We need your web redesign suggestions

The redesign of the Saint Mary's website is now underway.

We intend to keep the SMU community informed of our progress. We have created this blog for the project, which will archive updates and serve other purposes.

We need your input to make the new website effective. Please take a moment to fill out a survey on this blog by clicking on the link "Make Website Redesign Suggestions." Be as specific as possible, especially for the question asking for your favorite features on other websites. Your suggestions will help inform our discussion with potential website consultants.

Also: In the next month or so, we will solicit input directly from various groups throughout the university.

This is a large project and a group effort. Together we can take the Saint Mary's website to the next level. If you have any questions, please contact either of us.

-- Bob Conover and Dave Garrison.

Website Redesign Summary

This proposal addresses the need for a redesign of the Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota website. The website plays a significant role in student recruitment, development and fundraising, alumni relations, and community goodwill. It is critical to continually improve our website effectiveness in order for these efforts to succeed.
The website redesign project would focus on four key goals:

1. Create a more intuitive and usable website where users can quickly find the information they are seeking: internal or external, program or location.
2. Make the website an effective primary marketing tool for recruiting new students.
3. Provide effective support of Development initiatives (fundraising and engaging communication with alumni).
4. Create an interesting, interactive design that is flexible to the needs of the various programs, departments, and offices on all our campuses, centers, and education sites.

The website redesign project will begin immediately with the goal of having the new site online early to mid-2008. During the redesign period the current website will continue to be maintained.

In order to meet the timeline goal, the Web Redesign Team will explore the value of using outside resources to assist the current SMU web staff. A budget for the redesign depends on the outside resources engaged, additional/special features planned, and changes in hosting/maintenance contracts.

Members of the Web Redesign Team

The Web Redesign Team will be made up of individuals representing the Winona undergraduate College and SGPP programs. The team will be co-chaired by:
Bob Conover, VP for Communication & Marketing, Winona
Dave Garrison, Director of Information Technology, Twin Cities

The Web Redesign Team will actively solicit input from other areas/offices within the university, including IT, Admission, Alumni, Communication & Marketing, Development, Academics, and faculty, staff and students at all campuses and centers.

Web Redesign Memo

TO: Saint Mary's University Faculty and Staff
FROM: Brother Louis

REDESIGN OF THE SAINT MARY'S WEBSITE

It is clear that our website has become an essential tool to market to and engage our external constituents, and to communicate internally. As such, it is critically important that our site stay up-to-date and effective.

I'm writing to tell you that I have asked for a major redesign and reorganization of the Saint Mary's website, to begin now. Be assured that this large but rewarding effort will receive the priority attention it deserves in terms of staffing and resources.

The redesign will be led by Bob Conover, vice president for communication and marketing, and Dave Garrison, director of information technology at the Twin Cities campus. A core working team will include the communication and web staffs at both campuses, and input will be solicited from all corners of the university.

A master plan and timeline for the redesign is already in the early stages of development. The plan will be shared with the university community, and the redesign team will give regular updates of progress.

Please join with me in offering support for this vital project whenever needed. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Bob or Dave.


Br.Louis DeThomasis, FSC
Chancellor