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Purpose
To discover the status of responsive web design and other mobile
strategies at Ohio state-funded universities, and explore the viability
of using responsive web design to serve web content to mobile users on
university websites.
Methodology
• Data gathered through interviews • Participants chosen based on job function • Questions split into 3 sections: • Background information • Responsive web design • Alternative mobile strategies • Separate mobile websites • Mobile applications
Response Rate
There are 13 Ohio state-funded
universities, and participants were
interviewed from 9 of those
universities
Participants
• Participating universities: • University of Akron • Bowling Green State University • University of Cincinnati • Kent State University • Ohio University • Ohio State University • University of Toledo • Wright State University • Youngstown University
BACKGROUND
• Each participant responsible for development or maintenance of website
• Majority located in marketing or communications departments
• Departments share at least minimal responsibility with other departments, specifically IT
BACKGROUND
Design • Current designs active between 1-5 yrs. • 3 universities re-designing
• Some participants are making consistent changes instead
• Large focus on usability
Background
Content Management Systems • Implemented by each university
• Majority using CMS for 3-6 years • Two universities currently searching for
a new CMS
Background
Website Goals • 5 participants said website is meeting
goals set • 4 participants said website is not
meeting expectations
Responsive Web Design
Current State • 5 participants have already implemented
responsive web design in some form • 3 participants planning to implement in
the future • 1 participant has no current plans of
implementation
Responsive Web Design
Reasoning • Availability of resources • Easy accessibility of web content
• Existing resources
Responsive Web Design
Implementation • 2 participants implementing RWD on new
sections of the site • 1 participant utilizing third-party • 2 participants implementing RWD on
current pages
Responsive Web Design
Barriers to RWD • Time • Priorities
• Staff • Other resources • Trouble shooting
• Testing
Responsive Web Design
Future RWD • 1 participant starting with home page • 2 participants incorporating into new
website design • Biggest challenges:
• Presentation of elements • Resources
Other strategies
• 7 participants have separate mobile websites
• 8 participants offer at least one mobile application or are working on one
Mobile websites
• Varying level of success with mobile websites
• Some meeting needs, some not • Impacted by responsive web design
Mobile apps
• 6 participants offering one or more app • 2 participants currently working on app • 3 of those participants offer one primary,
“official” app • The other 3 offer only supplementary apps
Conclusions
Objective 1: Determine whether or not Ohio
universities are implementing or planning
to implement responsive web design
Conclusions
• Majority of Ohio state-funded universities are moving towards responsive web design techniques
• Participants recognize RWD benefits and have accepted it as a mobile strategy
• No full RWD implementations yet
Conclusions
Objective 2: Determine the pros and cons of
implementing responsive web design at Ohio
universities
Conclusions
• Biggest benefit • Making web content easily available to mobile
web users
• Biggest drawbacks • Lack of resources • Testing/troubleshooting
Conclusions
Objective 3: Determine what strategies Ohio universities
are currently utilizing to serve web content to
mobile users in addition to or in place of
responsive web design
Conclusions
• 7 participants utilize mobile websites • Not all actively updated or promoted • Majority not meeting user needs
• 8 participants utilize mobile apps • Primary apps or supplementary apps
Discussion
University website profile • Universities are making significant
improvements to design and functionality of websites
• Content is a focus • Re-designs or steady improvements to
usability • Overall desire to improve user experience
Discussion
Responsive web design • Universities in early stages of RWD • Results coincide with research • Push towards mobile first mindset
Discussion
Mobile apps • Supplementary to mobile web solutions • Will continue to improve and grow
Discussion
Mobile websites • Future of mobile websites not promising • Mobile websites not used to full potential • RWD eliminating mobile websites
Future Studies
• Larger sample of universities • More in-depth look at issues raised
• Technical complications with RWD • Delivery of content • CMS issues • Long-term success • Full implementations
Final words
• Majority of participant universities are in the early stages of responsive web design
• Mobile strategy will continue to be crucial • Further research will benefit universities
in addressing mobile user needs
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