Conference management: Selection criteria
- Paul Seiler (Unlicensed)
The following are are the important feature and attributes by which we will evaluate our solution options, along with a ranking as to importance. Note that for this project we are only considering software-as-a-service' solutions.
Scored criteria
Scoring should be on a scale of 0-5, where 0 means that the product/service doesn't meet the criteria at all and 5 means that it meets it fully or exceeds our expectations.
| Feature or attribute | Importance | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
Simple/usable interface Users, especially with low levels of technical skills, are easily able to create and manage conferences with no or minimal training. | Essential | 15% |
Support and training (Service provider) Users must have access to a help desk during NZ working hours as a minimum. Multi-channel options are desirable. Users can access suitable and affordable training resources, ideally self-directed/on-line in the first instance. | Essential | 15% |
Hosted/cloud-based The solution is available as a hosted service, either in NZ or overseas, where the server and software infrastructure are maintained by the vendor. | Essential | 15% |
File handling Delegated access to manage files, including how widely they are visible (e.g. conference presenters can manage what, when and to whom files are available) | Essential | 15% |
Proven/Longevity The technology must be used by many other clients, of size and stature, minimising 'early adopter' risks. No niche or fringe platforms. The Web Team can have a working relationship with the vendor to ensure close co-operation on changes/improvement, training, etc | Essential | 15% |
Multiple events and permission levels (CMS and service provider) The service can support multiple events, each with multiple levels of access. Ideally, authentication can be integrated with the ITS service/source of truth. | Essential | 5% |
Server reliability/up-time, including upgrades (Service provider) The servers are available for at least 99.5% on a seven-day basis, including upgrades. Planned upgrade outages are outside NZ working hours. | Essential | 5% |
Mobile The attendee-facing functionality must be responsive or mobile-friendly. The management functionality should be responsive or mobile-friendly. | Desirable | 5% |
Look and feel Easy templating to ensure the site is, in most cases branded as Victoria, while being able to support other unit's brands as required. | Desirable | 5% |
Integrates with our other shared services Conference pages can display in home site search results (if required). Google analytics is available across all the sites. | Desirable | 5% |
Other criteria
Scoring should be on a binary scale, so Yes/No, the product/service is acceptable when compared to this criteria.
| Feature or attribute | Importance | Scoring |
|---|---|---|
Security (CMS and service provider) The service must meet the University's minimum security standards. See DIA Cloud Checklist Template - To Vendor.xlsx | Essential | Yes/No |
Account conditions and suspension (Service provider) The terms and conditions must be acceptable and should be generous and transparent. | Essential | Yes/No |
Price (Service provider) We must be able to afford the price. Check sign-on cf renewal. | Essential | Yes/No |