Two rows of navigation, a carousel, three news items, three events, three alumni profiles, a social media aggregator, and a fat footer. Look familiar? Ever hear someone say that you could take the logo off your website and it would look like every other institution out there? If you’re cringing or laughing nervously, this webinar is for you. (Ariana Grande said it best.)
We'll arm you with the tools you need to make your next website redesign, starting with your homepage, distinct and compelling.
What You'll Learn:
Why the universal university homepage phenomenon happens.
Five strategies for avoiding the “regression to the mean”.
The most important research and data to leverage in defending your decisions, educating your stakeholders, and dispelling popular myths about user experience (three-click rule, anyone?).
Key steps to take in between redesigns to set yourself up for longterm success.
ICT role in 21st century education and it's challenges.
Break Up With Your Homepage, 'Cause I'm Bored: Moving Beyond the Universal University Homepage
1. Break Up With Your
Homepage, ‘Cause I’m Bored
Webinar
MOVING BEYOND THE UNIVERSAL UNIVERSITY HOMEPAGE
Photo by Elvis Ma on Unsplash
2. Your Moderator Today:
Mallory
+ Director of Marketing and Business Development
+ Executive Producer, Higher Ed Live
+ L.A. Transplant
@MalloryWillsea
3. Housekeeping:
A few starting details:
30-minute webinar + 15 minutes for questions and answers
Chat and ask questions through the Zoom Control Panel
Tweet during the webinar with #mStonerNow
Please fill out the post-webinar survey
Check your inbox on Friday for the webinar recording and slide deck
5. As We Get Started
Today’s Goal
To arm you with the tools you need to take your make your next website
redesign, starting with your homepage, distinct and compelling.
7. The Universal College &
University Homepage
CAROUSEL
THREE NEWS ITEMS
THREE EVENTS ITEMS
REQUEST INFO | VISIT | APPLY | GIVE
THREE PROFILES
BY THE NUMBERS
HEADER
FAT FOOTER
SOCIAL MEDIA AGGREGATOR
8. Poll
(No judging, we promise.)
On a scale of 1 to 5, how
closely does your site
resemble this wireframe?
9. If you take our logo away from our header,
we’d look like every other
university website out there today.
Almost Every Web Manager Ever
‘‘
16. Almost all of the testing I’ve managed has proven content
delivered via carousels to be missed by users. Few interact
with them and many comment that they look like adverts and
so we’ve witnessed the banner blindness concept in full effect.
Adam Fellows
‘‘
17. More Menus Items = Better
“Everything Needs
To Be Visible”
“At the Top, Because
People Won’t Scroll”
“With the Shortest
Names Possible”
“And Because the
President
Said So”
20. Usability tests have long challenged the so called three-click
rule or two tap rule. Contrary to popular belief, people don’t
leave your site or app if they’re unable to find the desired
information in 3 clicks or taps. In fact, the number of necessary
clicks affects neither user satisfaction, nor success rate.
UX Myths #2
‘‘
21. More News + Events = Fresher
Who’s your
homepage for?
How much do
they value
news and events?
When is that
information important?
How do they get
that information?
32. All the Promises
Rigorous Academics &
Experiential Learning
Professors Committed
to Your Personal Success
The Start of a Rewarding
and Long Career
Strong and Loyal
Network of Alumni
The Ideal Location and
Great Campus/Facilities
Interdisciplinary
Approach to Learning
Fulfillment, Leadership,
Global Worldview
Friends That You’ll
Make For Life
No, Really. Really. Really.
REALLY.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39. “The more you’re able to own something,
the likelier you are to create unique content
to support it.”
Ben Bilow, mStoner Creative Director
‘‘
48. Why Experience Maps?
Develop empathy and
compassion
Create alignment
through a shared frame of
reference
Collect institutional
knowledge of behaviors
and needs
Identify areas for
improvement
Maintain focus on users
instead of the internal
organizational structure
Prioritize efforts and
focus intent
Have a living artifact as a
shared tool
60. #4:
Assemble your dream team.
Commitment,
Not Consensus
Representation and
Advocacy
Expertise and
Curiosity
Confidence of
Leadership
61. The Etymology of Commitment
(Thanks, again, Merriam-Webster!)
"to join together, engage, place in
the keeping of, entrust, bring about,
from com + mittere "to release, let
go, send (for a purpose)"
62. #5:
Work your RACI.
People or stakeholders
who do the work. They
must complete the task or
objective or make the
decision. Several people
can be jointly responsible.
Responsible
The "owner" of the work.
Success requires that there
is only one person
accountable, which
means that "the buck
stops there."
Accountable
People or stakeholders
who need to give input
before the work can be
done and signed-off on.
These people are "in the
loop" and active
participants.
Consulted
People or stakeholders
who need to be kept "in
the picture." They need
updates on progress or
decisions. They’re not
formally consulted, nor do
they contribute directly to
the task or decision.
Informed
Definitions courtesy of cio.com
63. Agency Marcom
Information
Technology
Senior
Leadership Admissions
Giving
Office Faculty Staff
Current
Students
Alumni
Relations
Discovery
Sessions R A C C C C C C C C
Content
Strategy R A R I I I I I I I
Wireframes R A R I I I I I I I
Concept
Design R A R C C C C C C C
Design
Suite R A R I I I I I I I
Beta
Site R A R I I I I I I I
Governance
Plan R A R C C C C C I C
Functional
Specs R C A I I I I I I I
64. #6:
Leverage data and research
in service to your audiences.
Analytics Usability Testing Trusted Research
68. Review of analytics
and strategic plans
Feedback on navigation
and points of conversion
Feedback on IA content
Feedback on photography
and multimedia
Long-term
recommendations
Immediate wins Mid-term considerations
Review of homepage and
key landing pages
Review of academics
pages
What’s Goes Into an Audit?
71. Answering the Why As Well As The What
Why this program? Why
here?
What will I be studying? Who will I be learning
from?
What careers will be
open to me?
What experiential
learning opportunities
will I have?
What facilities, labs,
spaces, and resources
will be available to me?
Where do alumni work
or pursue advanced
degrees?
What special
requirements exist for
admission?
What scholarships or aid
are specific to this
program?
73. As few as eight to 10
participants
Half-hour, one-on-one
sessions conducted in
person or remotely
Trends in as few as three
of four sessions
Questions, answeredMobile and desktop Guided and exploratory