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The Future utexas.eduUTEXAS.EDU HOMEPAGE

presented by Springbox and UT ITS Dept

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.

OutlineUTEXAS.EDU HOMEPAGE

Introductions

Working with a digital agency

History of the UT website

Discovery findings

Server structure

Development

Questions?

Introductions

UTEXAS.EDU HOMEPAGE

Springbox

The University of Texas at AustinInformation Technology Services

Chris Martinez – Developer

Michael Redding – Developer

Tom Hudson – CTO

Jenn Coast – Web Strategist

Paul Grotevant – IT Manager

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?

 

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

Discovery

UTEXAS.EDU HOMEPAGE

Simplify links

Align stakeholders

Build for scale

SIMPLIFY

What are the most popular links on the homepage?

HighPAGE-VIEWS

MediumPAGE-VIEWS

LowPAGE-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

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

UNDERGRADUATEADMISSIONS

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.)

“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.

”

SIMPLIFY

What are the stakeholders’ points of view?

SIMPLIFY

SEARCH

EVENTS

UT IN THE NEWS

SOCIAL MEDIA CULTURE/STORY

FEATURED STORIES

Where do stakeholders agree?

SIMPLIFY

Who’s visiting the homepage?

52%

15%

26%

5% 2%

CURRENT STAFFCURRENT STUDENTS

PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS

ALUMNICURRENT FACULTY

Source: 2012 site analytics

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)

CURRENT STAFFCURRENT STUDENTS

PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS

ALUMNICURRENT FACULTY

ALIGN

Defining the Primary User Groups

Primary Users Groups in the Current Homepage

CURRENT STAFF & FACULTY

CURRENT STUDENTS

PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS

ALUMNIPROSPECTIVE

FACULTY

…creating an opportunity to prioritize a new Primary User Group – Prospective Faculty.Future Primary Users Groups

ALIGN

Brand Impact on Primary User Groups

PARENTS

VISITORS

MEDIA

BIG DONORS

PRIDE IN THE BRAND

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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

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.

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

HOMETOWNAbilene, TX

WANTS DIGITAL EXPERIENCE WITH UT TO FEEL

INTERESTED IN

TYPICAL DIGITAL EXPERIENCE WITH UT

CURRENTLYJunior 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

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DIGITAL HABITS

BRYAN ARKIN CURRENT STUDENT

BLACKBOARD

REGISTRAR SERVICES

CHECKING HIS GRADES

UNIVERSITY WEBMAIL

GETTING AROUND CAMPUS

CAREER SERVICES

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BUILD

utexas.edu Site Architecture

SEOBest 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

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?

Development

UTEXAS.EDU HOMEPAGE

Theme

Modules

Workflow

Development process

DEVELOPMENT

Theme

Source: 2012 site analytics

• Built from scratch

• ZURB Foundation

• Mobile first

• Flexible grid

DEVELOPMENT

Modules

Hero Image

Mega Menu

DEVELOPMENT

Workflow

One Proposed Workflow…

Local Environment

Initial Build

Springbox Staging

ITS Staging / Bitbucket share

ITS / Springbox Build

ITS Build

DEVELOPMENT

Development process - Progression

Documentation / Planning / QA

• 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

VISITOR SATISFACTION

ENGAGEMENT

TRAFFIC VOLUME

RETURNING TRAFFIC

TRAFFIC FROM MOBILE DEVICES

not yet measuredimplement 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

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Questions?