This is a presentation from the Drupal in Education Summit on June 2, 2014 hosted by the University of Texas. This kicks off the first day of DrupalCon Austin 2014. This case study discusses our shared experience in redesigning the University of Texas website using Drupal 7. This presentation covers the history of the University of Texas website and challenges, Springbox discovery findings, the infrastructure for the website, the process of changing from Drupal 6 to Drupal 7 and finally the theming process for the site. This presentation was created by staff from Springbox and the University of Texas Web & Contract Services team.

1. Page 1
The Future utexas.edu
UTEXAS.EDU HOMEPAGE
presented by Springbox and UT ITS Dept

2. Our Shared Vision
To elevate the digital presence of The University of Texas at Austin
by delivering a forward-thinking, data-driven experience that is
beautifully simple, exceptionally usable, actively engaging, and
deeply reflective of the passionate Longhorn community.

3. Outline
UTEXAS.EDU HOMEPAGE
 Introductions
 Working with a digital agency
 History of the UT website
 Discovery findings
 Server structure
 Development
 Questions?

4. Introductions
UTEXAS.EDU
HOMEPAGE
Springbox
The University of Texas at Austin
Information Technology Services
Chris Martinez – Developer
Michael Redding – Developer
Tom Hudson – CTO
Jenn Coast – Web Strategist
Paul Grotevant – IT Manager

5. Working
with a digital
agency
UTEXAS.EDU
HOMEPAGE
Springbox view
• Communication is key!
• Manage stake holders / decision makers
• Clearly define scope
• Did I mention communication?
ITS view
• Communication is key!
• Marketing v. IT roles / responsibilities
• Share higher ed / government requirements
• Did I mention communication?

6. History of
the UT
website
UTEXAS.EDU
HOMEPAGE
2013 - Responsive redesign project kickoff
2013 - emergency.utexas.edu in Drupal
2011 - Multi-year infrastructure replacement
project begins, for a 2014 launch
2010 - Major redesign, main site in Drupal
2007 - Update to 2002 design
2006 - Update to 2002 design
2002 - Major redesign;
- emergency.utexas.edu offsite
1998 - Major redesign
1996 - Major redesign
1994 - Major redesign;
- WWW address registered with CERN
1993 - First Web server at the university

7. Discovery
UTEXAS.EDU
HOMEPAGE
Simplify links
Align stakeholders
Build for scale

8. SIMPLIFY
What are the most popular links on the homepage?
High
PAGE-VIEWS
Medium
PAGE-VIEWS
Low
PAGE-VIEWS
SEARCH
DIRECTORY
UT LIBRARY
COURSE SCHEDULES
COLLEGES & SCHOOLS
STUDENTS
REGISTRATION
ACADEMICS
JOBS
STAFF
MCCOMBS
BEALONGHORN
ATHLETICS
CALENDARS
ABOUT UT
GRADUATE ADMISSIONS
HEALTHY HORNS
CAMPUS LIFE
FACULTY
CAMPUS TOURS
TRANSCRIPTS
PARKING & SHUTTLES
Source: 2012 site analytics

9. SIMPLIFY
How is the homepage used?
Source: 2012 site analytics
INTERNAL SITE SEARCHES
DESTINATION PAGES
BLACKBOARD
REGISTRAR
CLASS LISTING
TRANSCRIPTS
GRADE REPORTS
COURSE SCHEDULE
TUITION
WHAT I OWE
FINANCIAL AID
UNDERGRADUATE
ADMISSIONS
GRADUATE ADMISSIONS
QUEST
PARKING
STUDY ABROAD
ADMISSIONS
WEBMAIL/EMAIL
JOBS
GPA CALCULATOR
HOUSING
DEGREE AUDIT
NEXT PAGES
REGISTRAR SERVICES
GRADE REPORT
These are queries typed into the search bar on utexas.edu These are “buried” pages that people are
navigating to in high numbers.
These are pages that more than 100K
visitors go to after the homepage, but they
don’t have a link on the homepage.
(For context, only 18 links on the homepage
get more than 100K in next-page traffic.)

10. “
SIMPLIFY
What links and content do stakeholders want on the homepage?
The homepage should
tell more of a story.
“There’s too much”
and “I can’t find
information” or “I can’t
find events.”
I would like a
“UT in the News” section.
Improve search!
I’d change the
“how to apply”
section.
It’s a little too
separate.
It would be great to have a small
feature that explains
why the tower is orange.
Currently we have to write a news
story every time the tower is lit.
People often ask “What’s
going on around campus?”
We could better use social media.
We don’t advertise all that
student affairs has to offer –
like a rock climbing wall!
Applicant care about that and
everything outside of class.
The homepage needs easier
understanding of events.
It’s a huge opportunity.

11. SIMPLIFY
What are the stakeholders’ points of view?

12. SIMPLIFY
SEARCH
EVENTS
UT IN THE NEWS
SOCIAL MEDIA CULTURE/STORY
FEATURED STORIES
Where do stakeholders agree?

13. SIMPLIFY
Who’s visiting the homepage?
52%
15%
26%
5%
2%
CURRENT STAFF
CURRENT
STUDENTS
PROSPECTIVE
STUDENTS
ALUMNI
CURRENT
FACULTY
Source: 2012 site analytics

14. SIMPLIFY
Where are users going after the homepage?
Source: 2012 site analytics
Admissions/
Apply
Check Status
Majors/Programs
Visit
Finances
Housing
PROSPECTIVE
STUDENTS
Registration
Registrar
Grade Report
Schedules
Grades
Transcripts
CURRENT
STUDENTS
Registrar
(Staff Section)
Rosters
Jobs
Parking
CURRENT STAFF
Alumni pages
(For Specific Schools)
UT Law
Transcripts
Wallpaper
Career Networking
ALUMNI
List & Profiles
Colleges
& Schools
Academics
Various
Departments
Registrar
(Staff Section)
CURRENT
FACULTY
Schedules
Grades
(Staff Section)

15. CURRENT STAFF
CURRENT
STUDENTS
PROSPECTIVE
STUDENTS
ALUMNI
CURRENT
FACULTY
ALIGN
Defining the Primary User Groups
Primary Users Groups in the Current Homepage
CURRENT STAFF
& FACULTY
CURRENT
STUDENTS
PROSPECTIVE
STUDENTS
ALUMNI
PROSPECTIVE
FACULTY
…creating an opportunity to prioritize a new
Primary User Group – Prospective Faculty.Future Primary Users Groups

16. ALIGN
Brand Impact on Primary User Groups
PARENTS
VISITORS
MEDIA
BIG DONORS
PRIDE IN THE BRAND
-------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------
LEARNING THE BRAND
Showcasing the brand to prospective students would encompass other audiences.
CURRENT STAFF
& FACULTY
CURRENT STUDENTS ALUM
PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS PROSPECTIVE FACULTY
PRIDE IN THE BRAND
LEARNING THE BRAND

17. ALIGN
Meet the UT personas
CURRENT
STUDENT
PROSPECTIVE
STUDENT
PROSPECTIVE
FACULTY
CURRENT
FACULTY / STAFF
ALUM
Based on data gathered from site analytics, stakeholder interviews, user interviews, the university’s
mission statement, and past personas, these new personas represent the primary user groups of
the university’s homepage. These personas should be used as a decision-making tool moving
forward when organizing and prioritizing content.

18. PERSONAL GOALS
Study just enough to make an A- in every class, get a
summer internship offer at a prestigious investment
banking firm, and don’t miss a football game. Get an
MBA…someday. Until graduation, enjoy every minute
he has left at the best university in the world.
• Active on Facebook, starting to tweet
• Uses his smartphone for social networking,
playing games, and navigating around
• On email list serves for his student
organizations and fraternity
20
HOMETOWN
Abilene, TX
WANTS DIGITAL EXPERIENCE WITH UT TO FEEL
INTERESTED IN
TYPICAL DIGITAL EXPERIENCE WITH UT
CURRENTLY
Junior at UT
WHY UT
“utexas.edu”
TYPES IN BROWSER UTEXAS.EDU
1. Simple and easy when taking care of classwork, forms,
tasks, bills
2. Reliable and fast, especially in a pinch
3. Cool, by showing him interesting events on campus
AGE
+ UT football season
+ His fraternity
+ Study abroad programs
+ Sweet gyms
+ Intramural sports
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------
DIGITAL HABITS
BRYAN ARKIN
CURRENT STUDENT
BLACKBOARD
REGISTRAR SERVICES
CHECKING HIS GRADES
UNIVERSITY WEBMAIL
GETTING AROUND
CAMPUS
CAREER SERVICES
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------

19. BUILD
utexas.edu Site Architecture

20. SEO
Best Practices
BUILD
The homepage ranks
#1 or #2 for branded keywords.
To maintain this ranking over time we will
need to:
• Reduce homepage links from 154 links to
under 100
• Eliminate 18 duplicate links on the
homepage
• Incorporate dynamic social media feeds
and functionality

21. Server
structure
UTEXAS.EDU
HOMEPAGE
• Web Central
• Shared UNIX hosting environment,
• Hosting for www.utexas.edu and
custom domains
• Home/Core Pages in Drupal
• Drupal 6 CMS launched in 2010
• Complex cache/push model from
separate server
• Complex rewrite mapping
• UT Web Project
• Replace 20-year-old infrastructure
• Cloud-ready, high-availability service
• Launch in 2014
• Offsite Emergency Website
• DR/BC with limited content
• Hosted by the kindness of peers
2002-2012; 3rd-party hosting in 2012
• Drupal in 2013
• CDN for www in the future?

22. Development
UTEXAS.EDU
HOMEPAGE
Theme
Modules
Workflow
Development process

23. DEVELOPMENT
Theme
Source: 2012 site analytics
• Built from scratch
• ZURB Foundation
• Mobile first
• Flexible grid

24. DEVELOPMENT
Modules
Hero Image
Mega Menu

25. DEVELOPMENT
Workflow
One Proposed Workflow…

26. Local Environment
Initial Build
Springbox Staging
ITS Staging / Bitbucket share
ITS / Springbox Build
ITS Build
DEVELOPMENT
Development process - Progression
Documentation / Planning / QA

27. • Source Control – Bitbucket
• Documentation / Collaboration with UX
• Front-end homepage build
• Integration of front-end homepage into Drupal
– Defining of all modules
– Build of modules
– Build of pages
• Front-end secondary pages build (We are HERE)
• Integration of front-end homepage into Drupal
– Defining of all modules
– Build of modules
– Build of pages
• Continual Testing
• Bug fixes
• Deployment
DEVELOPMENT
Development process

29. VISITOR SATISFACTION
ENGAGEMENT
TRAFFIC VOLUME
RETURNING TRAFFIC
TRAFFIC FROM MOBILE DEVICES
not yet measured
implement one-question surveys, such as:
“did you find what you were looking for?”
34%
11%
mobile traffic
24%+
mobile traffic
10%+
returning visits returning visits
49%
click-through rate
60%+
click-through rate
14%+
visits
target & improve
TRACKING SUCCESS
Improving the homepage experience
2012 UT IN 3 YEARS
35.7%
Of all .edu visits

30. Page 30
Questions?