NSIT Client Relations
NSIT Website Project
NSIT Client Relations is launching a complete overhaul of the main NSIT website (which will be one and the same with the "Computing, Networks and Phones" site). The goal is to arrive at a site that optimally serves the needs of the campus. The central site will link to individual group sites as appropriate.
Site Pre-work:
Working with groups throughout NSIT, Client Relations is building a "service catalog," which will be the centerpiece of the website. Since most clients visit the NSIT site to find out how to get something, the NSIT website will attempt to meet the needs of visitors as simply but comprehensively as possible. Often, this will involve providing aliases to service names so that people who come in thinking of old names, odd names, or who just have an idea in mind of what they need can find what they are seeking.
We are investigating options for what to include on a well-functioning website: The following are some ideas. These are not at all final:
- Service offerings along with all relevant information, such as policies
- Support pages, tips and documentation
Alerts - a dashboard of what's up and what's down at any given time, with blogs for updates. - Announcements
- Good news and successes
- Channels to target or support various client roles (Fac, Staff, Student)
- FAQs
- Standards
- NSIT group sites
- Other campus IT group sites
- NSIT organization
- Job opportunities
- Other services and activities in NSIT
- Table of Contents pages--for instance, all policies
- Link to NSIT internal site
We are also working with other NSIT groups to investigate the best way of driving traffic to the page from other sites, including various ideas that involve the traffic light on www.uchicago.edu.
In addition, maintenance procedures are under consideration and must be finalized before the site launches. Ideas we're thinking about include having groups assign a person whose job it is to update certain services or pages. Fortunately, Web Express makes updating simple. A mailing list for all NSIT Web Express users will be requested.
Rough Outline of Major Milestones:
- Do all of the preparatory work discussed above
- Work with Web Services to architect and construct the website
- Create mechanisms to drive traffic to the site
- Train maintainers to update the site frequently to make sure content doesn't get out-of-date
- Launch
Sites for Individual NSIT Groups:
In addition to the NSIT main site, groups that wish to construct their own sites should seek advice from Client Relations. A worksheet will be provided that groups can follow if they want their own website. Note that having a website apart from the NSIT main site is optional and need only be constructed if your group would find value in such a site, for instance, because it is part of a comprehensive suite of services, for marketing or because the service is actually web-based. This worksheet will help a group that wants a site to:
- Define scope and boundaries of initial launch
- Determine all of the menu items and architecture for the site
- Write all the required content for defined scope
- Determine appropriate maintenance staffing and procedures
- Determine correct linkages from the NSIT main site or NSIT Internal site
Once the group has completed a final draft of the site menus, content and procedures as specified in the worksheet, Client Relations will work with Web Services to have the site set up in Web Express using the NSIT template. After setup, the group in question can paste in the content from the worksheet using Web Express. When the site is ready for launch, Client Relations and/or Web Services will link it appropriately to the main site and retire the old site.
Website Standard
Coming soon.
Last updated: 12/14/07