reimagining the higher education website - columbia college chicago and ifactory
DESCRIPTION
Columbia College Chicago and iFactory partnered to reimagine Columbia's website in ways that dispensed with conventional paradigms, while introducing data and strategy to the mix.TRANSCRIPT
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reimagining the higher education website
the art of engaging prospectives
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will vautrain @vautraindirector of digital strategycolumbia college chicago
pete gaioni @petegaionidirector of account servicesiFactory (Boston)
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tintype
■ 17-year olds imagine their future in terms of academic programs and course offerings
■ they know what they want to do with their lives and the 30-year impact of decisions
■ if we can get them to apply, the “fit” doesn’t matter; they’ll learn to love us
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frame
■ columbia■ challenges■ ideas■ solutions■ outcomes
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not a pretty picture
■ rising costs■ low retention, graduation■ lack of clear transfer paths
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tell-tale signs of an assembly-linehigher ed website
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uninspired■ “my content” mentality■ no content strategy (no strategy period)■ lack of workflow■ lack of editorial planning & oversight
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artful ideas
■ use data to fight subjectivity■ talk in terms of personas (“would patrick?”)■ content strategy to inspire and aspire■ assume mobile
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research (2011, n=182)
user priorities*■ programs■ admissions■ financial aid
* hardest to find
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tricky decision-makers
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discovery
■ stakeholder interviews■ strategy articulation■ town hall
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strategy
■ self-identify as “right-fit” and convert■ consistency - expectations vs. experience■ understand user's mental model
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architecture
■ user personas■ card sorting■ sitemap■ wireframes
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content
■ storytelling■ 100% new academic content■ purpose of key pages (gathercontent)
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design
■ agile, iterative process ■ (design > content > prototype > design)
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testing
■ sitemap testing october 2013■ prototype testing april 2014
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gallery opening
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outcomes (total content pages)
36,000 (2013)944 (2014 - new site)
= 97% reduction
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outcomes (duration)
2.7 minutes (2013)16.25 minutes (2014 - new site)
= 600% increase
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outcomes (pages/session)
2.4 (2013)3.5 (2014 - new site)
= 46% increase
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outcomes (bounce)
56% (2013)41% (2014 - new site)
= 27% reduction
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outcomes (inquiries/month)
470 (2013)855 (new site)
= 82% increase
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hindsight
■ conventional wisdom leads to uninspired work■ creativity and data aren’t mutually exclusive■ listen to stakeholders and talk to them■ content strategy is not content migration■ centralize governance, decentralize contribution
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thank you!
questions?
@vautrain @petegaioni