Status of site changes

Planned items

This is a work in progress, new items will be added from time to time based on our Kanban board planning. The purpose of this page is just to keep stakeholders updated on progress.

Phase 1. December

• Remove WPForo – the discussion forum software as it is not used, and is redundant with Buddypress
  STATUS: Done.
• Install Yoast SEO plugin and configure with Google settings
  STATUS: Done.
• Remove Astra theme and relevant plugins
  STATUS: Done.
• Install BuddyPress theme and pro module
  STATUS: Done.
• Check and fix any theme elements that are broken during BuddyPress Change
  STATUS: Done
• Link BuddyPress with Learndash via the relevant plugin.
  STATUS: Done.
• Enable social media-like features including discussions and messaging and integrate with Learndash.
  STATUS: Done
• Rebuild the home page for better navigation, and more social experience.
  STATUS: Done
• Add individual pages for webinars, masterclasses and courses available to link from slider on new home page.
  STATUS: Done.
• Replace the header menu with the BuddyPress header menu internal pages.
  STATUS: Done.
• Limit space available to users for uploads.
  STATUS: Done.
• Add dashboard for logged in users.
  STATUS: Initiated, lots to do.
• Rewrite the login restriction code and put it back.
  STATUS:  Done.
• Add the links to the user dropdown on the top bar.
  STATUS: Done.
• Add Dashboard to the BB dropdown menu.
  STATUS: It needs the whole menu to be redone. Pause to later in 2021 with low priority.
  

• Add extra memory, CPU and diskspace to server: Done
• Security and privacy controls on community profiles: Done
• Add a content distribution network to speed the site up worldwide: Done
• Add video publishing for courses and incorporate in to content distribution network for speed: Done
• Improve distributed denial of service and brute force attack prevention: Done
• Improve backup and restore capability, preferably with a daily backup to limit any data loss to 24 hours: Done
• Create and publish community guidelines: Behind schedule – moved to next period.
• Write a plugin to allow people to get date in their own timezone from the webinar page: Done
  
• Woocommerce: review and improve Woocommerce use (the e-commerce engine of LTB): Initiated, in progress
• Woocommerce: create explanatory video for masterclass, digital download and course creators to explain how to ensure the Woocommerce part of their item is done correctly: Behind schedule
• Add additional payment methods: Paypal: Eish, Paypal does not accept ZAR as the base currency. This is not possible at present.
  
• Create a video explaining the new features of the site: Behind schedule, move to next time slot
• Improve on the mail sent out for registration. Specifically, make the date and time more obvious: Done

• Bring “Bird is the Word” (talk-show format events) live. Organised by Faraaz Abdool: Done
• Improve on the mail sent out for registration to cater for “Bird is the Word”: Initiated, in progress. Changes made. Completion needs a bugfix from WP Eventmanager.
• Create and publish community guidelines (delayed from previous period).
• Create a video explaining the new features of the site: 
• Add additional payment methods – investigate PayPal pay by link:

Investigations – no date yet

• Find a way to get webinar registrations to process automatically and avoid the need for manual intervention.
  • Option 1: create a product with zero price. STATUS: this works but creates the need to check out and that adds too much unnecessary complexity.
  • Option 2: Use different software for Masterclasses. STATUS: so far we have not found something that will enable this without making it more complex and drive the cost out of budget.
  • Option 3: Use Woocommerce for all the masterclass offering, including showing the item on the front page. STATUS: There is potential there. Derek could write the code, but is severely time constrained. Pricing via Fivr is outside of our current budget.
  • Option 4: Ask WP EventManager to build it into their application. STATUS: Holding off on this for now, they are dealing with COVID-19 in India, and the pricing is likely to be above our budget.
  • Current thoughts:  building on Woocommerce to create the same functionality for Masterclasses looks the most promising, but time is a constraining factor.