Summary to the Board; 11-08

ALUMNI AND FRIENDS WEB COMMUNITY

Alumni Web Community

Alumni Board of GovernorsEric Horner, Ryan Nagdeman

November 7, 2008


Today’s presentation

• Background & History• Project Schedule• Production Status• Current Site Designs• Major Milestones• Next Steps• Conclusion & Questions


Alumni Board of Governors Initiatives ‘05

Create a new Web 2.0 Alumni Platform to:– Serve as primary conduit between alumni & the

institution– Increase alumni engagement & participation in the

world-wide University Community– Cultivate alumni advocacy & support for the institution– Recognize & celebrate alumni achievement– Ensure a more pleasant & efficient access to

appropriate services & programs for alumni interests– Provide users with a personalized interface, relevant to

their experience with the University– Improve alumni directory & enhance networking – Facilitate easy but secure online giving & event

registration– Create an interactive volunteer site– Go live by fall 2008


Brief History

• mStoner Survey Study 2006– Audience defined– Need for Content Management System

(CMS)– Update & refine interface– Consider Chicago’s web community

outside the proprietary site– Critical analysis of our current site

architecture


Current


Brief History II

• Rolling Orange 2007– Design firm partner selected first– Scope of work for project completion– Creation of an RFP for desired applications– New Systems Architecture– Redesigned Information Ecosystem– Workflow management– Staffing recommendations– UChicago Brand Position


arch


Coordinated Technology Needs

• Entire system coordinated by: – Secure LDAP - Single Sign-On (SSO)– the Application Service Provider on the front end– the Griffin database on the back end

• Guarantee secure commerce certification• Enable sharing services & content across all

sites• Common communications system/

administrative database reporting• Consistent user interface/experience• Protect the exclusiveness of alumni

community


Architecture of new site

• Reorient structure based on what users want to accomplish online…• not necessarily reflection of internal administrative

structure

• 4 main buckets: Alumni, Giving, Volunteering, News & Publications• Alumni: directory, clubs/groups, careers, events,

education, travel, personal profiles, peer interactions• Giving: ways to give, why give, recognition, make a gift• Volunteering: ways to volunteer, volunteering tools

and applications• News/Pub: Magazine, Core, news releases, blogs, other

University of Chicago sites


Common Systems Foundation

• Functionality examples– Alumni Example: Users can select the types of

news and information they would like to receive from us and we can record in Griffin.

– Giving Example: Users would be able to view their personal Giving history fed from Griffin data.

– Volunteer Example: OPA would like to assign volunteers call sheets. Information about the assignments would come out of Griffin


Info eco


Seamless experience

• Each section has its own requirements• Community as a whole is interconnected

– Example: Alumni and Education overlap at blogs, classes and travel

– Example: Giving overlaps Alumni and Education– Example: Both the Alumni Community and Giving sites

have volunteer needs

• Our intention is to blend functionality and content to create a seamless experience where information is at the right place at the right time.


User Experience

• Destination• Easy to participate• Personalized• Customizable• Rich connections • Seamless experience• Unified University brand • Integrated content• Accessible from the homepage in several ways,

but primarily from the Alumni & Friends tab which already exists


Flow


Needs of staff/admin users

• Update Communications tools– Email, web, calendar, profiles

• Enhance administrative tools – Improve metrics/reporting capabilities – Coordinate with Griffin database– Improve workflow efficiency

• Build a virtual infrastructure– Coordinate with volunteers– Extend programs to regional/international– Drive dynamic interaction with alumni


Web Community Staff Resources

Current Strategic Communications • Director• Design / Interactive / Editorial Teams

New Resources• Senior Assoc. Director• Assistant Director• Help Desk Manager• Content Editor• Video Producer


Consider Brand Positioning

• Understanding diversity of our audience– Young Alumni are key targeted demographic– Site not exclusive to this audience– Highly web-proficient alumni overall

• Create complex opportunities• Improve the simple experience• Preparing for innovations • Extend beyond our proprietary network


Engage our alumni where they are…

• Our alumni rate in Top 10% of Web Users• Survey of who is already out there:

– LinkedIn• 50,000+ users identify with UofC• >45 groups totaling 5000+ members

– Facebook• 25,000 users in UofC network• >50 groups; 2000+ members

– MySpace, Flickr, Obama, YouTube, etc.

• Future Alumni interests?– Mobile web/ iPhone– Texting


Demo


Brief History III

• Kintera 2008– RFP reports stood out– ASP applications offer superior

customization– Open-platform commitment– Customer service plan– 2-Phase Implementation– Training


Project Schedule 2008

• Kintera-RO-UChicago– Discovery/Elaboration – Mar-Jun– Functional Matrix – May-Jun– Site Wireframing, Use Cases – Jun-Jul– Site Design – Jul-Sep– Training – Oct-Nov– Development

• Phase 1 – Sep-Nov (Soft launch 11/19)• Phase 2 - Nov- Feb (Market launch 2/24)


Summary of ABG Involvement

• Survey participation 2006• Brand Position recommendations 2007• ABG progress reports - Apr 08• Phone Conference on Wireframes - Jul 08• Banner feedback - Oct 08

– FYI, Based on your comments: University of Chicago Alumni

• Participate in Beta Testing Team• First-to-know list• Direct individual feedback to Eric Horner


Site Development

• Phase 1 components replacing PCI– Alumni Directory– Event Registration– Personal Profile– Career Networking– Efficient Giving forms– Personal Profile


Site Development

• Other Phase 1 components– Security SSO

• Shibboleth system – CNET access

– Data Migration with Griffin– Content Management System


Site Development

• Phase 2 components– Clubs & Groups

• Microsite group templates

– Social Networking– Education– Travel– Discussion Boards– Data sync– Widgets


UChicago Portal


Current Look

• Screen Shot


Connect & Learn

Influences:

Chicago MagazineMindOnlineiTunesFacebookLinkedInYahoo!


Groups

Influences:

FacebookLinkedInYahoo!


Groups Detail

Influences:

FacebookLinkedInYahoo!


Give

Influences:

Chicago InitiativeAmazon.com


Volunteer

Influences:

Obama.com Facebook GroupsVolunteer Job

BankBase Camp

ALUMNI AND FRIENDS WEB COMMUNITYMy Profile (public)

Influences:

Facebook LinkedInInCircle

ALUMNI AND FRIENDS WEB COMMUNITYMy Profile (private)

Influences:

Facebook LinkedInInCircle


Key dates

• 11/3-11/7: Staff Training• 11/19: Soft launch• 11/19 – February: Beta users

feedback• February 09: Release new

components• February 09: Public launch,

additional marketing


Short term goals: Nov – Feb

• How to log in / sign up• What to do in the first 5 minutes?

– User types:• Have CNET • Eligible, but don’t have CNET (good/bad

data)• Not eligible (non-alumni)


Long term goals: Feb ->

• Develop new tools• Beta group testing new tools,

providing feedback on existing• Create micro sites

– Alumni Weekend, volunteer sites


Transition & Next steps

• Staff is feature testing• Redirecting / retiring old

sites/content• User Testing Group• Phase 2 Marketing plan• Hotline, help desk support


User Testing

• Why a “soft” launch…• Recruiting a Beta volunteer team

– ABG, staff nominated current volunteers

– Identify and recruit “web advocates”

• Testing with ASC Volunteers – CNETs for 4000 highly active alumni


Marketing Goals

• Create awareness• Educate users how to…• Drive consistent traffic• Generate activity

•New profiles, etc.


Users should feel/think

• This is better, more dynamic• I want to use this• There is value for me• I know how to use it• It is growing all the time

– Updated content, feature releases


How to market the site

• Use existing channels• Get it to the broadest audience

possible• Specialized audiences (how does it

affect you, young alumni)


Potential Metric Goals

• CNET accounts setup• Transfer existing Career Network• New users• Programs “web-inized”• Clubs & Groups’ sites

– Sites established– New groups started

• Volunteer interactions• Satisfaction Survey


Conclusion

• Questions• Contact info:

Eric Horner [email protected]

Ryan Nagdeman [email protected]

Summary to the Board; 11-08

Documents

alumni platform

alumni directory

overlaps alumni

alumni achievement

alumni rate

webproficient alumni

audience young alumni

news publications alumni