Introduction Purpose – To analyze the current CSB website while comparing it to the current website at Appalachian State’s Walker College of Business

ASHLEY VEREYKENMICAH JUSTAD

ANDREW MONTANARO

Introduction

• Purpose – To analyze the current CSB website while comparing it to the current website at Appalachian State’s Walker College of Business.

• To create a redesign model for the website and provide an efficient and effective procedure for regular maintenance.

Overview

• CSB Current Website

Identify Problems

Step 1 – Identify Problems


Identify Problems

Current CSB Website

Current CSB Website

Problems Identified:• Navigation/Organization• Content/Design• SEO

Current CSB Website

Problems Identified:• Navigation/Organization

Problem 1

• Information for different users are combined in the webpage links making information difficult to find

Problem 2

• Links lead to other links so you have to go to many pages to get to content. Problem 3

• Each Department page contains similar information or links to same pages different pages. Different pages are not necessary and only add clutter. Problem 4

• It is difficult to tell when links in left navigation stay the same cause they “jump around”

Current CSB Website

Problems Identified:• Content/Design

Problem 5

• The design does not appeal to users and the screen is not fully utilized

Problem 7

• Pages have very little content. Information is often spread out through many pages

Problem 8

• The “departments” are mixed as if they are a single program.

Problem 9

• Difficult to find course information and flow of courses

Problem 6

• The main pages does not entice prospective students

Current CSB Website

Problems Identified:• Navigation/Organization• Content/Design• SEO

“Search Engine Optimization”- How you optimize your web pages so when users search in a search engine with a string of words, “a search query”, your page will gain a high resulting pages position

SEO – Google Analytics

Current CSB Website

Problems Identified:• SEO

Problem 10

• Keywords are not used properly within pages

Problem 11

• Links across the top are actually images, not links with text

Problem 12

• very little content for search engine to read

Step 2 – Form a Solution


Identify Problems

CSB Website Redesign ProposalAccredited North Carolina Business School | Wilmington, NC | UNCW Cameron School of Business | Graduate Programs and Undergrad Programs

CSB Website RedesignOriginal Problems:Navigation/Organization

Problem 1• Information for

different users are combined in the webpage links making information difficult to find

Solution • Create a top static

menu that separates the users.


Problem 2• Links lead to other

links so you have to go to many pages to get to content

Solution • The top menu along

with a drop down menus allow users to easily navigate to pages they want to see. This reduces the number of clicks to get to a particular page


Problem 3• Each Department

page contains similar information/links to different pages. Different pages are not necessary and only add clutter.Solution

• The new design allows all pages to maintain the same links across the top. And adds quick link at the very top . Similar information would be combined and allowed for faster access


Problem 4• It is difficult to tell

when links in left navigation stay the same cause they “jump around”

Solution • The new design

allows links across the top to remain static while additional links on left change based on what page the user is on

• This also could be fixed without a complete redesign

CSB Website RedesignOriginal Problems:Content/Design

Problem 5• The design does

not appeal to users and the screen is not fully utilized

Solution • Redesign website to appeal to users while utilizing full screen


Problem 6• The main pages does

not entice prospective students

Solution • The new design

includes an Admissions button for prospective students

• easy to navigate information allowing prospective students to quickly find what they are looking for.

• Awards presented up front


Problem 7• Pages have very little

content. Information is often spread out through many pages

Solution • allow different content

panes to include different information while not looking to cluttered


Problem 8• The “departments” are

mixed as if they are a single program.

Solution • The Programs button

in header navigation would drop down to “Undergraduate Courses” and Graduate Courses” and then drop down again to provide all programs


Problem 9• Difficult to find course

information and flow of courses

Solution • After navigating to the

program using the top navigation header, a link would be provided on the left navigation pane that includes course information


Problem 10• Keywords are not

used properly within pages

Solution • Include key words in

Title of page, In heading tags, content of page, and alt tags

CSB Website RedesignOriginal Problems:SEO

Problem 11• Links across the top

are actually images, not links with text

Solution • all links are readable

text that the search engine can crawl

CSB Website RedesignOriginal Problems:SEO

Problem 12• very little content for

search engine to read

Solution • adding more content

to the pages reinforces what the pages is supposed to be about. In the end we hope to reduce the number of pages and increase the debt of the pages

Other University Ideas

From AppState:

• Static navigation within header of page

• Boxed off navigation panels

• Efficient use of screen resolution

• Homepage contains the mission statement, current awards and accreditation, as well as an event calendar

• Also contains a news COBblog with current events and information

• Image at the top navigates to business home page and university home page

From Illinois:

• Quicklinks across top of site

Step 3 – Maintain Solution


Identify Problems

Maintaining the Website

• This website would be built using ASP.net– Dr Janicki would maintain overall control of website– Professors would be responsible for content for their

departments

• Currently have software for Adobe Contribute C4S– However, there are problems with encouraging others to

use the software to maintain portions of the site

Problems with Maintenance

• Content owners rely on Dr. Janicki to make changes and update web pages

• Time consuming for one or small group of people to do

• Professors may be afraid to try to use the software regardless of ease of use

Suggestions

• Distribute the “ownership” of pages• Training• Guide for users

Distribute the “Ownership” of pages

• Documentation should be sent out to show who is responsible for each page– Break down what on the page they are responsible

for

• Each person will then be accountable for their webpage’s content to keep current

• They will feel like owners of the page

Guide For Users

• Have a document that can be used as a reference – Steps to complete common goals i.e. change

content or add picture– Demo videos

• Document what is in their control to change and what needs to be sent off to change or add and what cannot be changed

Training

• Conduct a seminar(s) on how to use the product in an environment where they can be hands on– Have exercises where they change content on their

respective pages

• Demo video• Support person

Adobe Contribute CS4

• Edit within your browser• Don’t have to know HTML• Adobe Dreamweaver compatibility

– Provides editable regions within a protected design– Allow you to design while letting contributors add

to it without risk

Adobe Contribute cont.

• Set roles for individuals– Define who can edit and publish– Collaborative publishing – author, review, and

publish with single approval or multiple sign-offs – Reviewers can comment with the in-context

collaboration tool

Adobe Contribute cont.

• Content expiration notification for a single contribute page or multiple pages – contributors are notified when date nears

• Inline spelling checker

Where do we start?

Key TakeAways

• Many problems have been identified, however, a more extensive research would allow to identify a more comprehensive list of changes that need to be made

• A complete redesign could be one solution to solving the current problems with the CSB website

• Maintenance issues will continue to be a problem if not addressed.

Questions?

Documents

Introduction Purpose – To analyze the current CSB website while comparing it to the current website at Appalachian State’s Walker College of Business