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
reimagining the higher education website
the art of engaging prospectives
will vautrain @vautraindirector of digital strategycolumbia college chicago
pete gaioni @petegaionidirector of account servicesiFactory (Boston)
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
frame
■ columbia■ challenges■ ideas■ solutions■ outcomes
not a pretty picture
■ rising costs■ low retention, graduation■ lack of clear transfer paths
tell-tale signs of an assembly-linehigher ed website
uninspired■ “my content” mentality■ no content strategy (no strategy period)■ lack of workflow■ lack of editorial planning & oversight
artful ideas
■ use data to fight subjectivity■ talk in terms of personas (“would patrick?”)■ content strategy to inspire and aspire■ assume mobile
research (2011, n=182)
user priorities*■ programs■ admissions■ financial aid
* hardest to find
tricky decision-makers
discovery
■ stakeholder interviews■ strategy articulation■ town hall
strategy
■ self-identify as “right-fit” and convert■ consistency - expectations vs. experience■ understand user's mental model
architecture
■ user personas■ card sorting■ sitemap■ wireframes
content
■ storytelling■ 100% new academic content■ purpose of key pages (gathercontent)
design
■ agile, iterative process ■ (design > content > prototype > design)
testing
■ sitemap testing october 2013■ prototype testing april 2014
gallery opening
outcomes (total content pages)
36,000 (2013)944 (2014 - new site)
= 97% reduction
outcomes (duration)
2.7 minutes (2013)16.25 minutes (2014 - new site)
= 600% increase
outcomes (pages/session)
2.4 (2013)3.5 (2014 - new site)
= 46% increase
outcomes (bounce)
56% (2013)41% (2014 - new site)
= 27% reduction
outcomes (inquiries/month)
470 (2013)855 (new site)
= 82% increase
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
thank you!
questions?
@vautrain @petegaioni