29 April 2009 1

University of Essex: Professional Services

In November 2008 WSG approved the plan to move the current professional services information over to the corporate design, to create an audience based, rather than office based corporate website…

29 April 2009 2

University of Essex: Professional Services

Research at other Institutions– research was carried out to identify common

procedures in dealing with professional services on the corporate websites of 21 UK universities (7 from the Russell Group, 7 from the 1994 Group and 7 post-1992)

29 April 2009 3

University of Essex: Professional Services

Research at other Institutions– Sites assessed were:

• Birmingham; LSE; Sheffield; Warwick; Manchester; Southampton; Bristol.

• UEA; Exeter; Lancaster; Queen Mary; York; Bath; Reading.

• Abertay; Brighton; Oxford Brookes; Anglia Ruskin; Nottingham Trent; East London; Bath Spa.

29 April 2009 4

University of Essex: Professional Services

Research at other Institutions– Sites were assessed on the following criteria:

• is the website audience based, or office specific?• do the pages follow a corporate design?• is there one particular starting point for

professional service information?• are there any unusual links/information on the

site?• are there any exceptions?

29 April 2009 5

University of Essex: Professional Services

Research at other Institutions– is the website audience based, or office

specific?• 7 out of 21 sites are audience based• 9 out of 21 sites are office based• 5 out of 21 sites are mixed, with either a mix of

audience and office based information, or a really strong audience based starting point, leading on to office based sites

29 April 2009 6

University of Essex: Professional Services

Research at other Institutions– do the pages follow a corporate design?

• most of the audience based sites follow the corporate design, although there were a few variations

• most of the office based sites don’t

29 April 2009 7

University of Essex: Professional Services

Research at other Institutions– is there one particular starting point for professional

service information?• varying terminology for starting point:

– Student Centre– Student Services Centre– Student Life– Student Services Information Desk– Support Services– Services for students/staff– myXxxxx portal (log on not necessary)

29 April 2009 8

University of Essex: Professional Services

Research at other Institutions– are there any unusual links/information on

the site?• VIP Portal (for prospective students)• new arrivals area• new arrivals checklist and free printable bus pass• ‘What do you need help with’ fun, snappy area• quick reference guide to opening hours of lots of

facilities

29 April 2009 9

University of Essex: Professional Services

Research at other Institutions– are there any exceptions?

• usually, even on audience based sites, the Library and IT areas are separate

29 April 2009 10

University of Essex: Professional Services

WaLT proposal …– use the planned ‘Student Centre’ as an umbrella

for an online studentCentre, and create a staffCentre with similar information

– use same terminology/channels as myEssex, adding additional ones where necessary

29 April 2009 11

University of Essex: Professional Services

29 April 2009 12

University of Essex: Professional Services

29 April 2009 13

University of Essex: Professional Services

myEssex v student/staffCentre– the channels in the Student/Staff Centre will

contain general information and provide links to all the services previously available through each of the professional service websites, plus information already on the corporate site

– myEssex will still contain targeted/tailored information which a student (and potentially staff member) has to log on to view

29 April 2009 14

University of Essex: Professional Services

services and administration – 91 websites– 16 quick wins, including:

• Academic Partnerships, Alumni, Court, Council, Admissions, Recruitment, International Office

– 12 already done as part of site rebuild– 6 not Essex, including:

• Day Nursery, SU, Health Centre, AUA, Wivenhoe House

29 April 2009 15

University of Essex: Professional Services

services and administration– 57 remaining…– one or two might not be changed if there is a

strong current brand, or external focus

29 April 2009 16

University of Essex: Professional Services

29 April 2009 17

University of Essex: Professional Services

Planning– once we have excluded the sites that do not

need to be transferred, WaLT will work with sections to plan a schedule of when each of the sites will be started

– schedule will need to take into account when staff in relevant office will be around to assist

29 April 2009 18

University of Essex: Professional Services

Other considerations– review and improve current information, rather than

copying over anything out of date or that currently doesn’t work so well

• needs resources from each office

– make content multi campus where appropriate– all forms to be rewritten with new code

• link in to current student systems more so we can add the facility to check which campus a student is on and send form results to relevant campus. Also improve on form instructions in line with new accessibility guidelines

29 April 2009 19

University of Essex: Professional Services

Time frame and resources– 18 month project

• 6 months planning, scheduling and dealing with quick wins. The end part of this will require involvement of sections to work out staff availability and times to avoid

• 12 months to transfer remaining sites• timing depends on resources available. WaLT will require

additional resources for the length of the project to assist in planning and transferring content in order to maintain service provision and complete currently scheduled work