Request For Proposal: The Web Site Redesign

Request For Proposal:The Web Redesign

The Tipping Point

October 2006

The Tipping PointLaying the Foundation

Team Work

Working Group• Keep it small• Cross-divisional• Web professionals• Has the trust of the

steering committee

Steering Committee• Cross-divisional

leadership (aim high)• Involve the faculty• Identify key stakeholders

Team Roles

Working group• Shapes the goals and

objectives• Identify strengths and

weakness• Recommend a course

of action

Steering committee• Acts as a sounding board

for the working group• Ensures alignment with

business goals• Provides a reality check

– Political sensitivity– Budget– Staff

Goal 2

Goal 3

Goal 1

1. Realign focus based upon audience goals, tasks and

expectations

2. Establish a content management strategy

3. Establish an environment for continuous improvement

Goal 2

Goal 3

Goal 1

So, what happened?

• $100,000 budget approved• Recommended actions approved• Web project team appointed:

– Phil de Haan, project champion– Matt Jeltema, project manager– Luke Robinson, Web manager

The Tipping PointLaying the FoundationRequest for Proposal

RFI vs. RFP

Request for Information• An invitation to share

information and show interest in the project.

Request for Proposal• An invitation to submit a

formal proposal for work on the project.

www.calvin.edu/go/webproject

RFP: Executive summary

• Clearly state your request• Provide contact information• Outline the project’s time table• Submission instructions

RFP: Terminology

• Be on the same page– Identify common terms or roles

• Web site, Web presence, domain(s)• Audience or end-user• Authors or producers

– Provide a modest set of definitions

RFP: About the organization

• Who are you?• Public or private?• Where are you located?• What are you known for?

RFP: Statement of work

Scope

Goals

Objectives

RFP: Deliverables

• In the end, what gets produced?– Documentation– Strategic plans– Recommendations

RFP: Company Information

• Required documentation• Requirements of selected finalists

The Tipping PointLaying the FoundationRequest for Proposal

Picking a Proposal Partner

Three Finalists

• Invited consultants to campus• Kept their names secret• Four objectives for each interview

Award the Project

• Begin contact process with finalist• Notify the runner-ups• Celebrate the milestone• Begin planning the kick-off

The Tipping PointLaying the FoundationRequest for Proposal

Picking a Proposal PartnerResearch Findings

Prospective students

Current students and '08 grads

Parents Alumni Faculty, staff and emeriti

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

How often do you use the Calvin Web site (www.calvin.edu)?

Daily Weekly Monthly Rarely Never NA

Calvin College Audience Research StudyJ. Todd Bennett, Dotmarketing.com

Search engine produces accurate results

Information is easy to find

Pages load quickly

Content is current and well-written

Has an attractive visual design

The site is fun and entertaining

None or other (specify)

0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500

Which of the following factors is most important on the Calvin Web site?

(all audiences)

# of responses (n=3054)

Calvin College Audience Research StudyJ. Todd Bennett, Dotmarketing.com

Find Majors

Request Info

Estimate costs

Apply online

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500

What tasks are important to you to complete on a college Web site? Check all that apply.

(Prospective Students Only)

# of responses (n=508)

To

p R

esp

on

ses

Calvin College Audience Research StudyJ. Todd Bennett, Dotmarketing.com

About

Giving

Campaign

Parents

Faculty & Staff

Search

A-Z Index

Calendars

News & Stories

Sports

People

0 50000 100000 150000 200000

Home Page Clicks (excluding Students & Exits)

Off-campus On-campusCalvin College Audience Research StudyJ. Todd Bennett, Dotmarketing.com

The Tipping PointLaying the FoundationRequest for Proposal

Picking a Proposal PartnerResearch Findings

Next Steps

Short-term

• Focus on findability• Incremental redesign• Hire a full-time Web developer

Short-term

• Focus on findability• Incremental redesign• Hire a Web developer• Continue to manage expectations and

show results

Long-term: Phase Two

• Content management strategy– Remove– Reuse– Rewrite

Long-term: Phase Two

• Content management strategy• Governance and documentation

– Roles– Responsibilities– Relationships– Rules (a.k.a. guidelines)– Review

Long-term: Phase Two

• Content management strategy• Governance and documentation• Content management system (CMS)

– Focus on scalability, sustainability, and efficiency for authors and producers

– Support the continuous improvement of Calvin’s Web presence

Thank You!Luke Robinson

webproject@calvin.edu

twitter.com/luker

luker.tumblr.com

Please, download & sharewww.slideshare.net/lukerobinson

www.calvin.edu/go/webproject