Website Redesign

Introduction

In higher education, websites are the front door. They provide critical information students need to meet deadlines, receive services and get directions. Across twenty-five departments within Student Affairs, there are 65 websites, which until I intervened, were all built on various platforms with no commonalities and expectations of user experiences.

Challenge

Each of the 65 websites needed a complete overhaul, including content. We only had one full-time Web developer and many competing interests.

Process

SELECTING A CMS
With limited staff to devote to website management and maintenance, I first wanted to select a CMS that would be consistent throughout all departments. The university’s preferred CMS is TERMINALFOUR, so I spent time testing it to see if it worked best for our needs. I worked with our web developer to build a small-scale website on that platform and put the CMS through its’ paces. TERMINALFOUR presented several issues for us at the time – mainly, it took approximately 30 minutes to publish changes and in times of crisis (active shooter, hurricane, etc.) we would not be able to make updates quickly. Additionally, we could not run forms on the website without using iframe to bring in a widget from another platform. Through this exercise, I provided a case study to our CIO to justify our departure from TERMINALFOUR and suggest features that should be improved. In the end, I chose to run all our websites off WordPress for their customization capabilities and knowledge community.

BRANDING
Every site had a different look and feel. Based off the design, some not even relating to the University of Florida (UF). That had to change.

With UF, our agency of record is 160 Over 90 and they designed the ufl.edu, our homepage. I deconstructed elements of that website to create a template for Student Affairs’ sites that would allow for customization while being under the same brand umbrella.

That initial template is now in its’ second evolution, with the help of our new graphic designer. 

I managed the process from wireframes and PSD mockups to final designs, allowing opportunities for stakeholder feedback and user-testing.

ACCESSIBILITY
When the website redesign began, we only had JAWS and a Google Chrome plugin available for accessibility testing. Once we built the template, we ran and deployed on each individual website through JAWS to ensure screen readers wouldn’t encounter any issues.

A year and a half into the project, UF signed a contract with Siteimprove, and I successfully lobbied for us to be the first user group with access to the license. Siteimprove allowed for more granular reports to make sure every feature and piece of content met AA and AAA standards.

New software in-hand, we went back through each site and picked up elemental adjustments JAWS had left off. I worked with our web developer to create a schedule for quarterly check-ins to log the accessibility rating of each website.

CONTENT
Content varied dramatically from website to website in tone, length, voice, audience and jargon.

In redesigning each website, I worked with department staff to define their goals for the site. I would create a content map of all the text on their current site and have them edit for accuracy. I used Google Analytics and Crazy Egg for heat-mapping, to establish navigational priorities.

 I worked collaboratively with staff to re-write content based on insights, data and audience needs.

ORDER OF OPERATIONS
With 65 websites and one web developer, project management was key. I blended my knowledge of campus politics with learnings from site traffic analytics, to create a timeline for the project. 

Product

Redesigning the suite of Student Affairs websites to include responsive functionality and a new brand aesthetic was a cross-functional collaboration, with accessibility and user experience at it’s forefront. 

The project currently has six websites left to update with the new design and CMS. 

The success of this initiative led to my appointment as a Project Lead for the upcoming UFL homepage redesign in 2021.