Web Redevelopment Programme
WRP/08/01
Background
The Web Redevelopment Programme consists of three closely linked projects which will, in combination,
establish a new web presence for the University. The Programme aims to establish a website which is
widely perceived as one of the leading HE websites in the UK, which supports the University’s corporate
objectives and which also delivers a competitively “best in class” service for internal and external users.
The three projects are:
1. Strategic Web Development Research – undertaken by Stamp Consulting
2. Web Content Management System – currently at contract negotiation
3. Website Redesign
Oversight
The overall programme of work will be overseen by Professor Neil Armstrong as DVC External Affairs
through a Task and Finish Group under the new dual assurance arrangements. The Group will monitor
overall progress, ensure that the significant points of overlap between the three projects are managed
effectively and deal with any exceptional issues arising from the Project Boards.
Task and Finish Group Membership
Professor Neil Armstrong (Chair), Peter Lacey (Dual Assurance Partner), Sean Fielding (Director of CaP),
Michele Shoebridge (Director of Academic Services), Association of Academic Staff representative, Ann
Pollard (Head of Design and Publications), Rob Mitchell (Web Editor), David Carpenter-Clawson (Project
Manager – Web CMS Project), Linda Peka (School Manager, School of Biosciences).
Meetings
The Group will meet as follows:
1. Preliminary meeting (NA, SF, MS, RM) to discuss the Group’s role and consider arrangements for
wide consultation with colleagues across the University.
Date: 25th February.
2. To invite Stamp Consulting to discuss how the recommendations of their report should be taken
forward by the Website Redesign project.
To review project timetable.
Date: 17th March 2008.
3. To review the design brief and the implementation of the Web Content Management System, to
ensure that the two projects are co-ordinating successfully. To ensure that appropriate
consultation has been planned.
Date: 29th April 2008.
4. To review proposed design schemes
Date: 14th May 2008
5. To review results of consultation and approve final site designs.
To agree the implementation and launch process.
Date: 20th June 2008.
6. To approve final site. To review plans for launch and further roll-out.
Proposed date: 21st July 2008.
Progress updates
1. Strategic Web Development Research
Project team
Sean Fielding, Rob Mitchell, Amanda Brook (Head of Marketing and UK Student Recruitment), Ann
Pollard, Rosemary Stamp (Director, Stamp Consulting).
Progress update
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An external consultancy (Stamp Consulting) has undertaken a programme of competitor website
analysis and identification of strategic web issues, opportunities and suggested next steps for the
University.
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The results of the research were received in December and give guidance for the redevelopment
of the University web presence both to assist us in our site redesign and to set a vision for further
strategic development.
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The key themes and opportunities identified in the report are summarized in Appendix A.
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The full report is available at http://www.exeter.ac.uk/cap/documents/stampreport.pdf.
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Rosemary Stamp will attend the Task and Finish Group meeting on 17th March to discuss the
implications of her findings.
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The University has also joined the ‘World Top 100 Universities Research’, a consortium project
which will provide a detailed analysis of the websites of the World Top 100 universities and a
report on the current University of Exeter site, showing how it compares with those of the top 100.
2. Web Content Management System
The procurement and implementation of a Web Content Management System (CMS) will create an easyto-use framework for the publication and management of web-based content. This will greatly increase
the agility and adaptability of our web presence whilst making the site much easier to manage and
maintain, removing the need for specialist software and training. Our aim is to offer a best-of-breed
service, developed and managed by Academic Services, which would, over time, be used by all Schools
and Services.
Project board
Sean Fielding (Chair), David Carpenter-Clawson (Project Manager), Emma Baker (Head of Projects,
Academic Services), Sue Milward (Head of Integration and Web Services, Academic Services), Rob
Mitchell, Gail Seymour (School Manager, School of Psychology), Elaine Davies (School Manager, School
of Sport and Health Sciences), Sarah Snow (Sales and Marketing Manager, Hospitality Services).
Progress update
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A detailed Statement of Requirements (SoR) was completed after consultation with colleagues
across the University. This was used as the basis for an Invitation to Tender (ITT) which was
distributed to 18 potential suppliers in October. 9 tenders were received by the closing date 24th
November.
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Following detailed analysis, 2 of the submitted tenders met our criteria and these two suppliers,
TERMINALFOUR and Percussion, were invited to give presentations to the Project Team and an
audience of interested colleagues. These were held in December.
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Based on scoring from these presentations, detailed conversations with reference users of both
systems, and further analysis of the tenders, a preferred supplier was recommended to the
Project Board. The recommendation was accepted by the Board providing that contract
negotiations could be completed satisfactorily and that concerns identified over the quality of
resource and support during the implementation phase of the product could be satisfactorily dealt
with by way of contract.
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Full funding for the procurement, implementation and ongoing support costs for years 2-5 has
been approved.
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Contract negotiation with the preferred supplier is underway, with support from Procurement
Services. A review of the contract and amendments is being prepared for final agreement and
signing.
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The project is currently on schedule and expected to deliver a usable system for the redesign
project in April/May.
3. Website Redesign
A full-time web designer has been recruited, joining the Web Team within Communication and
Partnership. The Web Redesign project will develop and implement a new online extension of the
University’s visual identity which will be contemporary, attractive and sufficiently flexible to allow
imaginative, innovative and radical design approaches to be taken. All Schools and Services will be
supported to adopt the new design scheme.
Project board
Sean Fielding (Chair), Rob Mitchell (Project Manager), Linda Peka, Keith Zimmerman (Academic
Registrar/Deputy Director, Academic Services), Stuart Franklin (Head of Press and Public Relations), Ann
Pollard, Amanda Brook, Sarah Snow, Emma Baker.
Scope
This phase of the website redesign will encompass the development of a simplified University homepage
and main gateway pages to ensure that users can find important content and services quickly and easily.
The following areas of the existing University site will also be redesigned and rebuilt:
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Undergraduate and Postgraduate Study
About the University
About Exeter and the Southwest
News and Events
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International Students
Scholarships and Bursaries
Information for Current Students
Information for Staff
MyExeter staff and student portal
Working at the University
Accommodation
Progress Update
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The redesign process began in December, and has 5 stages:
1. Project definition
ƒ Awaiting approval by the Project Board.
2. Site structure development
ƒ Proposals for the structure of and navigational scheme for the corporate pages
are being prepared for discussion with the Board, to be followed by wider
consultation.
3. Visual interface design
ƒ Will begin when the site goals, technical specifications, site structure, wireframe
page models, audience profiles and design brief have been approved.
4. Build and integrate
ƒ Will begin in parallel with Stage 3. This is dependent on the Web CMS being
available for use.
5. Launch and post-launch
Timescales
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The end date for this phase of the redesign project is August 2008. By then we aim to have
design schemes completed for all the above (or their equivalents) and a new corporate site ready
to go live encompassing most of the above.
The second phase will follow immediately after the first, during which we will work directly with
Schools and Professional Services to support them to adopt the new design scheme and to
migrate to the Web CMS as appropriate. We expect this to last 12-18 months.
Consultation
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Consultation with colleagues across the campuses and with the users of the website will be an
important part of the process.
The Task and Finish Group will be considering the most appropriate scope and methods for
consultation and overseeing the consultation process itself.
Appendix 1 - Strategic web development research
Key themes and opportunities
Background
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Stamp Consulting were commissioned in August to undertake a programme of competitor
website analysis and to identify strategic issues, opportunities and suggested next steps for the
University to inform the redevelopment of our website and to highlight key areas for future
development.
The report was received in December.
Stamp Consulting will be invited to present their findings to the Web Redevelopment Programme
Task and Finish Group in March.
We have also joined the ‘World Top 100 Universities Research’, a consortium project which will
provide a detailed analysis of the websites of the World Top 100 universities and a report on the
current University of Exeter site, showing how it compares with those of the top 100.
The report
The report details a wide-range of issues and opportunities for the University with examples of good
practice from the universities surveyed. These are broken down into the following ‘Key imperatives’:
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Keeping pace with changing standards in communications
Meeting strategic aims: corporate values and “living the brand”
The “Exeter experience” and differentiation
Online brand expression
Extending Exeter’s generic profile
Addressing diverse audiences
Addressing undergraduate admissions
Site restructuring and navigation
Services available
Content management change and SEO issues
Stakeholders relationships and engagement
Stakeholder engagement and “mutual dependency”
Social networking
Massively multiplayer educational gaming
Future development and evaluation
Several key themes recur throughout the report, including:
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The need to maintain consistently high standards in web and email communications. In 2015 a
cohort of students will arrive who were born with the World Wide Web. Their expectations will be
very high.
The need to use the website both to monitor progress against and demonstrate delivery upon key
strategic aims and institutional values.
The opportunity to enhance student and staff engagement strategies to deliver genuine added
value to internal audiences, thus raising the standards of ‘the Exeter experience’ and
differentiating the University from peers and competitors.
The scope to more effectively and consistently communicate the University’s brand values and
the important benefits (rather than just the features) of our activities.
The importance of ensuring that future digital strategies support and integrate with long term
corporate strategies and profile-raising initiatives.
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The need to shorten planning horizons to deliver new content and features to the web quickly.
The benefit of using a balance scorecard approach to monitor the performance of the website.
More than 60 specific issues, actions and opportunities are developed in the report. These are
summarised in the table below. This table also indicates whether these are issues which could be
addressed during the web redevelopment programme or whether they require strategic consideration.
The table also indicates whether addressing these issues would give the University an opportunity to lead
our competitors.
Issues, Actions and Opportunities
Addressed
through
redevelopment
Keeping pace with changing standards in communication
Invest to keep pace with ongoing change
Constantly evaluate, adjust and improve web-based
services
Implement quality assurance to ensure consistently high
standards
Meeting strategic aims: corporate values and ‘living the brand’
Use website to update on strategic aims of the University
and progress towards these
Demonstrate the University as a thought leader
Allow all stakeholders to take part in organized initiatives
The ‘Exeter Experience’ and differentiation
Develop SMS notifications for common tasks, eg
registration, class times
Develop mobile communications for student support
Develop the web as a one-stop-shop for stakeholder
services
Continue personalization of services
Promote the human aspects of University services e.g. by
using real staff members
Develop 'live interactions' with the University
Online brand expression
Develop a distinctive visual interface and style to set tone
and reinforce brand messages
Utilise third party endorsement to communicate brand
values
Articulate the benefits of the University rather than just
features
Use spokespeople to articulate brand values and
personality
Formalise levels of autonomy for Schools and Services
Extending Exeter’s profile
Ensure web and digital strategies are aligned with
corporate strategies
Develop strategic links with organisations that can enhance
and develop the University's profile
Increase engagement with new-to-Exeter target audiences
Use mash-ups to create new applications for a wider range
of stakeholders
Develop Video News Releases
Develop podcasts as standard for all Schools and Services
Addressed
through
strategy
Opportunity
to lead
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Develop a web-based 'incubator strategy' to reach more
distant audiences e.g. school children, families of alumni,
those with interests in specific subjects
Addressing diverse audiences
Consider streaming audiences into distinct segments of the
site
Develop personalized pages for returning visitors
Consider opening up public access to portals
Develop new microsites or peer-to-peer discussions to
replace outdated information in large PDFs etc
Develop a more effective Employer brand
Develop effective online candidate management
Addressing undergraduate admissions
Market X-media more directly
Provide more information for potential undergraduates in a
dedicated microsite
Use real staff and students as spokespeople
Develop online 'personal guides' for video tours and
information about the University
Site restructuring and navigation
Streamline homepage links
Use homepage space as a billboard for key messages
and/or news
Prioritise clear, useful search over lists of links
Consider 'people who search for this also...' functionality
Consider 'most popular links' functionality
Develop bespoke icons and colourways to reinforce visual
branding
Services available
Develop 'Ask Exeter' functionality for 2-way feedback
Use appropriate external links and signpost these clearly
Provide as many services online as possible to appear
modern and technical
Exploit the use of Mash-ups (creative combinations of
existing, sometimes external, services to deliver new
functionality – e.g. linking our Virtual tours and picture
galleries to Google maps).
Content management and SEO
Shorten planning margins to get new ideas and content live
as quickly as possible
Integrate CRM activity with web communications
Develop an SEO strategy to maximise audience draw and
to broaden presence and profile
- consider using external consultancy
Increase use of affiliates and associates to raise global
profile
Stakeholder relationships and engagement
Allow users to tailor content to create an Exeter homepage
of their own choice
Promote our network for local businesses to raise national
profile
Encourage users to 'forward' pages to their friends and
contacts
Develop CRM and database generated marketing
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Develop more coherent stakeholder management to turn
stakeholders into advocates e.g. through blogging
Develop 'semi-managed' positive blogs e.g. by student
ambassadors or through advocacy programs
Consider methods to establish lifelong links to Exeter e.g.
email for life
Embrace user-generated content
Consider developing online virtual identities e.g. Second
Life for innovative events and services
Further development and evaluation
Ensure that information about web developments and
initiatives is effectively cascaded across the University to
encourage buy-in
Use the web to open up the review and analysis of ideas
and developments online
Expand and enhance student and staff engagement
strategies including more interactive communications e.g.
update seminars, open house discussions
Use KPIs and Balanced Scorecards to monitor web
performance
Consider using the web to publish live data on wider
aspects of University performance
Rob Mitchell
Web Editor
March 2008
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