Meeting 1/20/2009

Revised List of Requirements

Internal Audiences

• Login protected customizable personal page that customizes the user experience based on MIIS affiliation
  • Jobs database (students)
  • Banner access to academic records, scheduling (students, faculty)
  • Banner access to budgets (staff)
  • Alumni portal (alumni)
  • Banner access to HR (all)
  • Customizable subscriptions to specific information (e.g., events) via RSS (all)

External Audiences

• Offer main page + main admissions page in several languages
• Tell the story: pragmatic idealism
• Sharpen brand focus: "Be the Solution"

Both

• Interactive elements
• Stronger ties to Moodle/other web presences
• Integrate content from FirstClass
• Robust calendar interface
• Simple, consistent navigation -- no duplicate links
  • Breadcrumbs
• Support delivery to mobile devices
• Portal to Facebook, iTunes U, Yelp, Flickr, etc.
• Streamlined and branded e-commerce solution

Focus Groups

• What are the big themes? Are the same things coming up in every group?

Channels

• Define what information is in each channel
• People can "tune in" to channels they find interesting
• What are the 3 or 5 or 6 big "channels"?

Information Architecture Draft

• Parallels the way Middlebury looks at architecture
• "above the fold" marketing site/"below the fold" interactive site
• Should there be audience-based navigation? ("current students", "prospective students", etc.)
• Maybe have an "interact" button in the top level
• Importance of wording in our navigation scheme
• Shift the way we think about delivering content -- maybe the reason people can't find stuff is not because of where it is, but how the information is worded/presented
• Consider delivering more content with audio/visual

About

• Is an "About" section really necessary? Does it need prominence?
  • Consider turning it into a universal footer.
• Rethink fast facts section -- people won't know what content to expect here, they will probably click elsewhere to find what they are looking for

Academics

• Try for the best of both worlds
• Don't necessarily include school names in the nav scheme --> maybe just call it "Programs"
• Reword "Special Programs" --> no one will click on that because they don't know what content to expect
• Idea of having a quiz that finds out what students want to do and links them to a program/degree/etc. based on their interests

Student Services

• International student services is way too buried considering our international student population
  • Could be solved if we cross-referenced info by audience (current students, prospective students, international students, alumni, etc.)