Website Portals - Chapter Support

Chapter web portals

What are the web portals?

The web portals provide chapters with a professional looking website hosted by national ASTD, reducing the administrative and financial burden associated with obtaining this service from an outside provider. As an added bonus, web portals are FREE in 2008!

The web portals are an additional option for chapters participating in the Chapter Administration and Membership Program (ChAMP). The members-only section and membership directory pull directly from the ChAMP database so chapters must participate in ChAMP as a prerequisite to having a web portal.

Click here for a PowerPoint demonstration of the web portal functionality.

What national ASTD provides

site template
site hosting
technical support
maintenance of national content

Chapters simply need to

maintain all chapter content

The Web portal technology

The web portal platform is SharePoint 2007, also known as the Microsoft Office Sharepoint Server (MOSS). MOSS navigational options and functionality include:

chapter site structure with information about the chapter, leadership, and chapter events
options for membership directory, newsletters, meeting minutes, links to free ASTD research, virtual meeting room, job bank, and consultant directory
ASTD branding and individual chapter identity (logo and images)
the capability to upload Microsoft and Adobe files.

Steps for building a web portal

Chapter portal websites can be up and running in approximately 15-19 weeks, depending on the chapter’s portal administrator’s timeline. The steps for setting up a web portal are:

national ASTD provides a demonstration of the functionalities of the SharePoint software and begins onboarding process (two-four weeks)
national ASTD develops the template (one week) chapter portal administrator supplies content information to the web portal support specialist (four weeks)
chapter portal administrator is trained by ASTD national on how to develop the site (four weeks)
chapter portal administrator and members of chapter/chapter board test the site ( four-six weeks)

Documents providing more information

Below are links to some helpful information about web portals:

Chapter Portal Checklist

Web Portal Fact Sheet

Moss Navigation Wireframe PDF

Current live portals

We recently upgraded from SharePoint 2003 to SharePoint 2007 (MOSS).

Sharepoint 2007 (MOSS) portals

South Central Wisconsin

Testimonials

Las Vegas Chapter

“The Las Vegas Chapter has been extremely pleased with their conversion from private web hosting to the ASTD web portal service. The largest benefit being the control and timeliness of content change. In the past, the chapter had to rely on getting the information to a webmaster who then changed the content based on their availability. Now the chapter can change the content, events, and appearance in a matter of minutes to pass on the most value to the members. Sure, a little bit of computer know how helps the process along. However, there is a huge amount of support from both national ASTD as well as other chapters currently using the portal system. It has been a unanimous decision to remain with the web portal system because of the consistency, ease of use, and chapter control that comes along with it.”—Jason Gardner, Vice President, Communications, Las Vegas Chapter

Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter

"I think the portal website is sensible and well-designed. I like the ability to format pages for a variety of text, pictures, lists, etc."— Rick Kerner, Vice President, Information Technology, Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter

For additional information or a demonstration, please contact:

Jeannette Lindsey

Web Portal Support Specialist

1.703.683.8177

jlindsey@astd.org

Through exceptional learning and performance, we create a world that works better.

Chapter web portals