Reminder: Editor and Approver names for Administrative Departments

A friendly reminder for those who have yet to send me names, that Administrative Departments need to name their Editor and Approver by today. I will be following up to ensure that each area has an Editor and Approver appointed for web content.

So How Do Department's Get Started With Content?

For those who I have not yet met, my name is Dan Alves and I am the new Web Manager here at UB.  I am coordinating the campus-wide efforts to redesign the website, and will be leading UB in the content creation and maintenance process for the redesign.  I would like to ask for your assistance in moving this process forward.  The details provided in this e-mail and attachments will give you a detailed background of the project along with critical next steps.

How will departments create content for the new site?

•    A Content Editor designated from each department will manage existing content and upload new content.

•    A Content Approver designated from each department will oversee the efforts of the editor and ensure the content in their area remains consistent and updated.  Typically an Approver will be a department head or Dean.

 The Web Manager will hold a series of individual Content Review Meetings with departmental Editors and Approvers in December-March to review each area, discuss content concerns, and deliver further detail on process.  Content will be finalized by April 1.

How do we begin?

1.  Please Review the Content Management Guidelines and Content Creation Schedule  under posted documents on this blog  and contact me with any questions.

2.  Designate your department's Content Editor and Approver by Tuesday, December 29 for Administrative Departments; and by Wednesday, January 20 for Academic Departments:

• Send an email to danielalves@bridgeport.edu listing the names of the content editor and approver

3.  Schedule your initial Content Review Meeting by Wednesday, January 6 for Administrative Departments; and by Wednesday,  January 28 for Academic Departments:

• Please schedule your initial Content Review Meeting by sending an e-mail to Dan Alves, danielalves@bridgeport.edu, the Web Manager
• Prior to the meeting, have the designated Content Editor and Approver review existing content.  As a group, please decide what “old” content can be eliminated, then in the content review meeting we can focus on refining the “good” remaining content.

The Web Manager's Blog will be the place to check for all updates regarding content creation.
This communication and all information about the content creation process is also available via the new Web Manager's Blog, along with all materials and dates. 

I look forward to working together to create a new and engaging site.

Bridgeport.edu Redesign: Background and Next Steps

As folks are entering the redesign process from different areas of the university, I thought it would be helpful to provide a bit of background on the redesign project as it stands now, who's involved, and the next steps in the process.

Brief Background
The current bridgeport.edu site is several years old, and in fall 2009 the University has partnered with Datatel, a vendor with extensive higher education experience, to embark on a full redesign of the site.

The primary goal of the new website is to assist in recruiting prospective students and increasing applications. The new site will be paired with the implementation of two software products,

1. a new software product for Admissions called ActiveAdmissions. ActiveAdmissions will allow UB Admissions to manage the Admissions process more efficiently and assist in meeting recruitment goals.
   
2. a new software product CMS (Content Management System) that will retain the ability for non-technical authors to edit the website.

What's happened to date?
So far, the University has hired a Web Manager (me) to lead the content development process, and to collaborate with appropriate members of the UB community in developing new and engaging content.

Navigation Outline Delivered- 11/19 Datatel has delivered a document outlining broadly how content will be structured in the new site. A collaborative effort has been underway to work with the community in providing detailed feedback to to Datatel.

Who's Involved?
In any web redesign, input from a broad team of representatives is needed to make the project a success. The Projects Office has ultimate responsibility for the technical implementation of the redesign.

Working with the UB community, the Web Manager is responsible for developing new content, imagery, and features in the new site.

A broad group consisting of the following representatives was consulted Fall 2009 to work with Datatel, and is providing ongoing feedback.

This group includes:

Bryan Gross
David Brady
Diane Mirvis
Amanda Christie
Francis Zolli
Hans van der Giessen
Karen Siclare
Karissa Peckham
Larry Orman
Margaret Zayan
Mary Jane Foster
Matanya Elchanani
Michael Giampaoli
Michael Grandison
Michael Spitzer
David Teo
Richard Yelle
Sandeep Mannava
Stephen Healey
Steven Boyd
Terri Roma
Edina Oestreicher
Ken Holmes
Susan Butler
Thomas Ward
Sweta Gaikwad

Next Steps
Some major upcoming dates:

December 29: UB Content Editors and Approvers must be appointed by each Administrative Department - send appointments to danielalves@bridgeport.edu

January 4, 2010: Creative Design Presented to UB

January 6, 2010: Deadline to Schedule your initial Content Review Meeting: Administrative Departments 

January 20, 2010: Deadline for Appointing Editor and Approver: Academic Depts.

January 28, 2010: Deadline to Schedule Content Review Meetings: Academic Depts. 

First Post: Welcome all

Welcome to the Web Manager's Web blog, run by the Web Manager at the University of Bridgeport.

My vision for the blog is that it will be a crucial tool in will communicating with the UB Community about upcoming and ongoing web projects and content creation.

Check the blog often for updates regarding:

• the full redesign of bridgeport.edu project (called ActiveAdmissions)

• the portal project

I plan on delivering relevant information regularly during these two critical university-wide projects. Think of this as a space to keep up to date and informed about all of the web efforts here at UB.