Explaining navigation on college and university websites

Sometimes, you need a way to explain the importance of navigation on college and university websites. Those who aren't working in website world, as in the leaders who are executive sponsors, may not understand the conventions and the benefits of information architecture done right. I hope you'll use the advice that follows to educate and …

Put fewer words on your web pages.

We're baaack...to school. While everyone on campus "moves in," my annual tradition is to write a post with website advice. For the 2019-2020 academic year, we're going back to basics. Say a lot with fewer words. Why? Because at every student focus group on every campus I've ever visited, the most common answer to, "What …

How to get the experience you need for the job you want.

Experience can be a dreaded word when you're doing a job search -- especially when you are looking at employment listings for the job you want, and noting that you don't have the required number of years for doing that kind of work. It's not easy. All you want is a toehold, a way in, …

On Coaching Humans About Their Jobs

Sometimes, Monday mornings bring flashes of insight and happiness. Today, it's this: I am a career coach. I come by it honestly. As a new college graduate, I started (fell into) a career in human resources. After 16 years in HR work, I left it and vowed not to look back. People don't like HR people …

Thinking about a website redesign?

Really, it's a relaunch. You need new everything: copy, photos, navigation and CMS. At many colleges and universities, a website redesign is a campus-wide initiative that is broadly inclusive and requires getting buy-in from multiple internal players and stakeholders. On other campuses, the marketing and communications team is fully charged with the redesign and can …

Leading a campus-wide initiative: What can go wrong?

This is a post about leadership. It’s about the responsibilities of the individual who is leading a campus-wide initiative. Does this sound familiar? You are leading a website relaunch, a redesign of the alumni magazine, or the deployment of an intranet. You’re a smart person so you've already rounded up executive support for the project …

Making Your Website Memorable

With marketing goals that likely center around enrollment and elevating the institutional profile, it’s not surprising that every marketing pro in higher ed needs a website that is distinctive.

To Redesign Your Website, Get Out of Your Own Way

Campus communities center around a mission of transforming lives through education. People on your campus are proud of what they do — individually and collectively — and to them, the website is a symbol of that pride. At the start of a website redesign, internal stakeholders simply want to be sure the website will reflect …

Leaders spend (a lot of) time hiring people with potential.

My daily social feeds are chock-full of moans and laments about a lack of leadership or the gotchas while hiring people for jobs. Both can change everything. Here's what I have to say about it. Leaders spend a lot of time on hiring. Don't fly through the hiring process. Hiring decisions deserve time. I know …

Getting the Budget for a Website Redesign and New CMS

You know what you need to do. You know how you need to do it. You just don’t have the money to pay for it. Sound familiar? A website redesign project requires funds. You might need a budget for hiring freelancers or external partners who will collaborate on your digital strategy, design, content, and implementation. …