Web Makeover:

1
Web Makeover

• Developing and Maintaining
• a Health Education Web Site

2
Session Goals

• Identify major components of successful website
  planning
• Discuss ways to address diverse student needs
• Explain budget and staffing needs for developing
  a new website

3
Why redesign?

• Old Technology
• Difficult to navigate
• Content outdated

4
Web Development Timeline

• May 2001 student survey
• Fall 2001 planning
• Spring 2002 write content, develop design
• Summer 2002 upload content
• August 2002 launch site
• Ongoing new content, maintain site

5
May 2001

• Random survey of students on how they want to get
  health information.
• Over 70 of students preferred using the internet.

6
Fall 2001

• Developing goals
• Surveying students
• Developing design criteria and design document
• Learning Dreamweaver HTML

7
Planning Resources

• www.webmonkey.com
• www.brown.edu/webmaster/webpublishing
• computer classes and CIS staff
• www.lynda.com
• www.useit.com

8
Web site goals

• To provide anonymous access to accurate
  information
• To provide resources at Brown beyond Brown
• To promote Health Education events and services
• To decrease students isolation when dealing with
  sensitive health issues

9
Web site goals

• To present Health Education as approachable
  non-judgmental
• To be inclusive throughout the site
• To create consistency between web and print
  information

10
Define your audience

• Primarily undergraduates
• Particular attention to
• Underserved students
• High-risk students

11
Student Survey Most Important Topics

• Sexual Health
• General Health
• Nutrition
• Alcohol Drugs
• Health Services
• Emotional Health

12
Student Survey Most Important Features

• Current resources
• Easy to navigate
• Well organized
• Informative
• Search function
• Quick load time

13
Student Survey Why would you visit?

• To access health information anonymously
• For the convenience
• To research a medical topic
• To find out how to help a friend
• To avoid seeing a medical provider
• To prepare for a medical visit

14
Competitive Analysis

• 18 web sites reviewed
• Critiqued according to
• Navigation
• Design
• Content
• Features

15
Competitive Analysis Sites

• Go Ask Alice
• Nutrition.gov
• Yale Health Services
• Tufts Nutrition Navigator
• Unspeakable
• Facts on Tap
• Amherst College
• College Club
• Cornell Health Services
• Do-it-Now
• Duke Health Services
• Brown Daily Jolt
• Bowdoin
• Job Monkey
• Brown Chemistry Department
• Harvard Health Services

16
Competitive Analysis Results

• Highest ranked site
• Facts on Tap
• High scores
• Go Ask Alice, Amherst, Tufts and Brown Chemistry
  Department

17
Lessons Learned

• Work with students throughout
• Map out and document planning process

18
The Design

• Simple site design
• Recognizable as Brown, but distinctive
• Current content and visuals
• Convey that we are non-judgmental
• Hyperlinks in content pages
• External links open in separate windows

19
The Design Main Page

• Large topic buttons
• Main page will link to site map and search
  function

20
The Design Easy to Navigate

• Navigation system on each page
• Each topic to have a different color scheme
• Sub-topics on the sidebar
• Breadcrumbs

21
Lessons Learned

• Hire a graphic designer
• Planning process critical to success of the design

22
Content

• Browsed other health websites
• Brainstormed subject headings topic breakdowns
• Developed content flowcharts

23
Delegating Content

• Staff divided topic areas by expertise
• Style sheet for consistency
• Patient Education documents
• Final editing by Health Ed Director

24
Lessons Learned

• Be clear consistent when writing content
• Review drafts quickly and give staff feedback
• Create mini-milestones

25

• Site Tour

26
Points of interest

• Themed pages SAAM, Spring Break Safety
• Resources Links for each topic area
• General health sub-topics areas LGBT health,
  womens health, mens health

27
Diversity

• What weve done well
• LGBT Health
• Info throughout the site
• Gender neutral language
• Womens and Mens health
• Connect to other areas of the site

28
Diversity

• What weve done well
• Diverse Links
• Sexual assault/dating violence
• Home page
• Pictures
• Featured Links
• Campus events
• Strengthen links to student groups

29
Diversity

• What we could do better
• Accessibility
• Complementary Health
• Increase diversity
• Bi and trans health

30
Web Hits

• Old site (2001) New site (2002)
• Aug-Sep 316 1,081 (on campus)
• 2,348 (total)
• Average 20,000 hits per month
• 5,000 on campus
• Sexual Health, ATOD, General Health, Nutrition,
  Sexual Assault
• Daily Jolt Ads

31
Uses of the Site

• GYN/STI appointment protocol
• Student survey
• Student research/training
• Daily Jolt threads

32
Anecdotes

• Its like WebMD!
• Resource for staff
• Resource for RAs

33
Staffing Pattern

• Estimate of staff time to launch new site
  75-100 FTE for 9 months
• Ongoing maintenance content development (20-40
  FTE)

34
Its worth the time

• Accessible 24/7
• Connects students to Brown, local, national and
  global resources
• Filters student questions
• Easy to email pages to students
• Saves paper copy costs

35
Budget

• 1000 for graphic designer to develop home page
  and templates for content pages
• 1000 for student workers to upload information
• 100-200 for books and software
• 100 for staff development

36
Shortcuts

• Initial survey not necessary
• Look for content you can adapt
• Add some content later
• Dont reinvent the wheel

37
Essentials

• Dedicate staff time to site
• Dont create a dead web site
• Use a graphic designer