case he'll beat it down to N150k ,
3: you are right. i should start with something basic but sufficient for information purposes only, updates on exams, events, notifications
4: I suspect (fearfully believe) the Students Registration / Results Checker should not be in the N150k (it should be a side project with its attendant costs)
5: Will check Joomla, fortunately i have seen several school(, iiish) templates around.
6: Opensource is good, U think PHP? at least it is not dynamic at this point so I won't have a hard time finding scripts that will do database stuff just yet
7: You know how people are, they drop a huge project and tell you, well we need to launch 1st of 2009 or before students resume or worse still, its my birthday next weekend, make sure its up so i can tell people to go see it. Do you think i should do something basic then try to convince him that this is a huge project that can take months to complete?
8: Unfortunately i have not done any projects of this nature, he'll probably see banks, finance companies, mobile entertainment but no schools. do you have any University Website development schedule, will probably find one on google, any help is appreciated at this point

Thanks a lot, the N150 does look small. that's like the salary of 2 fresh graduates. not even up to a lecturer's salary

as i said, and i only said so cos my naija clients accuse me of charging in dolars, "at least"

I recently did a site with far less stuff and charged 400K

Man, looks like i have to travel anywayz,
Why do clients expect that you have factored travel costs into the design bill?

Because u shd

Of course you don't put this into the proposal. It is implied that you have taken care of all costs when you submit a proposal. To that effect, if you know your travel will cost 5K, you make it 25K, just in case

All those charges both phone calls have been estimated to be part of the bill presented during the proposal. This is more reason why we should verify and consider all these before preparing and submitting proposals.

hehehehehhe

@poster:
I worked a lil' bit (3 years) as a Project Manager with a software company
providing enterprise portal solutions (heard of Socketworks Limited). If the Professor
specifically mentioned the term 'portal', please forget all about asking him for a flat fee/rate.

Thing is, you would probably tell him 500k/800k and his response would be: When can you start?
What most universities want is really a portal; a software that can capture all their existing processes
and make it available via both the internet and the intranet. You have to consider what they want to capture,
their target audience (which will influence bandwidth and hosting options), future updates, support, awareness and training etc.

Let me not bore you too much with all the plenty plenty kini kan. Thing is all companies that create and support portal solutions
use a per as you use model. e.g. they could charge the students 1500 naira per head, per session or per semester.
Let me know if I confused you in any way,

Ciao !

@olushola, you do not bore me with details at all. details i need in plentiful right now. especially requirements/specs

Just googled up SocketWorks. and Ye Gads!!! they must be my primary competition because they already have a solution is place. CollegPortal

and even got a loan from the IFC to boot
http://www.ifc.org/ifcext/spiwebsite1.nsf/1ca07340e47a35cd85256efb00700cee/E3920C0E7EE1F616852572A7007472F1

Please kill me with details. this project does not have to start immediately

If you need help with database design, or query design, let me know.

@lagerwhenindoubt: LOL. Socketworks cannot be your primary competition.
They are wayyyyyyyy too deep in this whole thing. What you can do is check out their
model and I'll point you in a few directions, but kinda busy at work right now, will be back to
post more.

I would have told you to call me for info but then, others wont learn from the conversation.
BRB.

if you want to see what a real University portal looks like,  try the website of Pace university in New york.

I had an admission there some years back and all my processes were done online, my registration, accommodation, class scheduling, orientation sessions. Everything was online.

Once I got the admission, I was allocated my user name and password, and everything I needed to do was on my page.

The process is so integrated that from the start of online reg/application to completion of the university programme, everything is done online.

To Date there is no University in Nigeria that has such a portal. Am cock Sure.

Poster, this is not webkid job. If you can do it, then take your values worth (like 100M) if you can't, then don't dabble. If you ask me, it's going to be an on going project.

Reason:
It is going to actually require the automation of the entire university system, intergrating admin ERP and all. I also don't expect that students will have to keep going to cybercafes to check their results or do their assignments while still on campus. They shoud have the computers in their rooms!,

, otherwise, build them a regular website, not a portal,

Mythots exactly, this project is beyond a website, but it is not something that should be taken in one buffet session

I will really appreciate all the info. i have two candidates (make that three thanks to @basking4me)

Harvard University
Howard University
Pace University

Will need to do a Functional Spec and Design Requirements.

Will post here for review. when approved, will definitely source for freelancers here

@basking4me:
There are university portals (Uniben for example) that go from Application for admission,
to post ume testing, result checking, admission checking, clearance, school fees payment, hostel
booking and management, even to renting gowns for matric and convocation.

The major limitation that the poster will face when implementing such a project is the 'human factor'.
While implementing a project for a University of Technology here in Nigeria, I was dumbfounded when we
discovered that many 'professors' didn't know how to operate a computer and would easily get 'lost' on the
internet, The young ones (the students) viewed the projects as an academic test and were reluctant.

Take my advice, use a Nigerian University as a case study, that way you'll know what headaches to avoid.
There are plenty of them:
University of Benin:
Igbinedion University
AAU, Ekpoma

The major failing of these so called 'portals' is this:
They are supposed to be 'solutions' but they get in the way of all the processes that they are supposed
to simplify. Like basking4me said, if the students have to be running around to cybercafes, then you
would have failed. It has to be a full fledged project, meaning software and cheap/free easy internet access (WIFI).

olush0la:


The major failing of these so called 'portals' is this:
They are supposed to be 'solutions' but they get in the way of all the processes that they are supposed
to simplify. Like basking4me said, if the students have to be running around to cybercafes, then you
would have failed. It has to be a full fledged project, meaning software and cheap/free easy internet access (WIFI).

i dnt thnk theyr to simplify things 4 d students. they seem 2 just simplify revenue collection

@lagerwhenindoubt
I will like to know this whole projects went down, did u suck wth an opensource or commercial software. pls update me a i also av a project of such am working on and i think your own experience will be very help full, thanks

case closed

Seun:
If you need help with database design, or query design, let me know.

Hehehehe, free of charge?

List the features.

shout out to the professionals dropping comment sofar. wana let u know som1z learnn so please fire on.