0526-idm-wkly-updates

[claytonjbarnette]

Metadata and _data/ directory clean-up

@JBPayne007
Please Review

Summary:

The data files in the _data/ folder drive data for pages throughout the IDM website. These data files are often in the YAML (.yml) format. This makes working with data on the site easy without turning up a major database and requiring database administration or hiring a DB Admin. With this said, the organization of data in this directory (_data/) side steps some of the organizational rules governing RDB and data management, meaning some files just contain data, in the .yml format but no other information is provided to describe, inform, of guide a person looking to manage data in these files and update them to reflect correct data on the website (IDM).

Standard YAML data management

The following list of best practices need to be followed related to data in the _data/ folder:

• Simple naming scheme: name file with sensible names using a - between words, ending with a .yml file extension.
• Format data with valid YAML format rules, more information can be found on the YAML website.
• Add comments to the top of the file with in the suggested format:
  • Description: brief description of the file and it's purpose or the heading from the page where the data is featured.
  • Page Usage: name of the .md file where this data is being displayed and is also where modifications to its use are made.
  • Page URL: this is the public viewable page that displays the data, the URL should come from the live site where the data lives.
  • Note: any additional information that will help someone in the future to manage this data.
  • Data Format: a section that lists each field along with a short description about the information expected.

Any additional information should exists as additional comments or should be pushed to an internal SOP for awareness.

Metadata Clean-up

The changes in this repo were made to capture both legacy and historical information, as well as formatting metadata in the files to provide additional information for other authors and admins who manage this data and provide updates to this site.

I added descriptions to all files and updated the comments where needed to update the information to how the site currently works and is structured. Some information is mostly instructional to provide an author who is adding information to a file, more information about how to format the data to keep it clean and valid. Other changes were more toward updating the files to have a more consistent look so information can be found more easily in the file.

Removal of files

Some files were removed that were no longer being used, since redesign and were mostly remnants of ideas that we abandoned or no longer relevant to the site today. Remove 4 file related to the policy matrix, their data was moved to a combined file and is in production and working in the Policy Matrix Listing. Other files were deleted that were not being used at all, but just added to the clutter of the directory.

FAQs

The FAQs were an idea that was paused, but the code remained in place and needed to be updated to a usable state if we plan to add FAQs in the future. I finished the formatting of the content and inserted the instructions of how to enable FAQs in the future. This feature is DISABLED by default on the website, I re-enabled it to fix it, then disabled it again after updating it. It now has minimum functionality and uses tags (one or multiple) to help categorize FAQs if needed.

TODO

Update a few more files, and finish spot checking the site. I had to resolve a few merge conflicts, they are now resolved and this branch should merge with staging without issue.

📅 05/28/2026

@sdmcginnis-GSA
@BenSaxton
@maxwellfunk