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Class Descriptions and Presentations
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Hey, do you know
something we don't?!
If you have an idea for a Web-related training that we don't do, but you could do, contact us! We'd love to hear your idea and how it might fit into our suite of Web trainings.
If you're new to EPA Web development, we recommend that you start with Web 101 - it will explain many aspects of EPA Web pages before you get into specific standards, writing guidance, etc.
These courses are designed for EPA employees, their support contractors, cooperative agreement holders, or others who work on Web pages with EPA. Which training is for me?
Special: Training on EPA styles, Jquery Framework, Best HTML Coding Practices, Brief Overview of Template 4
Individual Courses
SORTED BY COURSE  |
Sort by audience type |
| Web 101: EPA Basics | Coders, Writers, Reviewers |
| Web Infrastructure 101 | Coders and developers |
| Web Governance and Product Review | Coders, Writers, Reviewers |
| Design the EPA Way (formerly Web Standards) | Coders, Writers, Reviewers |
| Plain Language | Writers, Reviewers |
| Writing for the Web | Coders, Writers, Reviewers |
| Marketing to Management | Writers, Reviewers |
| Using Graphics Well | Coders, Reviewers |
| Using Graphics 201 | Coders, Reviewers |
| Section 508, Accessibility and Web Design | Coders, Reviewers |
| Site Usage Statistics | Writers, Reviewers |
| Usability Testing: Do It Yourself | Coders, Reviewers |
| Web 2.0 Introduction | Coders, Writers, Reviewers |
| Writing a Blog Post: Not Your Typical Web Page | Writers, Reviewers |
| Earth Month Outreach: Mixing Web 1.0 and 2.0 | Writers, Reviewers |
| Social Media and the Gov't: A Brief Introduction for Managers | Managers, Writers, Reviewers |
| Training on EPA styles, Jquery Framework, Best HTML Coding Practices, Brief Overview of Template 4 | Coders |
 |
Or scroll down this page to read about each course, below.
If you don't have Powerpoint on your computer, you can download a free Powerpoint viewer.
Contact us if you have additional questions.
Web 101: EPA Basics (one 1-hour session)
Audience: Coders, Writers, Reviewers.
Description: This training will help you get oriented if you are new to EPA, new to Web work, or oversee a Web contractor. Take this training if: you don't know what a TSSMS account is, what RTP does, the role of the Web Council, or where to find the Web Guide. You will learn:
- The big picture: areas, files, servers
- Key EPA players and roles
- Things to keep in mind and where to get help.
Note - this training doesn't include technical skills such as using Dreamweaver, editing graphics, or uploading files to a Web server.
See also: Web Infrastructure 101, Section 508, Accessibility and Web Design
Cost: Free
Presentation: PowerPoint (9.5 MB) | print version with 2 slides per page (PDF, 19 pages, 700 KB)
List of links in this presentation
Web Infrastructure 101 (one 1-hour session)
Audience: EPA Web site developers and coders.
Description: This training will help you if you develop or oversee development of Web areas or Web-enabled applications at EPA, to understand technical infrastructure supported by the National Computer Center, and things you should know to ensure smooth site development and ongoing site management. You will learn:
- Organization of NCC - Hardware, Software, Services, Navigating the Working Capital Fund
- Site Development tools and processes - Web Guide, Management Tools
- Things to keep in mind and where to get help
Note - this training requires no technical skills such as software programming or access to a Web server.
See also: Web 101: EPA Basics
Cost: Free
Presentation: EPA Web Infrastructure 101 (PDF) (24 pages, 1.2 MB)
(please check here on the morning of the training for any updates to this presentation)
Web Governance and Product Review (one 1-hour session)
Audience: Coders, Writers, Reviewers.
Description: In 2004 the Administrator chartered EPA's Web Council to oversee EPA Web development and maintenance, for both Agency content online and infrastructure support. This training will explain:
- How our Web site is governed
- How management priorities affect the Web site
- Process of Web product review
- How we coordinate news announcements with Web development
- Processes/logistics for developing concepts for Web products and draft Web products
- Online resources
for Web originators and developers
- Web Council members
- OPA Web reviewers
- Writing style guide
Cost: Free
Presentation: PowerPoint 134KB| print version 2 slides per page (PDF, 9 pages, 102KB
Design the EPA Way (formerly Web Standards; one 2-hour session)
Audience: Coders, Writers, Reviewers.
Description: You need to understand EPA Web standards whether you are an EPA employee making your own pages or reviewing contractor work, or a contractor coder creating pages for EPA.
- Web Standards
- Standard look and feel
- Topical organization
- Writing style and information conveyed
- Usability and Web design best practices,
including:
- what kinds of information that should go or not go on home pages and "Basic Information" pages
- what kinds of graphics are good, and what are bad, on EPA's site
- PDF guidelines: giving info about PDFs generally, linking to them, creating them properly
- Standards database
See also: Section 508, Accessibility and Web Design
Cost: Free
Presentation: PowerPoint | print version with 2 slides per page (PDF, 15 pages, 197 KB)
Plain Language (one 2-hour session)
Audience: Writers, Reviewers.
Description: Writing clearly requires more than technical knowledge and a spell checker. Plain language training will give you fresh and sometimes unexpected ideas and techniques for organizing your information for readers. You will learn more about:
- Communicating clearly
- Writing so readers understand it the first time
- Helping readers find information they need
- Exercise
See also: Writing for the Web
Cost: Free.
Presentation: PowerPoint 2MB | print version with 3 slides per page (PDF, 36 pages, 744 KB)
Register Note: if possible, take this training before Writing for the Web. Why?
Writing for the Web (one 2-hour session)
Audience: Coders, Writers, Reviewers.
Description: Studies show that Web users look at and read information on a computer screen very differently than how they would read the same information if printed on paper. This training will help you understand how to:
- Identify your audiences
- Figure out what they want to know and how they look for it
- Create Web-friendly words, phrases, sentences, links and captions
- Design paragraphs, pages and sites that serve your audiences
- Resources and examples
- Class handout
See also: Plain Language
Cost: Free.
Presentation: PowerPoint 1.66MB| print version with 3 slides per page (PDF, 25 pages, 736 KB)
Register Note: if possible take this training after Plain Language. Why?
Marketing to Management (one 1-hour session)
Audience: Writers, Reviewers.
Description: This course will help you reach out to program staff and managers, and how to keep your Web sites on everyone's radar without being a pest. This class was originally called "Building a Strong Web Presence." It's the same course with a more descriptive name.
- You will learn how to get:
- Better Web content from staff
- More attention from management
- More awareness of the Web as a communication tool in general
- Tricks and tools
- "Web 101" presentation for managers
- Email marketing tools
Presentation: PowerPoint | HTML
Cost: Free
Using Graphics Well (one 2-hour session)
Audience: Coders, Reviewers.
Description: Graphics can greatly enhance text, convey direct content, and add visual appeal to engage users' interest. But graphics done poorly can undercut the effectiveness of the content or activity the user is supposed to do. This course will cover the basics of both aesthetics and implementation, with many examples.
- When to use graphics and when not to use them
- Color schemes
- Choosing the right size
- Layout concepts
See also: Using Graphics 201
Cost: Free
Presentation: PowerPoint (4.8 MB) | Print version with 2 slides per page (PDF, 20 pages, 2.6 MB)
Using Graphics Well 201 (one 2-hour session)
Audience: Coders, Reviewers.
Description: This "How To" clinic is a crash course in operating Image Editing Software (Photoshop) to perform simple tasks that will prepare images for the web. You will find that many of the tools and techniques used in Photoshop are similarly offered in other image editing packages. You will learn:
- The basics of working in Photoshop or any other image editing software
- How to resize and minimize images for Web use
- How to create thumbnails for larger images
- ... and more.
See also: Using Graphics Well
Cost: Free
Presentation: Powerpoint (2.4 MB) | Print version with 2 slides per page (PDF, 26 pages, 780 KB)
Site Usage Statistics (one 1-hour session)
Audience: Reviewers.
Description: Key to good Web management is understanding user traffic on your site. Usage statistics can help you learn how people are using your Web site, if they are going to the pages you think they are going to, or which pages are the most popular - which your boss may also want to know. You will learn:
- How to assemble a monthly Web statistics report
- How to mine Maxamine reports and other EPA Web analytics resources
- How to interpret a Web stats report
- What statistics can and can't tell you
Cost: Free
Presentation: PowerPoint (933kb 33 pgs)|
Print version with 2 slides per pg (PDF 17pgs 599KB)
Related training materials:
- grtlakes200802-sample.pdf (451 KB)
- walkthrough narrative.doc (3 pages, 40 KB) (Word viewer )
- r5 new releases.xls (161 KB) (Excel viewer )
- Region 5 Web Site Statistics Report, June 2009 (PDF 2 pgs, 240 KB)
Usability Testing: Do It Yourself (one 1½-hour session)
Audience: Coders, Reviewers.
Description: Studies show that people generally look at and use information on computer screens in certain ways, even if they aren't aware of doing so. But understanding these ways can help design and layout Web information so it is naturally easy to use. You will learn:
- Overview of usability
- Different types of reviews
- Tools to conduct an expert review
- How to use the results
Cost: Free
Presentation: PowerPoint |
HTML
Expert review checklist: Word document
Section 508, Accessibility and Web Design (one 1½-hour session)
Audience: Coders, Reviewers.
Description: This course outlines Section 508 accessibility background, requirements, and provides lots of examples of ways to address a variety of situations.
- Overview of accessibility requirements
- Specific things to watch for when designing EPA Web pages
- How to write good alt text
- Accessibility and PDF
- Where to get more information and examples for doing your own coding.
See also: Design the EPA Way
Cost: Free
Presentation: PowerPoint | Screen reader simulation
Related: the 16 requirements | the Access Board page
Web 2.0 Introduction (one 2-hour session)
Audience: Coders, Writers, Reviewers.
Description: Web 2.0 offers new ways to engage and interact with the public, such as blogs, wikis, youtube, and more. This training will help you understand
- what Web 2.0 means
- examples of Web 2.0-type sites
- caveats and considerations
- what you should do if you want to do a Web 2.0 thing
See also: Earth Month Outreach: Mixing Web 1.0 and 2.0
Cost: Free
Presentation: PowerPoint | Print version with 2 slides per page (PDF 15 pages, 1.6 MB)
Writing a Blog Post: Not Your Typical Web Page (one 1-hour session)
Audience: Writers, Reviewers.
Description: Have you been invited to blog? Blogging is personally sharing your own stories and experiences, and trying to engage readers in a "conversation" through comments. This training will cover writing a blog entry for EPA's "Greenversations" blog such as what we look for, writing style, length, and in general how the blog works, and what a blog is not (it's not, for example, regurgitating fact sheets or programmatic information as posted on epa.gov).
See also: Web 2.0
Cost: Free
Presentation: Powerpoint (10 pages, 188 KB) | Print version with 2 slides per page (PDF 32KB, 5 pages)
Earth Month Outreach: Mixing Web 1.0 and 2.0 (one 1-hour session)
Audience: Writers, Reviewers.
Description: The first step of any project is to consider your mission and choose the right tool mix, whether Web 1.0, 2.0, or even simple email. This webinar reviews EPA's efforts around Earth Month 2009. Included in the discussion are:
- news releases
- blogging
- podcasts
- widgets
- other (because we are discovering new, other social media tools)
See also: Web 2.0
Cost: Free
Presentation: ppt (24 pages, 3.5 MB) | print version 2 slides per page (PDF 1.2MB 12 pages)
Social Media and the Gov't: A Brief Introduction for Managers
(one 1-1/2hour session)
Audience: Managers and others interested in overarching concepts related to social media.
Description: This training focuses specifically on managers' needs, discussing social media at a conceptual level instead of providing nuts-and-bolts details of how to implement it. You will learn:
- Why the government should investigate social media tools
- Examples of government use
- Culture change related to social media
Please view two videos before the training:
Information R/evolution: discusses and demonstrates how the way we think about information is changing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4CV05HyAbM
Social Media Revolution: A series of social media statistics demonstrating it's more than a fad
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIFYPQjYhv8
Cost: Free
Presentation: ppt (12 pages, 162 KB) | print version 2 slides per page (PDF 137KB 6 pages)