Discovery

During this phase, iFactory gathered feedback from approximately 250 stakeholders through surveys and focus groups, conducted an audit of uncp.edu content and user experience and compared our website to that of peer institutions.

Findings 

1. Visitors to our site get lost or frustrated.
   1. Important information isn't always located in the same place when moving through the site.
   2. Some information is outdated or contradictory. 
   3. Navigation isn't intuitive and there are orphan (disconnected) pages where visitors can't find their way back.
   4. Lacks consistency in how or where key information is located.
2. Our organizational structure is confusing.
   1. The quick links menu is so long that users can't navigate it.
   2. Layered pages make it challenging to get quick access to information like majors, minors, concentrations and certificates.
3. There's far too much text and our "story" isn't clear.
   1. Many sections of the site are cluttered with information and material meant for an internal audience.
   2. Inconsistent voice detracts from the overarching brand.
   3. Some areas are written at too high a level for general understanding/access.
   4. There is a lack of photos and videos in some areas while other areas use outdated imagery.
   5. Site visitors want stories about impact and outcomes.
4. The CMS is clunky and governance is lacking.
   1. Broken links, little to no SEO and a lack of adherence to accessibility standards are prevalent.
   2. The current CMS is difficult to update and challenging for members of the campus community to master.
   3. There is a clear need for better training, support and audit assistance. 
   4. Some key content should be managed centrally and mirrored to various places on the site rather than 
      recreated or duplicated.

Architecture

The new information architecture for uncp.edu was defined based on the discovery phase findings and an analysis of best practices. During this process, iFactory and the team developed a sitemap, taxonomies and fields for specific content types. Additionally, iFactory conducted a full content inventory of the current website, and the Website Redesign and Migration Team reviewed all 17,000+ urls and downloadable files to identify which content will need to migrate to the new site and which will be earmarked for the Intranet.

Content & Governance

Once the design phase is complete, iFactory will map content from the old website to its new information architecture. 

In addition, the UCM team will meet with site editors and departments throughout the fall and winter to discuss content updates and streamlining. They will also be available to assist with editing, content development and gathering photos and videos. 

This is also when we will begin to map out best practices. We will review permission levels to ensure web editors have the correct access to manage their sites with the appropriate level of training — we don't think updating your content should require as much heavy lifting! We also plan to identify what content will be managed centrally to remove excessive duplication. 

Development

This is the last "high-level" phase. This is where all the elements begin to come together and are mapped out by iFactory for implementation into the new CMS. Attention is given to ensuring content aligns with the design and the SEO plan is finalized. During this phase, content creation and curation will continue to ensure all material intended for the new site is prepared for migration.

Technical Implementation

This is the longest and final phase of the project — it's where the design is integrated into the technology underneath. It's only during this phase where the actual working website begins to materialize and user testing is conducted. We expect to be able to share more information as we get closer to this phase.

What is the timeframe for the project?

The Website Redesign and Migration Project started in December 2023, and the new site is expected to launch in January 2025. 

What Content Management System will be used?

Our new content management system (CMS) will be Modern Campus CMS. This CMS is built exclusively for higher ed institutions and uses drag-and-drop pre-built content blocks from an evolving library. The new CMS will be more straightforward for WICS to update and enable key content to be managed centrally and distributed to relevant pages, rather than duplicated across the site. 

Will the new site be mobile-friendly?

Yes, every page of our new site is designed with mobile in mind and will feature an accessible, audience-centric design. 

Will faculty, staff and students still be able to find the resources they need?

The new site menu will provide easier navigation to all UNCP web pages. The most used links will still be readily available on the new site in a convenient place identified by the audience. For example, faculty and staff will have a clearly labeled resource page with links to heavily trafficked resources, including Banner, BraveMail and BraveWeb.

In addition, DoIT has launched a concurrent Intranet project to develop a separate space to host information meant only for the campus community. They are currently reviewing an inventory of uncp.edu pages, downloadable content and recommendations from iFactory. They will schedule departmental meetings over the next few weeks to discuss each unit’s specific Intranet needs.

When can I see what the website will look like?

Mock-ups will be made available once the design phase is finalized. 

When will WICS be trained?

The Web Redesign and Migration Team will train all content managers on how to use Modern Campus in late fall/early winter 2024. 

Will there be a website style guide and when will it be released?

Yes. A website style guide will help us ensure the new uncp.edu tells the true UNCP brand story and remains consistent. The website style guide will be one of the last assets developed because changes may happen as the designs move from idea to use. Once complete, the style guide will be shared with all website editors and available online.