Flexible Web Branding, the Case Against Single Web Templates - CASEV 2010
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Look at the use of single templates on higher education websites. Implementing an institution-wide template sounds like a good idea at first but how does it perform in the real world? Get insights into the pros and cons of implementing a single template across all institution websites. We will explore what works and what doesn't, from both the management and end-user prospective. Discover techniques to embrace the uniqueness of each area of your institution and how to engage your visitors along the way. http://nickdenardis.com/
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Flexible Web Branding, the Case Against Single Web Templates - CASEV 2010
- 1. Follow the 2010 CASE V Conference on Twitter #CASEV Flexible Web Branding, the Case Against Single Web Templates Communications and Web Track sponsored by Alumni Magnet
- 2. Nick DeNardis @nickdenardis Associate Director of Web Communications Wayne State University http://wayne.edu/ Host of EDU Checkup http://educheckup.com/ Writer for .eduGuru http://doteduguru.com/ CASE V 2010 @nickdenardis
- 3. Who are you? CASE V 2010 @nickdenardis
- 4. Who are you? Directly control your entire institution’s website? CASE V 2010 @nickdenardis
- 5. Who are you? Directly control your entire institution’s website? Directly control the homepage or a portion of the site? CASE V 2010 @nickdenardis
- 6. Who are you? Directly control your entire institution’s website? Directly control the homepage or a portion of the site? Are a one person shop? CASE V 2010 @nickdenardis
- 7. Who are you? Directly control your entire institution’s website? Directly control the homepage or a portion of the site? Are a one person shop? Have one central CMS? CASE V 2010 @nickdenardis
- 8. Who are you? Directly control your entire institution’s website? Directly control the homepage or a portion of the site? Are a one person shop? Have one central CMS? Are you currently going through a redesign? CASE V 2010 @nickdenardis
- 9. Who are you? Directly control your entire institution’s website? Directly control the homepage or a portion of the site? Are a one person shop? Have one central CMS? Are you currently going through a redesign? Have an in house Web team? CASE V 2010 @nickdenardis
- 10. The golden rule of the web Treat users as you would want to be treated CASE V 2010 @nickdenardis
- 11. Higher Education: The Toughest Gig in All the Web - Mark Greenfield 3pm today in the Ballroom II CASE V 2010 @nickdenardis
- 12. Benchmarking http://edustyle.net CASE V 2010 @nickdenardis
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- 14. Goal: Make it noteworthy But what makes a noteworthy site? CASE V 2010 @nickdenardis
- 15. Noteworthy in the past year Boston University x 7 Saxion Universities of Applied Sciences Wentworth Institute of Technology Dickinson College Wofford College University of Puget Sound Connecticut State University System Freed-Hardeman University Century College Southwest Minnesota State Mills College University University of Missouri NC State University Cornell University x 2 The University of Alabama Kent State University Grand Valley State University Cornell University CASE V 2010 @nickdenardis
- 16. Examining the noteworthy sites from the past year Mainly redesign An opportunity to implement a new direction Small iterations don’t make the list What is the shelf life of a redesigned site? CASE V 2010 @nickdenardis
- 17. Three examples CASE V 2010 @nickdenardis
- 18. Wofford CASE V 2010 @nickdenardis
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- 25. University of Nebraska–Lincoln CASE V 2010 @nickdenardis
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- 44. What did we just learn? CASE V 2010 @nickdenardis
- 45. What did we just learn? Single web templates are not a silver bullet CASE V 2010 @nickdenardis
- 46. What did we just learn? Single web templates are not a silver bullet Old sites need to be redesigned CASE V 2010 @nickdenardis
- 47. What did we just learn? Single web templates are not a silver bullet Old sites need to be redesigned Competition between complete or no control CASE V 2010 @nickdenardis
- 48. What did we just learn? Single web templates are not a silver bullet Old sites need to be redesigned Competition between complete or no control To think like a user you have to be a user CASE V 2010 @nickdenardis
- 49. A happy medium :-) Flexible branding from the start Good communication Proper training Reward the rule followers Pick your battles Sometimes you just have to let go CASE V 2010 @nickdenardis
- 50. Tiered branding Tier 1 Admissions Financial Aid, Housing, Advising Tier 2 Current Student Services Offices & Departments Tier 3 Staff & Administration Sites Centers & Institutes CASE V 2010 @nickdenardis
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- 57. Departmental interview CASE V 2010 @nickdenardis
- 58. Departmental interview Have the dean/department head/director there CASE V 2010 @nickdenardis
- 59. Departmental interview Have the dean/department head/director there Meet with the advisors, admissions & other staff CASE V 2010 @nickdenardis
- 60. Departmental interview Have the dean/department head/director there Meet with the advisors, admissions & other staff Get a list of differentiators CASE V 2010 @nickdenardis
- 61. Departmental interview Have the dean/department head/director there Meet with the advisors, admissions & other staff Get a list of differentiators You will find more commonality than differences CASE V 2010 @nickdenardis
- 62. Departmental interview Have the dean/department head/director there Meet with the advisors, admissions & other staff Get a list of differentiators You will find more commonality than differences Make sure it is all about the end user CASE V 2010 @nickdenardis
- 63. Departmental interview Have the dean/department head/director there Meet with the advisors, admissions & other staff Get a list of differentiators You will find more commonality than differences Make sure it is all about the end user Solve problems, setup goals CASE V 2010 @nickdenardis
- 64. Get the designers involved Involve them early Make sure they are aware of the requirements Don’t re-invent the wheel Keep to constructs CASE V 2010 @nickdenardis
- 65. Average highered website Header News & announcements Navigation Promotion area Main branding area Contact information Search box Footer 1-2 Sentence “why we exist” Upcoming events CASE V 2010 @nickdenardis
- 66. Common unique items Student/faculty/alumni profiles Image gallery Video gallery In the news Sign up for updates form CASE V 2010 @nickdenardis
- 67. Totally unique elements Night sky calendar Picture of the week Top 10 pages visited pages System availability CASE V 2010 @nickdenardis
- 68. Wireframes CASE V 2010 @nickdenardis
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- 73. Grid based http://960.gs/ CASE V 2010 @nickdenardis
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- 77. Example Wayne State University - Library Science CASE V 2010 @nickdenardis
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- 84. Example University of Maryland - Nursing CASE V 2010 @nickdenardis
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- 91. “No no’s” Letter from the dean/director “Quicklinks” Non-standard colors Unapproved wordmarks Departmental “logos” Creating a “destination” site just because CASE V 2010 @nickdenardis
- 92. Making exceptions Pick your battles What are valid reasons for making exceptions? “Our students are different” Document reasoning Try not to do it on your homepage Flash, moving elements, different colors, fonts CASE V 2010 @nickdenardis
- 93. Summary Treat users as you would want to be treated Every department cannot fit into the same box Create constructs everyone can use Have fun while still being professional It’s just the web CASE V 2010 @nickdenardis
- 94. Questions? CASE V 2010 @nickdenardis
- 95. Thank You! http://casefive.org/conference/presentations/ CASE V 2010 @nickdenardis