Available Research

[rcrisler1]

While we're waiting for the MSR Group to report on our recent UNL surveys, it makes some sense to look around and see what other research is publicly available.

I'd like to point out the NRCCUA's Successful Recruitment Strategies report from 2005. Read and discuss, if you please.

[dsockrider]

Great article Bob, Thanks. This is an article to print out and save.

I think this article reconfirms some of our assumptions about the importance of having a 'request info form widget' on every page. Using the website for two way communication is very important for recruitment purposes.

I think having admissions as the first link in the top left will fullfill the desire of potential students to get the information they are seeking, quickly and easily.

[rcrisler1]

David -

While I might agree with you that Admissions should be the first nav element, the Next-Generation Web Committee has placed it (renamed) as the second link, "Prospective Student." We do have the nifty "Apply Now" button, which satisfies a need for an immediate call to action.

- Bob

[dsockrider]

Is the Next-Generation Web Committee different from the Next Generation Web Development Group? I guess I never realized when or where some of these decisions had been made.

[rcrisler1]

The NGWC is essentially a steering committee. The NGRG is where we do the implementation. The NGWC decides things like what the sitemap will look like (at least recommends to the CWIS Advisory Board), and generally sets expectations for the UNL website in the years ahead. If I were to distill to a single word the difference, it would be ideas=NGWC and implementation=NGRG. Now that doesn't mean that we can't relay our ideas to the NGWC, and we can certainly implement ideas on our own if they support the general effort toward a better website, guided by goals set forth by the NGWC. There was a layer missing in the cake; a sort of liaison committee between upper administration and UNL web developers; NGWC is that group. There are a lot of compromises in this model, as in any model, but what the NGWC provides us boots-on-the-ground types is support and direction and some protection from the human tendency to second-guess.

[dsockrider]

Ohhh, OK, Wow, I never realized there was a Next Generation Web Committee. Has it existed since we started developing this layout in January?

Who are the members of that group? Was it an open group? Are the goals set forth by the NGWC posted somewhere? Very clear recommendations and goals could have been beneficial in the design process. ...Or am I missing something?

...then why was the group voting on issues if the committee is making the recommendations. ....I'm confused

[Guest]

Well, I did presentations on all of those things. If you'd like, I'll dig up the materials and make them available online, but that's going to take some time, which I don't have today.

[dsockrider]

Who are you Guest?

Who are the members of that group? Was it an open group? Has it existed since we started developing this layout in January?

It seemed our process was usually a 'free for all' with the group accepting certain proposals from the designers and proceeding with accepted proposals after open debate. Has the Next Generation Web Development Committee ever met directly with the Next Generation Web Development Group to establish and inform of the parameters to allow discussion and input from the designers?

I've been very active in the Next Generation Web Development Group and am just surprised to find out, 5 months into the process that there was a another group 'steering' our direction.

[rcrisler1]

Yes, it has existed since before we started developing this layout in January. As a matter of fact, it was explained numerous times in those early meetings.

Brian Moore chairs the Next-Generation Web Committee. It has parallel members in the Next Generation Redevelopment Group. The Web Committee's role is to determine the general direction and requirements for web development at UNL in a 3-5 year timeframe, and to gather consensus and support for that direction.

The Redevelopment Group's role is to deliver a product: a new web design by August of this year and continuing improvement to that product.

The Web Committee's one area of significant overlap with the immediate goal of the Redevelopment Group is in the area of the sitemap.



NGWC members are:
Brian Moore (chair)
Brenda Caine
Bob Crisler
David DeFruiter
Todd Jensen
Kirk Kluver
Nancy Mitchell
Ron Roeber
Allen Steckelberg
Matt Moehle

NGRG members are:
Robert Crisler (chair)
Vishal Singh
Brett Bieber
Angie Stueckrath
Mark Hiatt
Seth Meranda
Marilyn Hahn
Paul Erickson
Dan Schmit
Marcelo Plioplis
Brian Moore

[dsockrider]

I wasn't at those early meetings because I wasn't employed by UNL at that time. I became employed by UNL for the third time on November 28th, 2005.

[rcrisler1]

Those were the people who were initially invited to be part of NGRG (as you can see, most have analogies on the NGWC. The group remained (and remains) open to all interested members of the Web Developer Network, though, and we've obviously had participation from a much larger group than that. So, apologies to everyone who was not listed in that post.