changing campus culture for successful web content

Changing Campus Culture for Successful Web Content

Eric HodgsonSeptember 19, 2007

Find This Presentation

http://www.estradacms.com/hodgson

Two-part Series

Web Authoring Principles for Focused and Effective Content

October 25, 2007

Critical Web Principles

• Web sites are built for visitors—plain and simple

• A Web site must serve a purpose.

Critical Web Principles

Key Takeaway from Today:

Technology does not build a successful Web site …

PEOPLE build a successful Web site

Start with Site Understanding

Key Web Audiences

• An institutional Web site is built to serve:– Prospective students– Prospective parents– Alumni– Friends & donors– Current students– Faculty & staff– Media & community

What do they do online?

• Messaging – top level influence• Releases – relevance from many sources• Actions – most common purpose• Personality – key selling points

Content Categories

Separation of Presentation and Content

RELATED LINKS

IMAGE & CAPTION

BODY

PAGE TITLE

CONTACT INFO

Technology ≠ Process

Web Life Cycle

1. Strategic development2. Architecture3. Implementation4. Deployment5. Maintenance6. Next generation

History of Site Maintenance

MediumContextContent

Site 1

MediumContext

Content

Site 2 MediumContext

Content

Site 4

MediumContextContent

Site 3

ContextContent

Site 5

MediumContextContent

Site 6

History of Site Maintenance - continued

Serial Web Site Development ProcessContent Context Medium

Writers and Site Stakeholders

Designers andHTML Programmers

IT andServer Support

History of Site Maintenance - continued

Writers and Site Stakeholders

Designers andHTML Programmers

IT andServer Support

Content Context Medium

Web Committee

Web Manager/Webmaster

Web Editor

Content Owners

Web Developer

Server Administrator

Geek Factor0% 100%

Key Roles

– Made up of key audience representatives– Led by Web manager/Webmaster

– Overall direction of Web site– Integration of systems

– Meets at least monthly during development, quarterly post-launch

Web Committee

Web Committee Tasks

• Set short- and long-term goals

• Identify audiences and prioritize their needs

• Select a site maintenance model

• Manage three-year Web plan

?Let’s take some questions

Organizational Charts

Organizational Chart: Single Source

• Web Committee dictates overall direction of site; passes activities to the Webmaster

• Webmaster handles all requests to post to the live Web server

• Webmaster oversees technical development of the site

• Webmaster manages content for the site

Web Committee

Web Editor

Webmaster

Content Contributors

Image Manager

Web Developer

Web Designer

Network Administrator

Organizational Chart: Single Source - continued

• Site development is centrally located

• Tone and messages are controlled

• Webmaster is usually “jack of all trades”

• Webmaster needs to prioritize daily activities

• Contributors to the Web site may not understand big picture

• If the Webmaster leaves the institution, all knowledge leaves with him/her

PROS CONS

Organizational Chart: Distributed Authoring #1

• Web Committee dictates overall direction of site; passes activities to the Web Manager and Web Editor

• Web Manager handles all technical development for the Web site

• Web Editor handles all content for the Web site

Web Committee

Web Editor Web Manager

Content Owners

Image Manager

Web Developer

Web Designer

Network Administrator

Organizational Chart: Distributed Authoring #1 - continued

• Overall direction of the site is controlled by a group, rather than an individual

• Clear separation of content and presentation

• More use of primary skills for Web Manager and Web Editor

• Ownership of content at the page level

• Web Manager and Web Editor may not be on same page in feature development

• Technology must support Content Owners

PROS CONS

Organizational Chart: Distributed Authoring #2

• Web Committee works with Web Manager for overall direction of the Web site

• Web Manager oversees all aspects of the Web site

• Web Editor manages all content of the site

Web Committee

Web Editor

Web Manager

Content Owners

Image Manager

Web Developer

Web Designer

Network Administrator

Organizational Chart: Distributed Authoring #2 - continued

• Web Manager sees big picture in all development

• Good separation of content and presentation

• Good use of primary skills of Web Editor

• Web site becomes a strong technical tool

• Overall direction of the site is controlled by an individual

• Technology must support Content Owners

• Web Manager must cover many areas of expertise

PROS CONS

Organizational Chart: Distributed Authoring #3

• Web Committee works with Web Editor for overall direction of the Web site

• Webmaster manages technical development of the Web site

• Web Editor oversees all development on the Web site

Web CommitteeWeb Editor

Webmaster

Content Owners

Image Manager

Web Developer

Web Designer

Network Administrator

Organizational Chart: Distributed Authoring #3 - continued

• Web Editor controls all aspects of the Web site

• Good separation of content and technology

• Web site becomes a strong marketing tool

• Overall direction of the site is controlled by an individual

• Technology must support Content Owners

• Web Editor must cover many areas of expertise

• Design can be pulled between Web Manager and Web Editor

PROS CONS

Selecting a Model

• Understanding your organization

• Understanding your organization’s Web philosophy

• Understanding your organization’s Web philosophy as it pertains to staff involvement

New Role of ‘Author’

“Your job is not to put content up on your Web site. Your job is to help your customers complete common tasks quickly and easily. That’s how you measure success.”

Gerry McGovern

Five Key Author Characteristics

• Web literate• Computer comfort• Audience understanding• Writing skills• Go-getter

Content Analysis

• Unedited• Edited• New content• Deleted

• Categorization• Reuse• Actions

Content Reuse

• Encourage cross referencing of related content

• Establish taxonomy and tagging• Participate in social networks

Initial Author Training

• Expectations

• Site architecture

• Boundaries and limitations

• Site maintenance tools

Site Maintenance Training

• Separating presentation from content

• Understanding content properties

• Outlining Web policies

• Tool interface training– CMS– WYSIWYG– Hybrid/Custom interface

• Publishing procedures

Site Maintenance Training

Post Launch

• Content– Author workshops– New employees/authors

• Committee– New features/upgrades– Tweaks from launch

Find This Presentation

http://www.estradacms.com/hodgson

Thank You!

Eric HodgsonContent Management Consultant

319.396.5013hodgson.eric@gmail.com

?Let’s take some questions