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
