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Newsletter
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IWRA Newsletter
International Water Rocket Association
A semiannual publication of the International Water Rocket Association
Issue 6 / June 2009
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT:
Hi Everyone,
Progress is being made with pulling together the final documentation needed for the water rocket achievement records. The competition package will include the following documentation that will be sent out upon request or downloaded from the IWRA website, documentation includes:
• Water Rocket Achievement Recognition Guidelines (Approved 2008)
• IWRA Peer-Review Process (Approved 2008)
• Rocketeer/Team Questionnaire (Work In Progress)
• Witness Questionnaire (Work In Progress)
• IWRA Water Rocket Achievement Launch Notice (Work In Progress)
• IWRA Water Rocket Launch Delay Notice (Work In Progress)
• IWRA Photo Release Form (Work In Progress)
The total package is seen as the most important contribution the association will make to provide a level playing field for all rocketeers who wish to be recognized for competition achievements worldwide. A very special thank you goes to the members of the Peer-Review Board (PRB) for pulling this never done before process together.
Once the” Work in Progress” documentation is finalized and sent on to the President’s Council for final approval, contact will be made with known water rocket competition sponsors to start developing relationships with those groups to get their recommendations on past achievements so that the association can recognize those rocketeers for their pioneering work in the sport of water rocketry.
A call continues to go out to members of the association to become active in the association by becoming a member of the PRB. The board is set to become one of the major groups of the association. If there is anyone interested in joining this group that is not already a member please send an email to the following email address:
waterrocket06@yahoo.com
in subject line PRB Member. You will receive instructions on how to join the group.
Gene F.
IWRA – President ‘09
Record Achievement Website Design:
Work has started on designing the visual format that various record achievements will take on the new IWRA website. Members are being asked to submit their ideas on the IWRA/Yahoo forum for discussions by all members.
Design considerations should include:
• User friendly design.
• Expandable and easily linkable to the provided peer-review documentation and media visuals.
• Have a graphically representative design if possible.
The design needs to take into account the following achievement recognition guidelines:
• Competition Divisions
• Competition Classes
• Type of Competitions
• Indicate type and PSI level of gasses used.
• Indicate type and amount of reaction mass used.
As ideas are discussed on the forum, both needed guidelines and design considerations may expand and/or change. The above suggestions are meant as a starting point of discussion. As discussions precede a demo copy of the design will be posted for members to review. From that design suggestions will be made that will lead to a final design.
'09 Goals Updates:
• Work continues to finalize the competition package that will be available online and by request. Once package is approved by the President’s Council, the Peer-Review Board (PRB) will make formal contact with known competition sponsors so that the IWRA can start to become the central depositor for world record achievement recognition for competitors within the water rocket community.
• Work continues on a new expanded website. The present website has served the association from the very start but it is time to get a true permanent presence out on the web with a dedicated domain name. The design will feature drop down menus, individual internal websites for the PRB, President’s Council and other major committees of the association, past archival information of the association, Knowledge Base Libraries, Media Storage and more.
• Continued development of the achievement data base and start developing a one location knowledge base library of all things related to water rocketry.
• Development of a group that would provide definitions/descriptions for new water rocket technology that works with the inventor to make sure the technology is new and gives full credit to the inventor of the technology.
• Development of a “Mentor” program designed to get association members involved with local groups “Boy Scouts, School Science Clubs and others” that are interested in water rocketry. More about this program later.
• Develop and produce a short promotional video that would be placed on the homepage of the association website as well as being part of a Press Package that gives background information about the association. This package would be downloadable and on a CD/DVD to promote the sport of water rocketry and the association to the general public.
These are just a few of the goals the association is tackling. If any members have other ideas on things that the association could set as goals please make those comments on the official IWRA/Yahoo forum.
Sneak-Peek of New Website Design: (Edited)
As discussed in the above section “’09 Goals Update” work continues on the new expanded association website. The site will be based on a portal design due to the type and amount of information that will be available. Specific individual board/committee websites tailored to the needs of each board/committee and user will be a feature in the new design. The portal design should provide a one-stop location for all things dealing with the sport of water rocketry.
Figure 1: IWRA Main Homepage with test internet link promo video. (NOT PICTURED)
One design feature of the site that we are working hard to maintain is a one or two mouse click format to get to the desired information. This means more descriptive labeling where needed and uniform page design with hyperlinked subject headers where appropriate. A “Java” rotating message/news board (Latest News) that allows the user to obtain specific up-to-date information by simply clicking on the news item displayed on the board. This is a new feature being incorporated on both the main and sub-homepages. Navigation pull-down menus for general/archival information and the depositories are also featured. The new association website will also be sporting a new logo for promotional branding of the association.
Figure 2: PRB Sub-homepage with hyperlink tablet.(NOT PICTURED)
The Peer-Review Board “PRB” Homepage (Figure 2) is one of several sub-homepages that incorporates the use of a hyperlink tablet that lets the user navigate easily to areas related to water rocket competitions, achievements and the on going work of the PRB. The “Java” rotating message/news board (Latest News) provides the user specific up-to-date information related to the PRB. The navigation pull-down bar (Top) is maintained on all website pages, were as the (Central Depository & Sub-Website) navigation pull-down bars are only maintained on the main and sub-homepages only.
Figure 3: Water rocket glossary page with navigation pull-down tab opened.(NOT PICTURED)
Figure 4: Typical archival hyperlinked list page.(NOT PICTURED)
Figure 5: IWRA background page (General Writing)(NOT PICTURED)
Figure 6: '06 voting results archive page with graphics.(NOT PICTURED)
The above pages (Figure 3, 4, 5 and 6) are typical examples of pages that will be displayed on the new IWRA website. Historical documentation of the IWRA which includes voting ballots and results, timelines of events, communications, calendars and other materials related to the formation of the association to the present has been archived for future reference.
Overall, the web design will allow flexibility and ease of updating of the material on the site. In most cases, once present information that is accessed from the “Java” rotating message/news board (Latest News) becomes old news and is replaced. The replaced information pages are then placed in appropriate lists for future reference. This rotation of information will keep the site updated. Additional documentation and/or reference materials can also be placed on the website (s) with relative ease.
Communications and Collaborations:
The IWRA is always looking for internet applications that can help with better communications and collaborations between association members and the water rocket community. Besides the IWRA email
(waterrocket06@yahoo.com)
and the present association website
(http://www.orgsites.com/tx/icwra/index.html)
or the use of the IWRA/Yahoo forum
(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/iwra/)
the association is looking at using interactive conferencing technologies as a way to provide collaboration between committee members or general members. This technology can also be used for live “Webinars” were the association could provide free seminars on topics of interest to members and non-members within the water rocket community. One issue that would need to be addressed using this technology is the time differences of participants involved and archiving of the conference.
Presently, the association uses Yahoo forums for internal business of committees and the association and polling purposes. Recently, suggestions have come to the office of President that consideration should be made to move the association forums to a provider that offers a more modern and usable forum format then presently provided by Yahoo forums. Follow-up discussions about such a move have not yet started.
Finally, to provide another avenue to inform the water rocket community of what is happening within the IWRA. A “Twitter” account has been established. Presently, “Tweets” cover what the President’s office is involved with related to the day to day operations of the association. You can check it out at the following web address:
http://www.twitter.com/waterrockets/
Newsletter Items:
The IWRA Newsletter presently is a semiannual publication sent to all members of the association and others. We would like to expand the newsletter by including featured articles on members, local clubs and groups that are involved in the sport of water rocketry. Pictures and videos taken by members during rocket launches would also be a great addition as well as “How-To” articles could be featured when articles are provided by members.
If you are interested in providing articles, ideas for inclusion in the newsletter or wish to provide pictures with captions or video links please send those items to the email address given under contacts. If you have writing skills and want to volunteer your time to become the editor of this newsletter please contact us also. Input into what you think about this publication is also welcomed.
© 2009 International Water Rocket Association
(REVISED: 06.05.2009)
