user guide |  | |
A full user guide is being created to make sure you get the most from the site. We hope this will be available in hard print and electronic form soon. Email us to request your copy.See below some useful tips on how to use the resource. | ||
Welcome to RUDI, the Resource for Urban Design Information.
Our web site is so packed with information for members, partners, urban design professionals and students, we thought you would appreciate a few tips on how to get the best from this invaluable resource.
Try RUDI free for two weeks
For easy navigation
The site is colour coded and broken down into the following core areas: -
- information zone
- urban design update
- reading room
The partners section on the site is specifically for partners and members to view information tailored for them. (this text in green)
The jobs and services section is the commercial area of the site, with details of tenders, job vacancies and the wide range of products and services supplied by design and architectural practices, independent specialists and above all the consultancy services available from RUDI’s own team of researchers. (this text in green)
Index pages
On the home page, each main heading on the top menu bar clicks through to an ‘index’ page, which explains what is included within that area of the site. On each index page you can select subjects in which you are interested.
From the main index page you can click through to sub index pages…
Sub index/description page
These can be either be accessed directly from the top navigation bar drop down menu items or from the main index pages themselves. Each sub heading has a ‘sub-index’ page, which explains what is covered in a particular section of the site. It provides quick links to information or ‘taster’ pages, allowing you to browse examples of the type of content available only to members.
Top navigation bar / drop down menus
Click on the menu heading for fast access to the area of interest.
Quick links
Quick links to useful information are provided in the left hand and right hand columns of the site and is another way of navigating to useful information.
How to search for information
Because of the wide variety and sheer volume of information on RUDI and the very different users who rely on this valuable resource, we have provided a number of search tools to meet your needs.
Search function
The search function searches every word within a document to find your search keyword, so for example, if you type in ‘CABE’ the search function will pull up every piece of content that has CABE within the text. There is a search help function on the site to give you support on using the correct search terms.
Advanced search
The advanced search allows you to refine your search further by restricting your search to a particular area of the site, for example case studies and/or news content. If you wish, you can filter news by category i.e. international, general, regeneration etc.
By selecting the appropriate radio button, you can decide whether to search for your keywords: -
- In all of the selected categories
- In at least one of the selected categories
Alternatively you can search according to date each item was entered on the site, for example, you might wish to find ‘news categories’ covering ‘regeneration’ that appeared on the site between 01 December 2005 and 31 May 2006.
We hope you will find the advanced search function straightforward to use but if you need further advice please contact us.
Tags
When we create content on the site we give the content a specific label or ‘tag’ describing the item, such as its subject, place names, authors, and main theme e.g. regeneration, planning, public space etc.
This page presents the most common search terms used by RUDI visitors when seeking information and includes general topics like crime or sustainability as well as specifics from home zones to tall buildings. We’ve cross-referenced an extensive range of documents for even easier access.
If you click on tags in the right hand column of each page, you will see a list of the 200 most popular search terms. The bigger and bolder the tag, the more content coded under this subject.
The tag function is a more refined search, which allows you to pull together relevant material from the site. For example if you clicked on the CABE tag you would get content related closely to CABE rather than items, which just mentioned the organisation in passing.
Discussion forum
How does this work?
If you visit the forum area you will see a number of main topic headings.
Within these main topic heading are forum discussions. You can click on the forum topic heading of interest and see previous comments attached to this item in order of date entered. You can join the discussion by either replying to a particular comment or adding a new one.
Post a new forum topic
When you post a new forum topic it will ask you to select a main topic heading which you want your topic to appear under. If you would prefer to start a new main topic heading, please contact us to agree its name and we will set this up for you. You can then post your topic to the new heading.
Replying or adding a new comment
You will need to enter a subject heading and your comment in the body text. Do not worry about the other fields. You should then select ‘preview comment’, and if you are happy with it the ‘post comment’
Overview / summary
You can see from the main forum page the number of topics under a particular heading, and the number of posts under each as well as the last posting date.
Edit your own account details
You can keep your account details up to date, edit and change your password details and other information by going to 'my account' in the right hand column once you have logged into the site.
Invite your colleagues to use RUDI
You can invite your colleagues to use the resource by logging in and going to ‘my account’ in the right hand column. Under membership type click on ‘upgrade your account to corporate’ and complete the details. You can then click on the invitation tab and send an email with login details to your colleagues. Please note if you have only purchased a single user login to the site the access will be restricted to one person at a time. Once your colleagues have been registered they will benefit from our weekly electronic newsletter.
Register to receive notification by email when new content is uploaded on the site
coming soon...
Post a comment
The site gives you the option to post a comment to some types of content on the site. Here you can post comments to us and for the benefit of other users of the information. All comments will be sent to the editor for review before making live on the site and will be assessed for there suitability. RUDI reserves the right not to publish and to remove comments.
RUDI has been developed to be a highly informative, enjoyable, thought-provoking and above all comprehensive resource of information on urban design and placemaking. We hope this guide has helped you to make the most of the site and look forward to working with you in the future.
