Consider revising hard-coded text about in-person meetings on meeting page template

[dorothyyeager]

Summary

What we are after:
The Commission has resumed having meetings. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they are being held virtually. We've got language about attending meetings in person hard-coded into the template that we may want to consider taking out for now.

Completion criteria

• Decide whether to remove this language and remove it if that is what is decided.
• Make sure content team saves the language for future use should in-person meetings resume.

[johnnyporkchops]

My two cents: I think web users are expecting that if something stated abut "in-person" attendance does not make sense due to Covid-19 restrictions, they would look for extra guidance message about that, which we have at the top if the page. If we change it, it is just one more thing that we have to change back, once it resumes, and if it is last-minute, we'll likely be doing a hotfix

[JonellaCulmer]

My vote is for any option that allows us to be flexible and nimble when we need to make different kinds of events, be they virtual or in-person. We're living in a new age and should be able to accommodate different unforeseen circumstances as well as those we're aware of.

[dorothyyeager]

Taking the milestone off this ticket as the Commission is once again lacking a quorum so there are no open meetings for now. We can bring this back when the quorum is restored.

[dorothyyeager]

Or better, move it to a later milestone so we don't lose it. ;) @JonellaCulmer

[patphongs]

We have a few options we can take for this. Language also still needs to be decided. @AmyKort @dorothyyeager @JonellaCulmer @johnnyporkchops what are your thoughts?

Option 1

Don't change any of the default intro text of the meeting page and only add in the "additional information" field in Wagtail that all meetings are now virtual only. We would only update applicable public open meetings or hearings with this additional text. This is the easiest option since it requires no code changes.

Option 2

Globally update the default intro text on all meeting pages (includes open meetings and public hearings) to display a new intro text about all meetings now being virtual. This would be a change through all the templates, no matter if the meeting is happening in the future or if it happened in the past. This would require a code change and possible hotfix in the future once the restriction is lifted.

Option 3

Hybrid option: Add text in the "additional information" section about meetings being virtual. Update the default intro text to say that all meetings are virtual. Default intro text changes will change on all meeting pages. We can pick and choose which pages are applicable to add the "additional information" text to in Wagtail. This will require a code change and also possible hotfix in the future once the restriction is lifted.

[dorothyyeager]

My two cents: I like option 1 both for the simplicity and because that's why we made that box - for just these kinds of weird situations. I also think it's weird to have the "virtual" language on the past hearing pages especially.

[JonellaCulmer]

@patphongs Does the additional information box have fixed copy or can we change it? It sounds like option 1 is best, especially if that text can be edited depending on any given situation. Whether we have a virtual meeting, in person, canceled meeting for whatever reason, etc.

[patphongs]

@patphongs Does the additional information box have fixed copy or can we change it?

@JonellaCulmer We can change it and customize it for each meeting page. It's a plain HTML text field in Wagtail and will by default appear on the page bolded.

[dorothyyeager]

@JonellaCulmer Here's a screencap. The field will accept html codes too.

[patphongs]

We have decided to take option 1 and add a message on a meeting-by-meeting basis. We will be using previous drafted language "Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we will conduct the open meeting virtually."