ACCESSIBILITY NAVIGATION Information must be easily accessible to minimize customer searching time by reducing the number of pages (clicks) and consolidating information. This means there should be more of a horizontal navigational structure rather than a vertical navigational structure. Clear and simple navigation is the top priority; important information like locations, contact information and booking methods are readily available to reduce prospective customer frustrations.

Current and urgent topics may be highlighted as a focus-point on the main landing page. These topics are changed based on the primary audiences that will be using the website at the time in order to ensure the message is received successfully. Work with your content experts to determine the priorities and schedules.

USING WEB ANALYTICS So now that you’ve started the brainstorming process, how can you leverage your navigation to increase consumer satisfaction? Web analytics, such as Google Analytics, provide clear feedback from your consumers – and plainly tell you what they think is most important. Plus they can be free!

For more info & tips: www.google.com/analytics

STARTING OR REDESIGNING A NEW WEBSITE Starting a new website can be intimidating. Take a deep breath and start by playing online! Look at your favorite websites (housing or not) to look at what you like or dislike. Use this research to then determine the following for your new site:

1. Website purpose 2. Customers (users) 3. Desired user experience 4. Redesign goals 5. Overarching Design 6. Timeline & Benchmarks 7. Responsible Managers (content &

management)

HTML: HYPERTEXT MARKUP LANGUAGE HTML is a markup language that enables the creating and publishing of web content. It is currently the fundamental way to publish content for web browsers.

CMS: CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM Web designers developed CMS systems using HTML and Javascript to simplify updating and managing websites. CMSs include Drupal, Expression Engine, Wordpress, and more!

@DrRayGasser @Kmagura @AmyLJorgensen

CMS

VS H

TML

PROS • Easy • Quick • Consistent Branding • Add/Delete Pages Easier • Not highly technical

CONS • Difficult to change design • Expensive • Less flexible

PROS • Arguably better coding • More design control • Lower pricing

CONS • Technical skills needed • Start everything from scratch

CONTENT Content development can be one of the most difficult areas to tackle when redesigning your website. Messaging on the website should be seen as “push marketing” messaging. All websites have full control over the content and there is very little opportunity for a customer to engage with this one-way communication. Customers know this and therefore want to find the information they can seek quickly and easily.

Websites are designed to provide information about services, facilities, culture, and guidance on how to live in campus housing. Always work with the content managers to ensure accuracy and ideas on how the text can be simplified or better organized for the end user. The information in the website news should be succinct, current, and relevant.

Website development best practices include being succinct, relevant, accurate, innovative, intentional, and dynamic. One of the most difficult practices is to be “succinct”. All customers expect to find their information quickly and easily – and this can be difficult if there is a large amount of text or too much explanation. Try to harness your “Twitter” skills and summarize as much as possible. Try leveraging your web analytics as well to show what the customers want.

Websites should be accessible to the broadest audience possible. Factors to consider: screen readers for visual impairments, navigation via keyboard only, dial-up or low bandwidth connections, browsers that don’t have javascript or flash enabled, and mobile devices.

How to check if your site is accessible: • Turn off images in your browser (make sure image place

holders are turned on) • Turn off support for JavaScript • Tab through the page, navigate without a mouse • Try to change the standard font colors and styles in your

browser • Try to increase the font size by using the browser (view

> text size > increase) • Turn off support for stylesheets, does your site still

makes sense?

MORE INFO: http://wave.webaim.org/ http://web.mit.edu/atic/www/accessibility/guidelines.html

In order for our message to be appealing and engaging, the website could include updated photographs, videos, location maps, and departmental connection opportunities as well as customer reviews. Look at what you already have & get started!