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2011 Higher Ed Experts Feel free to print this document, but dontload it to a web server

Iterative Web Redesign 101

Nick DeNardis

Assoc. Dir. Web CommunicationsWayne State U niversity

First, let me introduced myself

Associate Director of Web CommunicationsWayne State Universityhttp://wayne.edu/

Host of EDU Checkuphttp://educheckup.com/

Curator of EDU Snippitshttp://edusnippits.com/

Writer for .eduGuruhttp://doteduguru.com/

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Wayne State University

Loca ted in Detroit, MI

Large public researchinstitution

~32,000 students

Central Marketing & Communications

Not fu lly funded

No p residential mandate

Redesigned over 400 websites



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After this webinar, you will


Learn how to avoid full redesigns

What it takes to implement iterative design

Create effective feedback loops

Implement and communicate microchanges to your site




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Example

Coll ege of Education faculty list

Goal: Increase faculty findability

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Current Page


Proposed Page



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FIGHT!



Why are we talking about this?

When is it appropriate to do a full redesign?

Redesigns are a pain

Unnecessary amount of time and resources

Dont inc lude the end user till late in the game

Prompted by the wrong people for the wrong reason



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Why are we talking about this?

Changes are not tied to goals

User goals dont change at a d ifferent rate

Making changes without a committee

The user will control the direction of the website

Al lows writers, designer and developers to honetheir craft


At your institution

Id entify the user goals

Us e/watch your site from that user

Ide ntify one or more pain points

Reduce confusion

Get to a goal quicker

Delight the visitor


Reasons for redesigning

Users goals not being met

Bri ng the site into a central identity

Institution or department has newgoals/initiatives

Re action to a change in the marketplace



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Example micro goals

Reduce redundancy

Cle arer calls to action

Reduce path length

Remove a silo

Integrate external information


Example micro changes

Grouping content

Visual style tweaks

Combining CSS/JS/Image files

Menu item label changes

Microcopy changes


Spot the pain point



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Split testing

Google Website Optimizer

A/B Testing

Multivariate Testing

In person testing

Focus Groups

One on One Testing


Google Website Optimizer




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Question

Users always know best?

True / False



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Question

Users always know best?

True / False!


Example

Wa yne State Stories

Goal: Increase story click-throughs


Original



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Requires Mouse Over


Current CTR

A measly 0.009 %

of ~820,000 visitors per month

= less than 100 click-throughs


Brainstorming

Drop the drawer down then up

Remove categories

Remove branding images



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Option #1


Analysis

Pros

Story displayed without the visitor clicking

Auto rotate if v isitor is on page too long

Cons

Takes up additional height

Weird spacing in the menu

Hard to find images that wide


Option #2



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Analysis

Pros

Stories are front and center

Only some additional height needed

Easier to find images to fit

Auto rotate if v isitor is on page too long

Cons

Less space for story headlines


Implemented #2

New CTR: 0.8 %

Now ~6,500 click-throughs per month

6400 % i mprovement


Lessons learned

Completely subjective

Jus t expanded on initial design

Not afraid to put something out there

We didnt change the goals of the piece



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Its just the web

Fi nd a problem & fix it

Changes wont make you famous

Document & communicate everything

Dont do anything without real users


Now, how to do it at your institution?

Identify a small problem

Figure out a way to track i t

Propose changes

Talk about it wi th some end users

Implement the most appropriate one

Review the results


What we learned

Redesign isnt a set it and forget it

Standing up for your end us er isnt easy

Create feedback loops

Test, refine and repeat

Build trust with communication



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Got a question?

We have until the top of the hour toanswer your questions

After the webinar, you can email them toKarine at [email protected] s he will forward them to the speaker.


Credits

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lobraumeister/3719898954/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rowmuse/309535784/


Thanks

Thanks for taking part in this HEE webinar!

www.higheredexperts.com

mailto:[email protected]://www.flickr.com/photos/rowmuse/309535784/http://www.higheredexperts.com/http://www.higheredexperts.com/http://www.flickr.com/photos/rowmuse/309535784/mailto:[email protected]

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