How to Develop a Powerful Website for University.
Universities that prioritize a good user experience leverage the website to contribute to larger institutional goals and see a clear return on investment. Based on our usability testing, the guidelines in this article can substantially improve the user experience on most college and university sites. The sad conclusion from our research is that most of these sites rank far below the usability levels expected on today's Internet. Why should universities care about usability? Aren't students smart and computer savvy? Well, even though you want high-IQ applicants, prospective undergraduate students haven't received the benefits of a college education yet and often have fairly poor research skills. Although they know how to use computers, they are not always great at advanced strategies like query reformulation, and they are often perplexed by insider language filled with terms and concepts that they haven't encountered yet. 1. Clearly identify your university on every page...