21 tips for higher ed website design projects
DESCRIPTION
20 years of web design project management experience distilled in 21 tips in 45 minutes, with time for questions! Web content strategy. Team and stakeholder responsibilities. The purposes of design.TRANSCRIPT
21 HIGHER ED
WEB BEST PRACTICES
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ABOUT YOU.
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YOUR SUPERPOWER
CommunicatorProgrammerDesignerOther
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REPRESENTING?Campus Web TeamHigh Traffic PageDepartmentVendor
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ABOUT ME.
BRANDINGDESIGNUSABILITYTECHNOLOGY
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MY DREAM.
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TIP 1 USE DRUPAL OR
WORDPRESS.
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TECHNOLOGY IS NOT THE ISSUE.
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TIP 2 SET GOALS.
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FEATURES AREN’T GOALS.
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In the past [time frame] the [process name] has not been[business/customer issue] resulting in [very bad measurable thing].
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In the past two years the number of site visits has not been fallingresulting in 20% less applicants.
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TIP 3 STEAL.
Good artists copy, great artists steal.- Pablo Picasso
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TIP 4 TEST.
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DON’T GUESS - TESTWhichTestWon.com
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AND THE WINNER IS
no icons = 11% more conversions
source: whichtestwon.com
40% more “add to cart” clicks
+200% click-throughs+ 300% revenue11% more conversions
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TIP 5 READ.
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TIP 6 AVOID BULLSHIT.Your content mantra.
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PHOTO BY BARRY YANOWITZ VIA FLICKR CREATIVE COMMONS.
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TIP 7 TRUST STUDENTS.
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TIP 8 EMBRACE THE BAD.
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Bad reviews caused sales to rise, by an average of 45%.
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TIP 9 BUILD A TEAM.
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RIGHT PEOPLE.RIGHT QUESTIONS.
RIGHT TIME.
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Stakeholder - Committed. (<2h)Visionaries - True North. (2-4h)Core Web Team - Everything. (???)Visual Identity Team - Cohesion. (<5h)Communicators - Content. Messaging. (???)Perspective - (<2h)
RIGHT TEAM
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TIP 10 BE INCLUSIVE.(internally)
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BE TRANSPARENT.
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TIP 11 DON’T SETTLE.
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MEH...
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THIS IS THE STAKEHOLDER’S
FIRST JOB
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TIP 12 WORKING MEETINGS ONLY.
© 2011 Steve Krug© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2011 Steve Krug© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2011 Steve Krug© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2011 Steve Krug© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2011 Steve Krug© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2011 Steve Krug© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2011 Steve Krug© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2011 Steve Krug© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2011 Steve Krug© 2001 Steve Krug
© 2011 Steve Krug© 2001 Steve Krug
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ESCAPE PHRASES
• Let’s do a quick prototype.• What’s the worse that would happen?• I’ll add this to our next test.• Let’s ship with it and watch analytics.
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TIP 13KNOW WHY USERS ARE ON
A GIVEN PAGE.
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PORTALOR
DESTINATION
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Get off
ShortNavigationBranding
PORTAL DESTINATIONGet to
Long is OKNext StepsInformation
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A HOME PAGE IS A PORTAL PAGE.
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TIP 14 WRITE A
“SHITTY FIRST DRAFT”.
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SOURCE: Kevan Lee
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Enter content the first day of the project.
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FAIL EARLY.FAIL OFTEN.
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TIP 15 USE YOUR OLD SITE!
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IT SUCKS ANYWAY!
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TIP 16 TEST EVERYTHING.
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Join the Revolution.
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Message # Negatives # Positives
Make a difference and do what you love 1 17
Build your own future. 3 13
Expand your world. 3 13
Explore our nationally acclaimed programs 3 13
Land a solid job. Do what you love. Make a difference. 2 11
Join the revolution! 6 12
Your employability, your passion, your world. 3 9
100% of our grads get hired in their field, right out of college 3 9
There’s more demand for our grads than we have grads 7 9
The degree that will launch your career 5 7
We have a world to offer 7 7
Land a high paying gig straight out of college 9 4
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ABOUT USGOOD DESIGN IS DESIGN WITH INTENT
TIP 17
KNOW. FEEL. DO.
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TIP 18 ONE MONTH.
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I’m retiring.
I don’t like yellow.
I changed my mind.
We have a new product.
I’m so sick of this project.
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TIP 19 BRAND MATTERS.
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PAY ATTENTION• Which is targeted to women?• Which is for doctors only?• Which is the most popular?• Which is made by a $2b company?• Which is homegrown?
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
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WHO HAS A GUESS?• Which is targeted to women?• Which is for doctors only?• Which is the most popular?• Which is made by a $2b company?• Which is homegrown?
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12 JUDGEMENT CALLSIn 7 seconds:• Money• Education• Interesting• Etc.
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TIP 20 SPEED UP!
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TIP 21 BELIEVE.
JasonOnDesign.comSOURCE: KarenSLewis - Creative Commons.
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Thank You