New uWaterloo Homepage

Site Information Sessions

July 11 & 17, 2012

Digital Initiatives,

Communications and

Public Affairs

Introductions

Digital initiatives team

• Eva Grabinski, Director, Digital Initiatives

• Chris Carignan, Manager, Information Architecture &

User Experience

• Jonathan Woodcock, Manager, Digital Communications

& Content Strategy

• Andrea Sweet, Manager, Web Design

• Aaron Miller, Manager, Social Media & Community

Engagement

Acknowledgements

• Communications & Public Affairs (CPA) colleagues

• Communications Council members

• Web Content Management System (WCMS) team

Why a new uWaterloo homepage

• Leverage the web as a primary communications vehicle

• Support the university’s strategic objectives via the web

• Meet web accessibility standards & requirements

• Move to a site that works effectively on mobile devices

• Account for feedback on usability & content / context

• Ensure resources to support a robust & changing site

(evidence-based decision making; not print)

Web design implementation process

Web content strategy

Wireframe

• Based on web content strategy

Web design

• Based on wireframe

• Supporting web content strategy

Audiences

Objectives

Vision

Web content strategy

Vision – web content strategy

Convey what uWaterloo is about (context / content)

The University of Waterloo homepage should reflect the essence of

Waterloo’s brand: it should be dynamic, modern, unconventional, and

showcase how Waterloo’s innovative spirit, through our connectedness,

builds a better future for Canada and the world.

Account for user experience (UX)

The homepage should be a model of “working well”, a top-of-class

example of a university website with clear navigation, useful search,

compliant accessibility, and ease of use for our audiences, who should

expect the best in web / digital presence from uWaterloo that includes

design / adaptation for efficient mobile use.

Objectives – web content strategy

1. To reflect the university’s aspirations to achieve a level of excellence in research and teaching

comparable to and compatible with the top 100 universities in the world

2. To support the goals outlined in the Sixth Decade Plan and including: enhancing the quality of the

student experience; international engagement; global leadership in undergraduate co-

operative education; research impact; demonstrated leadership in selected areas of

teaching and research; enhancing communications with stakeholders

3. To create a clearer understanding of what Waterloo is and does, and to position Waterloo as

distinctive because of a culture of innovation, creativity and risk taking (a dynamic

environment); a commitment to connection and collaboration with private and public sector; a

commitment to societal relevance

4. To attract and retain the best and brightest faculty, staff and students

5. To support the university’s achievement of its fundraising goals by enhancing relationships and

connection with key stakeholder groups

6. To foster an internal culture of connection and shared identity

Audiences – web content strategy

• Future Students

• Students

• Alumni

• Faculty

• Staff

• Employers

• Governments and private sector

• Donors and prospective donors

• Parents

• Media

Key: A lot of time is spent at

this phase to ensure that the

new homepage design aligns

with the content strategy

Wireframe

New uWaterloo homepage design

Global header

New About Waterloo

site to align with new

homepage design:

uwaterloo.ca/about

About Waterloo website

New links:

• uwaterloo.ca/offices-services

• uwaterloo.ca/faculties-academics

Directories pages

• 3 feature stories

• Social media & search engine optimization (SEO)

• Web content strategy & editorial calendar

Feature stories

• Highlights facts & figures

• Aligns with content strategy

• Counters count up to final #s

Facts & figures

• Highlights innovation at Waterloo

• Conveys impact & relevance

• Can change w/ editorial calendar

Homepage headline

Areas

• Innovations

• Connections

• Impact

• Global view

Positioning stories

• Houses positioning stories

(or teasers)

• Phased approach to design

• Users can sort stories by:

– Positioning areas

– Research themes

– Subjects

– Faculties/campus

• Categories for sorting tied

to content strategy

Stories website

Audience panels

Audience pathway pages

Promotes timely news

• At uwaterloo.ca/news

• On faculty sites

• In the Daily Bulletin

• In the media

• On Twitter

News

Highlights uWaterloo events

• At uwaterloo.ca/events

• On sites university wide

Events

Calls-to-action

Global footer

Social media directory

Waterloo web space look

? ?

Questions