Redesigning Your Website How How Often

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Redesigning Your WebsiteHow?How Often?
I-Case The Changing Environment in Advancement
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Agenda

• Audience
• Redesign or redecorate?
• Frequency
• Goals
• Process

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Brainstorm Overview

• Branding and design firm
• Indianapolis-based
• Established in 1995
• Staff of eighteen
• Higher education, corporate NFP
• Clients across U.S.

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Anderson University

• Private, Christian liberal arts university
• Established in 1917
• Enrollment 2,800 (undergrad and grad)
• 60 undergrad majors and 5 grad programs offered
  at AU
• University Communications manages media relations
  as well as Website communications
• 2 full-time staff members

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Higher Education Clients

• Anderson University
• University of Notre Dame
• Butler University
• Taylor University
• Indiana Wesleyan University
• Berea College
• George Fox University
• Bryan College
• Palm Beach Atlantic University
• Cornerstone University

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External Audience

• Current students
• Prospective students
• Parents
• Alumni
• Donors
• Media

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Internal Audience

• Admissions
• Academics
• Athletics
• Faculty
• Human Resources
• Administration

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Redesign or Redecorate?

• Goals
• Budget
• Timeframe to accomplish the task
• Time you have available to devote
• Your pain threshold

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Frequencyand Where to Start

• How often?
• Start planning today

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Frequencyand Where to Start

• Invest time in research
• Take note of current site traffic
• Learn about online trends
• Explore new technologies
• Look at your competition
• Identify best-in-class websites

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Frequencyand Where to Start

• Use information to push for redesign
• Quantify the need
• Educate decision makers
• Identify advocates

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Frequencyand Where to Start

• Planning is crucial
• Dont make exceptions the rule

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Frequencyand Where to Start

• How often should your site change?
• Know your audiences

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Goals

• Update visually
• Increase enrollment
• Attract potential donors
• Increase giving
• Support your corporate brand
• Improve usability
• Disseminate information

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Goals

• Maintain alumni connections
• Adopt latest technologies
• Facilitate two-way communication
• Add online application functionality
• Support individual departments
• Meet a specific go-live date
• See a return on investment

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Goals

• Challenges
• Identify all goals
• Prioritize goals
• Identify budget sources
• Secure sufficient budget

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Process

• Examine your capabilities
• Identify areas of partnership need
• Design
• Site architecture / usability
• Best practices / compliance
• Technology
• Content management system
• Development vs. maintenance

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Process

• Identify a solid internal team
• Establish areas of responsibility
• Find good vendor partners
• Take a realistic approach
• Develop a comprehensive plan
• Set timelines and benchmarks

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Process

• Utilize repeatable processes
• Work in parallel paths
• Stick to timelines
• Report regularly
• Collaborate
• Have fun

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Recap

• Audience
• Redesign or redecorate?
• Frequency
• Goals
• Process

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Anderson Experience
How did we get to where we are today Phased
development approach Sensitive to
capabilities/mission Research Key
constituents on-campus/off-campus Research
Other institutions (peer/non-peer) Research
Advances in technology, Corporate
Websites Social networking
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Anderson Experience
Evolution of AU Website Stage 1
Basic Content-based Simple design/organization Bro
chure-ware Stage 2 Growth Content
growth Forms / simple apps Design standards
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Anderson Experience
Evolution of AU Website Stage 3
Intermediate Dynamic content Integration of other
media (audio/video) Complex apps Stage 4
Advanced Customized / personalized Transferable
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Questions and Answers
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Thank you