Salisbury University Website Redesign

Project Overview

In 2018 I was part of a team that worked to redesign the Salisbury University (SU) website to meet the current modern standards in regards to design & style, website accessibility and SEO best practices. As well as develop trackable KPIs using Google Analytics. Our team worked with BarkleyREI (now Barkley) to develop a look for the SU homepage, high level pages and a standard page format. We established a number or reusable components that matched this new style & look. These elements were built into our CMS (Cascade CMS). Additionally API consumption & end point code was created/updated and used to generate feeds throughout the website.

Project Phases

Phase 1 – The project launched with BarkelyREI coming to campus performing surveys of current campus contingents (faculty, staff and current students) as well as prospective students. To see how each group used the current website and features they liked and disliked about it. This collective information was used as the foundation for the redesigned website. After establishing a framework design that fit the SU brand guide. BarkelyREI as part of our contact built the framework inside of Cascade CMS as well as a select number of reusable components.

Phase 2 – After receiving the framework, SU web office consisting of three web developers (including myself) worked to build the SU website inside of this new framework. We started with the transfer of existing content as well as consolidation and deletion of content to make the website more manageable. Creation of new content and components within the CMS followed. And finally the integration of API endpoints and API consumption code. This included consumption of third party APIs such as Campus Labs and custom API endpoints and consumptions as seen with the SU directory and the SU events & Press release feeds.

Phase 3 – Launch of the newly redesigned website happened on August 1, 2018. Post launch we worked with our 10,000+ campus contingents to ensure the new website meets all their needs. Additionally we worked with the SU admissions office to establish KPIs for prospective students including identifying pages and elements of pages specifically created to streamline users into the admissions process/communication plan.

Technologies/Languages Used