Saa Communications Presentation 2008

The

System Academic Administration

Communications Team Communications Team Communications Team

•

The team Kathy: Handles policy-driven and administrative communications, internally and externally

• Peggy: First contact for writing,

editing, communications planning

• Kris: First contact for Web-driven communications strategy

• Amy: First contact for design strategy, design issues and support

• Gabe: First Contact for Web-based, datadriven strategy

Communications planning planning Peggy Rader System Academic Administration November 24, 2008

Communications planning • Work plan • Needs assessment • Forms of delivery • Audience • End goals for communication • Budget

Day-to-day services

• Writing • Editing • Repurposing • Proofreading

Internal communications

• Presenting the strategic face of SAA • The Brief • E-mails

External communications

• Interface with U relations • Media Relations • Community relations • Legislative relations (local, state, federal)

Process Content Client provided (edited for clarity, University style, audience appropriateness, etc.)

•

• Client requested (written, vetted by client, proofread)

• Initial design/Web concept • Final Proofread • Client sign-off • Production and distribution/site goes live

Branding and new University policy new University policy • All print and Web will bear the primary branding of the University of Minnesota, including the tag line, “Driven to Discover”

• Any other logo or wordmark must be secondary to U of M and D2D

• Maroon and gold must be part of primary palette

University style

• Capitalization • Serial commas • Use of Dr. • AP style

Measurement

• Return on investment • Coherence of message • Best practices for print costs/distribution

Web Design & Online Collaboration Kris Layon System Academic Administration November 24, 2008

Web Services

• Design Consultation ★

U Relations template + standards

★

information architecture and navigation

★

accessibility / usability assessment

• Design Planning & Production ★

template design

★

page and site construction

Collaboration Services • Content management (tools + process)

• Calendaring • Blogging • Social networking

Web Analytics • Tracks user behavior on your site:

what they are doing, for how long, and how often

• Can also tell us where they are and what browsers they are using

• Reports can be emailed to you automatically upon request

• Using this data can help you finetune your web strategy

Misc. Services • Content editing, formatting, and updating

• Online surveys & registration • Video; photo slideshows; audio / podcasting

• Data-driven web sites ★ Projects with social and dynamic

data ★ Gabe will focus on this after me

Tips & Suggestions • Contact early; rush projects invariably suffer

• Think about communications goals 1.Why do you need a web site? • What do you want people to do there?

• Are there specific goals or tasks?

• Is your web site part of a larger

communications strategy? (it should be!)

The Database-driven Web Gabe Ormsby System Academic Administration November 24, 2008

What is a databasedriven site? Technical definition

• A site that pulls information from a database to generate pages on demand, rather than serving pre-existing documents.

• Not a particularly informative definition...

What is a databasedriven site? Practical characteristics

• Database holds information for and about individual “pages.” (More appropriately, “items of information.”)

• Templates pull in data and present it as fullyformed web pages or other elements as needed.

• Same data can be used multiple ways:

Menus, search listings, full pages, summaries.

What is a databasedriven site? Additional Capabilities

• Site can be designed to allow visitors to put information into the database as well as to retrieve it.

• Turns the web browser into a site writing,

editing, and organizing tool, not just a viewer.

• Reformat content and respond to activity: RSS feeds, e-mail notifications about changes

Content management • The site itself becomes the tool for managing site information.

• Content management powers can be narrowly or widely distributed.

• Less need to craft each page. • Example: North Star STEM

Social publishing and social networks

• Collaborative content creation and information sharing.

• Site users are invited and expected to contribute. • May center around particular subjects or selfselecting communities.

• Continuum between “content-centered” and “interaction-centered.”

• Plan time to manage and cultivate the site and community.

Specialized applications • Web-based tools designed around specific personal or organizational needs.

• May include process logic (business logic) as well as content management tools.

• Examples: Basecamp (project management), Imagine Fund grant application process

What can we offer? •Planning:

What approaches serve your communications needs and strategies? What steps are involved, what’s your time frame?

•Evaluation & comparison:

What tools best fit your strategies and budget? What service model best fits?

•Implementation:

In-house development or finding internal or outside services.

•Orientation & documentation: Building is just the beginning.

Design Process getting your message noticed (in a good way) Amy Kalbrener System Academic Administration November 24, 2008

bookmarks

notecards

save-the-date cards

envelopes (including mail merge)

books

brochures

posters

2008 Maroon Award Winner invitations

2007 Maroon Award Winner

program

invite

conference materials nametag

workmarks & disclaimers

Text Text Text

reducing your environmental impact

(at least concerning printed materials)

printed on 100% recycled paper

We can do more • Getting print quotes. • Working with the printer from beginning to end.

• Determining what will work best for your needs.

• Creating E-mail and web formated pieces. • Finding designers, photographers, illustrators.

• Integrating web/print look.

Plan ahead • Who is the audience? • What do you want to accomplish? • What impression do you want to make? • What is the budget? • What is the deadline? • Are there designs you like? • Quantity you will need? • Will there be web needs as well?

Tips & Suggestions

• Contact me 1 to 2 months before the deadline.

• Know the audience. • Have text finalized before the design work begins.

Best practices When you are the designer.

• Use no more than two fonts. • Do not use bold, italics, or underlining more than necessary.

• Do not use all caps more than necessary. • Proof read. • High quality photos. • Simple fonts. • Simple images. • Simple.

Examples good/bad design good/bad design

good bad

Examples good/bad photos good/bad photos

good

bad

Get to know us better • Mini focused design/web workshop. • Web updating tutorials. • Content Management training. • Editing help.

The team

• Kathy: Handles policy-driven

communications, internally and externally

• Peggy: First contact for writing,

editing, communications planning

• Kris: First contact for Web-driven communications strategy

• Amy: First contact for design

strategy, design issues and support

• Gabe: First Contact for Web-based, datadriven strategy