Entries tagged "lessons learned"
Lessons Learned: Automated Script for Populating Meeting Handouts Database
A few years back, I developed a script for processing sets of PDFs to populate a database. That database is then used to dynamically generate the corresponding meeting handouts page for visitors to download the PDFs. The project was planned out so that pretty much everything needed for the meeting handouts page could be found in the set of PDFs. The only other extra thing I needed to do, besides making occasional minor corrections to the database, was store these handouts in a folder that was named with the meeting date, which I was already doing. Then I just needed to upload the files to the server and run the script. [Continue reading]
Avoid Code Duplication Caused by ExpressionEngine (v2.6.1) Not Letting You Reuse Names in Channel Field Sets
I developed a content template in a CMS called ExpressionEngine. Everything seemed simple enough until I was asked to incorporate a few extra fields that were commonly used in other content templates. Since the website was using an outdated version of ExpressionEngine that didn’t let you use the same field name in multiple content templates, I ended up duplicating a lot of code that's used to display these common fields. Well, it turns out that there is a better way. [Continue reading]
Lessons Learned: Creating a Wait List in Qualtrics for an Event Registration Form
I needed a wait list for a registration form built through Qualtrics. Since the service is geared towards collecting surveys online, a wait-list feature is not built in. However, you can simulate the functionality by tweaking the form and leveraging the Quotas feature. [Continue reading]
Lessons Learned: Collecting Registrations and Setting Up Qualtrics to Notify You When It Reaches a Milestone
I wanted to be notified when various milestones were reached during an event-registration process. That way I could keep the event organizers aware of the progress and help them make informed decisions as the event got closer. The numbers would help them decide how much food to order, how much space to reserve, and whether to even have the event. To track the registrations, I used Qualtrics' Quota feature and its ability to send confirmations. [Continue reading]
Lessons Learned: Working with Event Registrations in Qualtrics
Qualtrics works well for collecting event registrations. But there are a number of things to be aware of. I imagine that the "issues" stem from the service being geared towards administering surveys online. However, the benefits of using Qualtrics outweigh the shortcomings. [Continue reading]
Lessons Learned: Live2Lead Website and Using Qualtrics for Collecting Event Registrations
For the new websites I create, my goal has been to make them responsive. That way I get some practice before committing to an overhaul of a major website. The extra practice should make the redesign process go smoother since hopefully I'll have the experience to solve whatever problems I come across. With the latest website, I was given the opportunity to further enhance my skills. Plus, I found a new, and somewhat unusual, solution for collecting event registrations. [Continue reading]
Lessons Learned: Follow Hashtags and Hootsuite
Previously, I mentioned that you can utilize Hootsuite to monitor hashtags in social networks like Twitter and LinkedIn. Just be aware that the service may not track hashtags as you expect. Let's take a closer look at using Hootsuite and tracking hashtags. [Continue reading]
Lessons Learned: Responsive Design and the SU4T Website
I was asked to develop a website for a one-day event. The project proved to be an excellent opportunity to sharpen my responsive design skills. Now, I have completed projects here and there where website content was adjusted on the fly to fit different browser window sizes, but I haven't spent much time making an entire website responsive. [Continue reading]
Lessons Learned: Outputting Shortcode and Plugin Results
If you look closely at the documentation for WordPress Shortcodes, there is a specific way to output content to the screen. Of course, this is a part of the documentation I skipped while developing my first plugin which lead to some baffling results. To help save you time, I wanted to share one last lesson learned from writing my plugin. [Continue reading]
Lessons Learned: How Not to Name Shortcode Attributes in WordPress
Developing my first WordPress plugin provided me with many learning opportunities. We already talked about the quicker way of uploading plugin files. In this post, I wanted to share the problem I had with shortcode arguments. Hopefully it will help you avoid the same issue. [Continue reading]
