LCEEQ CMS Update Plan

Background

The LCEEQ.ca CMS was originally launched in early 2011. LCEEQ.ca was powered by a customized version of Drupal 6. Heavy modifications were made to enable scholarship and grant proposal submissions as well as manage LCEEQ-specific events and workshops. In 2013, the CMS framework was updated to Drupal version 7. 

As part of the Drupal version 7 framework update, LCEEQ.ca launched the Annual Conference registration and management system, a significant and completely bespoke addition to the CMS framework. The custom web applications running on LCEEQ.ca now also include PDIG application and reporting, a survey system, and a complete event-management framework. 

Today, some 9 years later, Drupal version 9 is production-ready and Drupal version 10 development is underway. 

Goals

• Keep LCEEQ’s site safe & secure
• Make it easy to keep LCEEQ’s CMS up-to-date

The Plan

In order to ensure that LCEEQ.ca is able to adopt the latest security and usability updates, we will need to upgrade LCEEQ.ca’ s web application framework from Drupal version 7 to Drupal version 9. Following the initial upgrade of the web application framework, we will begin to upgrade LCEEQ’s custom applications. 

The project is sufficiently large in scope that it will be implemented in five phases to reduce complexity & risk while providing the adequate time to remediate issues, while still serving the needs of the English-language educational community. 

Phase 1 - Site Redesign & CMS Update

Target Delivery Date: November 2022

The first phase of this project comprises two deliverables:

• Upgrade from Drupal 7 to Drupal 9
• Redesign the LCEEQ CMS style and layout (site refresh/visual redesign)

This first phase is designed to focus on the core upgrade requirements while also bringing the opportunity to design a refresh to LCEEQ’s main website (lceeq.ca). This first phase will focus only on static content, and information architecture. By focusing on the fundamentals we can take the first few critical steps towards this significant update without having to upgrade the more bespoke applications. 

During this phase applications such as the conference management system (annual conference registration) and PDIG will run, transparently, from the existing LCEEQ Content Management System as to provide interruption-free service to the community. 

Phase 2 - Conference Management System

Target Delivery Date: February 2023

The second phase of this project focuses on the Conference Management System. While this system was originally designed to service LCEEQ’s Annual Conference, it has been used by partner committees and organizations for their own registration needs.

By aiming to deliver this phase as part of the Annual Conference itself - we can focus on features such as the live-schedules, while also being able to ensure we have a reliable upgrade path from the previous version of the application.

Risk mitigation: Should the upgrade be delayed by technical hurdles, we can continue to leverage the existing conference management system while we work out any bugs or issues with the upgraded system.

Phase 3 - Event Management System 

Target Date: May 2023

The third phase focuses on the event management system used to register educators, administrators and other staff for webinars, workshops, seminars and more. Following the upgrade of the conference management system in phase two, this phase is a much lower risk and lower complexity undertaking.

Risk mitigation: Should the upgrade be delayed by technical hurdles, we can continue to leverage the existing conference management system while we work out any bugs or issues with the upgraded system.

Phase 4 - PDIG Management System Part 1

Target Date: September 2023*

The fourth phase is the beginning of the most significant upgrade. LCEEQ’s PDIG application system is the most complex of the custom web applications running on the CMS platform today. This part of the project is being split up into two discrete phases.

This fourth phase focuses on the project tracking, journaling and report delivery functions. It provides the opportunity to ensure a smooth transition by providing the ability to test and import existing data from the outgoing version of the PDIG application platform, without having to focus on the application process itself, which occurs in the spring.

Risk mitigation: Should the upgrade be delayed by technical hurdles, we can continue to leverage the existing conference management system while we work out any bugs or issues with the upgraded system.

Phase 5 - PDIG Management System Part 2

Target Date: December 2023*

This final phase of the upgrade delivers the PDIG application process and grant management system in its entirety.

*we realize Phases 4 & 5 are out of LCEEQ's current funding cycle so these would be dependent on funding continuing