How to create the perfect storm for the successful launch of a large-scale, institutional website. Follow the process of from concept through research, procurement, web design, development, CMS integration, migration, and final launch. This is useful information for web teams in colleges, universities, non-profits and other large organizations.
2. We Have Limited Time Today
No weeds
Moving fast
This is typically a 4-8 hour consult
High-level review of how we did it
Happy to chat afterwards for more detail
โฆat lunch, dinner, or whenever, find me & AMA
@ JAY MASSEY
3. @ JAY MASSEY
@JayMassey - managing web teams since 1999
Director, Web Services
University of West Florida
Founder / Chief Vision Officer
Coco Interactive, LLC
What are your duties?
6. Disclaimer: Everyoneโs situation is different these are what worked for us.
โข The job interview
Limited staff
No budget
โข Web Services is under Marketing & Communications
โข Speed of change issues
โข ITS was deep into a 3-yr Banner implementation
โข Trigger came from the top
โข Be prepared to run with it (with little notice)
@ JAY MASSEY
8. 5,600 pages down from 50,000
Fully responsive, CMS-managed public website
Removed roadblocks
Glut content
Usability
Accessibility
Mobility
Search-ability
Engaged Stakeholders
230 CMS-trained CPs
Web Summit
@ JAY MASSEY
9. rฤหsษrCH
noun
1. the systematic investigation
into and study of materials and
sources in order to establish
facts and reach new conclusions.
verb
2. investigate systematically.
Make your case with research
2011 E-Expectations Report:
The Online Expectations of Prospective College Students and Their Parents
@ JAY MASSEY
โข Other universities
and colleges
โข Whitepapers, etc.
โข UWF survey (782)
โข Homepage heatmap
โข Wireframe review
12. We started the process with an interim stepโฆ
Rebuilt on the legacy website homepage and styles only
Benefits:
โข Remove Flash from
homepage
โข More time to work on
major process
โข Subtle transition to new
visual styling
โข Introduce more audience-
centered layout
@ JAY MASSEY
13. We did CMS First (not recommended)
Compare Content Management Systems
CMSmatrix.org
CMS Matrix as Part of the RFP
Software Capabilities
Required / Preferred / Beneficial
Service Capabilities
Required / Beneficial
Technical Capabilities
Required / Beneficial
@ JAY MASSEY
14. Open Source vs. Commercial
License CMS
Cost, Value, Contracts,
Comparing Apples to Apples
Do Not Underestimate the Time
This could be the most time consuming
part of the process
@ JAY MASSEY
18. โข Research / Planning
โข Procurement
โข Responsive Design (accessible, mobile, searchable)
โข CMS Integration
โข Pre-training / Train the Trainer
โข Content Migration
โข Review / Testing
โข Training (ongoing)
โข QA Audits & Maintenance (ongoing)
โข New Development (ongoing)
โข Web Governance
@ JAY MASSEY
19. Divide and Communicate
Top Down
Bottom Up
User surveys
Focus group
Leadership updates
Content provider input and training
@ JAY MASSEY
20. Take Note of Your Assets and Use What You Have
People, Money or Time
Leadership
Vendors
Money opportunities
Campus staff and students
Content Providers
Crowd-sourced migration
@ JAY MASSEY
22. Pre-migration Sessions
Getting ready
CMS Migration Trainings
How to use the system and move content โeasilyโ
CMS Training
How to use the system
Post-migration, Ongoing Training
How to use the system better
@ JAY MASSEY
23. 1. Communication is key to your survival
โข Communications plan
โข Professional communicator (if possible)
โข Under promise, over communicate
2. Leverage anything and everything
3. CMS Matrix
4. Migration is your albatross, plan for it
5. Always keep your eye and heart on the user
@ JAY MASSEY
24. Happy to chat about
your situation
Find me - dinner,
breakfast, lunch, coffee,
beer, phone, tweet, AMA
@ JAY MASSEY