Reaching Others University at Buffalo - The State University of New York
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UB 2020University at Buffalo’s strategic plan

Our Transformation Initiatives

Web Content Initiative

The Web Content Initiative Project produces and implements recommendations for improving campus Web communications in identified pilot sites. This work has lead to recommendations for the university to implement campus-wide standards and tools for a branded, message-centric, user-friendly Web environment.

Image of websites.

The project includes representatives from three areas: University Communications (UC), the School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (SMBS) and the Office of the Chief Information Officer (CIO). These pilot-group members bring to the project combined core expertise in marketing, branding, information architecture, user-interface design, shared infrastructure, training and support, and content development.

This pilot project has provided the UB community with shared tools, templates, standards, documentation, information architecture and staffing models that will help the university grow to a more mature, consistent, well-branded Web environment.

Deliverables

  • Practices and infrastructure that fit UB’s Web environment, its mission and its strategic goals, scalable for the UB enterprise
  • Standards and information architecture that can be used by university programs, schools and departments
  • Templates that can be shared throughout the university, geared to helping users produce what they need efficiently and effectively
  • Web content, production workflow and roles
  • Web Content Management System (CMS) product using existing infrastructure
  • Identification of centralized resources needed for Web development support

Key Benefits

  • Standardized institutional branding and enhanced school branding and messaging
  • Consistency in navigation with a friendly user experience
  •  Ease of use regardless of technical competency
  • Increased integrity of content and better processes for content providers and editors
  • Content syndication, enriching multiple sites
  • Centralized servers and applications and secure systems administration
  • Fostering Relationships with Diverse Constituencies
  • The results of the Web Content Initiative project will allow the university to foster better and long-lasting relationships with its many diverse constituencies—including:
  • local and global audiences
  • prospective and current students
  • faculty, staff and alumni
  • current and prospective recipients of health and medical care
  • customers and clients
  • philanthropic donors—via improved Web communications
  • UB also will benefit by improving its marketing, training, customer support and in-house university community communication.

Specific web sites included in the pilot are:

Overview
News and Progress
How Can I Help?
Archives
Strategic Strengths
Building UB
Transforming Operations