Repository Simplification Summary

✅ What Was Done

1. Moved Complex Files to Archive

All unnecessary files moved to ARCHIVE/ folder:

• PI_ONLY/ - Complex administrative files
• STUDENT_ZONE/ - Complicated templates and guides
• WORKFLOWS/ - Overly detailed workflow documents
• utils/ - Python scripts that made things complicated
• LAB_WEBSITE_GUIDE.md - 200+ line overcomplicated guide
• COLLABORATIVE_SYSTEM_OVERVIEW.md - Unnecessary complexity
• IMPLEMENTATION_PLAN.md - More unnecessary docs

2. Simplified Jekyll Structure

• Removed collections/ directory and individual person pages
• Removed _includes/ and _layouts/ (using theme defaults)
• Updated _config.yml to remove collections complexity
• Made people page read directly from _data/authors.yml

3. Created Ultra-Simple Guide

• WEBSITE_GUIDE.md - Clear, focused guide (under 50 lines of actual content)
• README.md - Quick overview with file structure
• SIMPLIFICATION_SUMMARY.md - This document

🎯 Result: 3-File Website Management

Users now only need to edit 3 files to manage the entire website:

1. _data/authors.yml - Add/remove lab members
2. _data/papers.csv - Add/remove publications
3. _data/navigation.yml - Change website menu

📁 Before vs After

Before (Complex)

├── PI_ONLY/
├── STUDENT_ZONE/
├── WORKFLOWS/
├── utils/
│   ├── generate_people.py
│   ├── import_publications.py
│   └── validate_student_pr.py
├── LAB_WEBSITE_GUIDE.md (200+ lines)
├── COLLABORATIVE_SYSTEM_OVERVIEW.md
├── IMPLEMENTATION_PLAN.md
├── collections/
│   ├── _people/ (auto-generated pages)
│   └── _posts/
├── _includes/
└── _layouts/

After (Simple)

├── _data/                    # EDIT THESE 3 FILES:
│   ├── authors.yml          #   → Lab members  
│   ├── papers.csv           #   → Publications
│   └── navigation.yml       #   → Menu
├── _pages/                  # Content pages
├── _posts/                  # News posts  
├── assets/images/           # Images
├── WEBSITE_GUIDE.md         # Simple guide
├── README.md                # Quick start
└── ARCHIVE/                 # Old complex stuff

⚡ Benefits

1. No Python scripts needed - Everything works with YAML/CSV editing
2. No complex folder structures - Clear, flat organization
3. No 200-line guides - Simple, focused documentation
4. No auto-generation - Direct YAML-to-website rendering
5. No specialized knowledge - Anyone can edit YAML files

🚀 How Users Update Website Now

1. Edit a YAML file (authors.yml, papers.csv, or navigation.yml)
2. Add images to assets/images/ if needed
3. Git commit and push
4. Website updates automatically

That’s it! No scripts, no templates, no complicated workflows.

The old complicated system is preserved in ARCHIVE/ if ever needed, but the new system is designed to be maintenance-free and user-friendly.