Request For Proposal: The Web Site Redesign
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At the start of 2008, Calvin College began a re-launch of its Web site spanning three phases: 1) audience research, 2) content management, and 3) continuous improvement. How did we select our goals, draft the request for proposal (RFP), pick a consultant, and bring students, faculty, and staff on board? In Boston, there will be no secrets. Gain valuable insights and a blueprint for re-launching your .EDU Web site.
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Request For Proposal: The Web Site Redesign
- 1. Request For Proposal: The Web Redesign
- 4. October 2006
- 6. The Tipping Point Laying the Foundation
- 10. Team Work Working Group Steering Committee • Keep it small • Cross-divisional leadership (aim high) • Cross-divisional • Involve the faculty • Web professionals • Identify key stakeholders • Has the trust of the steering committee
- 11. Team Roles Working group Steering committee • Shapes the goals and • Acts as a sounding board objectives for the working group • Identify strengths and • Ensures alignment with weakness business goals • Recommend a course • Provides a reality check – Political sensitivity of action – Budget – Staff
- 12. Goal 1 Goal 2 Goal 3
- 13. 1. Realign focus based upon audience goals, tasks and expectations
- 14. 2. Establish a content management strategy
- 15. 3. Establish an environment for continuous improvement
- 16. Goal 1 Goal 2 Goal 3
- 17. So, what happened? • $100,000 budget approved • Recommended actions approved • Web project team appointed: – Phil de Haan, project champion – Matt Jeltema, project manager – Luke Robinson, Web manager
- 18. The Tipping Point Laying the Foundation Request for Proposal
- 19. RFI vs. RFP Request for Information Request for Proposal • An invitation to share • An invitation to submit a information and show formal proposal for work interest in the project. on the project.
- 22. RFP: Executive summary • Clearly state your request • Provide contact information • Outline the project’s time table • Submission instructions
- 23. RFP: Terminology • Be on the same page – Identify common terms or roles • Web site, Web presence, domain(s) • Audience or end-user • Authors or producers – Provide a modest set of definitions
- 24. RFP: About the organization • Who are you? • Public or private? • Where are you located? • What are you known for?
- 25. RFP: Statement of work Scope Goals Objectives
- 26. RFP: Deliverables • In the end, what gets produced? – Documentation – Strategic plans – Recommendations
- 27. RFP: Company Information • Required documentation • Requirements of selected finalists
- 29. The Tipping Point Laying the Foundation Request for Proposal Picking a Proposal Partner
- 32. Three Finalists • Invited consultants to campus • Kept their names secret • Four objectives for each interview
- 33. Award the Project • Begin contact process with finalist • Notify the runner-ups • Celebrate the milestone • Begin planning the kick-off
- 34. The Tipping Point Laying the Foundation Request for Proposal Picking a Proposal Partner Research Findings
- 35. How often do you use the Calvin Web site (www.calvin.edu)? 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Prospective Current Parents Alumni Faculty, staff students students and emeriti and '08 grads Daily Weekly Monthly Rarely Never NA Calvin College Audience Research Study J. Todd Bennett, Dotmarketing.com
- 36. Which of the following factors is most important on the Calvin Web site? (all audiences) None or other (specify) The site is fun and entertaining Has an attractive visual design Content is current and well-written Pages load quickly Information is easy to find Search engine produces accurate results 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 # of responses (n=3054) Calvin College Audience Research Study J. Todd Bennett, Dotmarketing.com
- 37. What tasks are important to you to complete on a college Web site? Check all that apply. (Prospective Students Only) Apply online Estimate costs Top Responses Request Info Find Majors 0 100 200 300 400 500 # of responses (n=508) Calvin College Audience Research Study J. Todd Bennett, Dotmarketing.com
- 38. Home Page Clicks (excluding Students & Exits) People Sports News & Stories Calendars A-Z Index Search Faculty & Staff Parents Campaign Giving About 0 50000 100000 150000 200000 Off-campus On-campus Calvin College Audience Research Study J. Todd Bennett, Dotmarketing.com
- 39. The Tipping Point Laying the Foundation Request for Proposal Picking a Proposal Partner Research Findings Next Steps
- 42. Short-term • Focus on findability • Incremental redesign • Hire a full-time Web developer
- 43. Short-term • Focus on findability • Incremental redesign • Hire a Web developer • Continue to manage expectations and show results
- 44. Long-term: Phase Two • Content management strategy – Remove – Reuse – Rewrite
- 45. Long-term: Phase Two • Content management strategy • Governance and documentation – Roles – Responsibilities – Relationships – Rules (a.k.a. guidelines) – Review
- 46. Long-term: Phase Two • Content management strategy • Governance and documentation • Content management system (CMS) – Focus on scalability, sustainability, and efficiency for authors and producers – Support the continuous improvement of Calvin’s Web presence
- 47. Thank You! Luke Robinson webproject@calvin.edu twitter.com/luker luker.tumblr.com Please, download & share www.slideshare.net/lukerobinson www.calvin.edu/go/webproject
Editor's Notes
- Welcome
- Founded 1876 in Grand Rapids, MI4,100 students50% Michigan40% Out of state10% International100+ majors and minors51,000 living alumni
- How it all got startedOctober 2006Matt Jeltema, Steve Ruis, Joy’l Ver Heul, Luke Robinson
- 1) Why are we hearing, “It’s not good enough?”2) What are the needs?3) What do we recommend?
- Infrastructure basically unchanged since the late 90’sMultiple, separate solutions for a variety of problems (templates, KV, blogs, galleries, forms, e-commerce)Increasing demand and usage (35% increase per year)80% applications online90% of classes registered online$500,000 credit card transactions50% of tuition paid online
- Web author challengesDecentralized ownershipToo many authorsLack of knowledge & trainingToo few resourcesNo budgetRapidly changing landscape and trendsWeb site organized by org. charts!Frustration among content editors/ site ownersNot Web communication expertsNot their primary job- lack of timeWho is the primary audience?What is appropriate to post and where?Pressure to constantly add content
- Visitor’s challengesNot user-centricOrg. chart syndromeDuplicate informationInconsistent messagesToo much contentOut-of-dateLittle integration between print & WebCommunication is a one-way channel
- Scope: Define the size of the project (i.e. problem)
- Steering committee3 Vice presidents (Advancement, IT & Finance, Enrollment)2 divisional reps. (Student Life & the Provost)2 faculty membersOther key stakeholders (registrar’s office)Working group4 “Web” professionals representing 4 divisions (Joy’l, Matt, Steve, Luke)
- Committee react well to things they can see.
- SWOT + Team + Scope = Set GoalsWanted goals that supported each other.See this project is an ongoing program (not “launch it and forget it”)
- Readjust Web organization and structure to meet audience needsRecommend technologies to meet online audience expectationsDeliverablesAudience, stakeholder, and peer research study ($45,000)Overhaul information architecture ($25,000)Recommend use of Web-centric tools ($0)Produce and rewrite content for top-tier pages ($10,000)Develop new design for top-tier pages ($5,000)Project management ($15,000)*Content is king, do not under estimate your content strategy!
- Support distributed content ownersConsistently distribute college contentCentralize the site’s design (separation of content and design and behavior)DeliverablesDocumentation and governance ($10,000)Update Web Style GuideEstablish best practices and regulation for technologyBuild communications and oversight plansExpert review and assessmentSelect and implement vendor supported CMS($TBD)Stage testing environmentCustomize CMS using out-of-the-box systems and extensions or programmingIntegrate with college systemsConstruct templates and build-out top-level pagesImplement site management tools (i.e. repositories, workflow, metadata, versioning)Establish best practices and trainingBenchmark performanceProject management($TBD)
- DeliverablesSustain energy moving forwardRollout CMS where appropriate (scope)Leverage our Web analyticsFocus on scalability, sustainability, and efficiency for authors and producers (training)Evaluate and recalibrate according to the college’s business effortsDefine key project roles and teams (centrally directed, loosely connected and cross-divisional)Advisory team, Director of comm. & marketing, Asst. director of info. Systems, Web manager, Web developer, Web designer, Web analyst & analytics, Web editor, Subject matter experts, Network engineer, Application administrator, Database administrator, Multimedia specialists, Training & support, Help desk
- Expected benefitsIncrease in enrollment demand from improved prospect development and engagementSupport endowment giving and fostering new relationshipsEnhance efficiency, consistency, and creditabilityAlignment of external visitor’s needs with business goalsImprove in-house Web servicesReduce print and mailing costsIncrease alumni and donor satisfaction by honoring communication preferencesDemystify Web publishing (separate tech from content)Improve agility to handle future improvements
- Having 3 VP’s on the steering committee was a HUGH plus
- RFI includesCompany informationProducts or servicesBusiness philosophyPortfolioClients (names, testimonies)RFP includesExecutive summaryTerminologyAbout the organizationStatement of workDeliverablesCompany information
- 9 editions and 1 addendum
- Go download it at www.calvin.edu/go/webproject
- Provided a way to ask questions (we created a blog)State your deadline (yet be ready to be flexible)Request photocopies
- Avoid politically sensitive labels (i.e. students as consumers)
- State schools often have purchasing offices and strict bidding processes
- What is your current situation?BackgroundStakeholdersBusiness model or frameworkStrengthsOpportunitiesDescribe the projectScope (size)What’s in, what’s outGoalsYour definition of successObjectives and/or DeliverablesThe necessary steps to reach a goal“Assess Calvin’s Web presence, recommend audience-focused improvements, implement recommendations to top-level Web site areas, and make recommendations for following phases.”Audience Research StudyInformation ArchitectureUser Interface (UI) Recommendations
- DocumentationWritten report, presentation, research studyStrategic plansInformation architecture, content inventory, wire frames, Web design, user-interfaceRecommendationsContent, technology, work-flow, governanceWill the end product move you forward (after the consultant leaves)?Are the recommendations realistic?Insist the recommendations match your reality or detail how to make them a reality.analysis of audiences and authors related to their tasks (how they work), their needs (what tasks are required), and their interests (what sparks their curiosity). Deliverables will make recommendations for long-term organization, prioritization, and maintenance in the area of user experience (UX).
- Required documentationCompany name, services, brief historyBiography of proposed team membersPortfolio of similar projects and referralsCompany staff by roleRequirements of selected finalistsDisclosure of financial statements, current or pending complains, conflicts of interest
- What are we looking for in plain English:Learn how calvin.edu is being usedLearn what information/services need to be available on calvin.eduConsider how to modify calvin.edu to meet those needsConsider what we can offer via the Web site that people might not know they wantWhat is NOT part of Phase 1:Technology overhaul (i.e. Content Management System)Messaging, writing, photography, artGovernance, standardsSite construction, markupAdvantages to a 2 phase approachResearch identifies the problem and backs the solutionCosts are spread over two budget cyclesAcknowledges the ongoing maintenance (this will not be a fix-it and forget-it solution)
- Who to contact?Company, Contact information, Web site, CommentsTop picks, runner-ups12 companies contacted by phone than an RFP “package”Request for ProposalView book and academic view bookMission statementThe SparkBusiness cards
- All had questions about budget.One high pressure sales call (“all or nothing”)In the end, 10 proposals received.
- January 28th and February 8th, 2007evaluate the consultant’s understanding of our project,assess the consultant’s relative strengths and weaknesses,evaluate a consultant's potential to continue with Phase 2 of project,ascertain the consultant’s culturally fit with Calvin.Two interviews each:Working group interview followed by lunch with steering committeeIn the end, we selected Dotmarketing.Again, plan for rejection and have an explanation ready.
- Run everything past the campus lawyersHire the consultant and list them by name in your contact. Your consultant may leave the firm.
- April 15-18, 20083 days, 18 separate interviews, 99 participantsStudents the hardest to recruitRecorded all meetings, have yet to listen to the .mp3’s
- Lots of discussion about A-Z index, search, navigation in interviews, FG and open-ended questions. Biggest Issue. Consistent, clean, simple design also discussed at length
- Calendars #1A top content draw for all audiencesEvent registration a top task for parents & alumniUsers looking for searchable and rich visual calendar