Download - 21 tips for Higher Ed Website Design Projects

21 HIGHER ED

WEB BEST PRACTICES

JasonOnDesign.com

ABOUT YOU.

JasonOnDesign.com

YOUR SUPERPOWER

CommunicatorProgrammerDesignerOther

JasonOnDesign.com

REPRESENTING?Campus Web TeamHigh Traffic PageDepartmentVendor

JasonOnDesign.com

ABOUT ME.

BRANDINGDESIGNUSABILITYTECHNOLOGY

JasonOnDesign.com

MY DREAM.

JasonOnDesign.com

TIP 1 USE DRUPAL OR

WORDPRESS.

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TECHNOLOGY IS NOT THE ISSUE.

JasonOnDesign.com

JasonOnDesign.com

TIP 2 SET GOALS.

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FEATURES AREN’T GOALS.

JasonOnDesign.com

In the past [time frame] the [process name] has not been[business/customer issue] resulting in [very bad measurable thing].

JasonOnDesign.com

In the past two years the number of site visits has not been fallingresulting in 20% less applicants.

JasonOnDesign.com

TIP 3 STEAL.

Good artists copy, great artists steal.- Pablo Picasso

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TIP 4 TEST.

JasonOnDesign.com

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

JasonOnDesign.com

TIP 5 READ.

JasonOnDesign.com

TIP 6 AVOID BULLSHIT.Your content mantra.

JasonOnDesign.com

PHOTO BY BARRY YANOWITZ VIA FLICKR CREATIVE COMMONS.

JasonOnDesign.com

TIP 7 TRUST STUDENTS.

JasonOnDesign.com

JasonOnDesign.com

TIP 8 EMBRACE THE BAD.

JasonOnDesign.com

Bad reviews caused sales to rise, by an average of 45%.

JasonOnDesign.com

TIP 9 BUILD A TEAM.

JasonOnDesign.com

RIGHT PEOPLE.RIGHT QUESTIONS.

RIGHT TIME.

JasonOnDesign.com

Stakeholder - Committed. (<2h)Visionaries - True North. (2-4h)Core Web Team - Everything. (???)Visual Identity Team - Cohesion. (<5h)Communicators - Content. Messaging. (???)Perspective - (<2h)

RIGHT TEAM

JasonOnDesign.com

TIP 10 BE INCLUSIVE.(internally)

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BE TRANSPARENT.

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TIP 11 DON’T SETTLE.

JasonOnDesign.com

MEH...

JasonOnDesign.com

THIS IS THE STAKEHOLDER’S

FIRST JOB

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TIP 12 WORKING MEETINGS ONLY.

JasonOnDesign.com

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.

JasonOnDesign.com

TIP 13KNOW WHY USERS ARE ON

A GIVEN PAGE.

JasonOnDesign.com

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.

JasonOnDesign.com

TIP 14 WRITE A

“SHITTY FIRST DRAFT”.

JasonOnDesign.com

SOURCE: Kevan Lee

JasonOnDesign.com

Enter content the first day of the project.

JasonOnDesign.com

FAIL EARLY.FAIL OFTEN.

JasonOnDesign.com

TIP 15 USE YOUR OLD SITE!

JasonOnDesign.com

JasonOnDesign.com

IT SUCKS ANYWAY!

JasonOnDesign.com

TIP 16 TEST EVERYTHING.

JasonOnDesign.com

Join the Revolution.

JasonOnDesign.com

JasonOnDesign.com

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

JasonOnDesign.com

ABOUT USGOOD DESIGN IS DESIGN WITH INTENT

TIP 17

KNOW. FEEL. DO.

JasonOnDesign.com

TIP 18 ONE MONTH.

JasonOnDesign.com

I’m retiring.

I don’t like yellow.

I changed my mind.

We have a new product.

I’m so sick of this project.

JasonOnDesign.com

TIP 19 BRAND MATTERS.

JasonOnDesign.com

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?

JasonOnDesign.com

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?

JasonOnDesign.com

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.

GravitySwitch.comJasonOnDesign.com

Thank You

Download - 21 tips for Higher Ed Website Design Projects

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