University Web Services
Mission
University Web Services provides support for delivering accurate, current and relevant information on the utdallas.edu website, email and other digital media. It has a primary role in delivering urgent/crisis communication, content management and promotion of the University’s brand standards on traditional/PC, tablet and smartphone platforms. The office focuses on user friendliness as the key to integrating the hundreds of sub-websites and web applications that make up the utdallas.edu website.
Usability
Usability is a top factor associated with return visits and the time end users will spend on the university’s website. We focus a great deal of energy on interactions, design of user interface and behavior of end users to ensure the user experience is a good one.
High Traffic Page and Application Support
We are responsible for the university’s homepage and other high-traffic webpages. Public-facing applications we support include News Center, Google Customized Search Engine (CSE), Comet Calendar, and Academic Programs.
Mobile Device Support
Websites and emails are increasingly viewed on mobile devices. In 2014, 19% of visits to the UT Dallas homepage came through a tablet or smartphone. University Web Services is actively supporting this trend by implementing responsive design principles to dynamically size the webpage or email to fit the reader’s screen whether it’s a large desktop monitor, tablet or small smartphone screen. Responsive design obviates the need to develop multiple versions of pages for the different devices. Many of our web templates and mass email templates have already been fitted with this code and are available for institutional use.
Keyword Search
Keyword search is the most popular way of traversing the university’s vast website. Studies show that, on average, websites that give user’s a search option see approximately 60% of their end users use keyword search to navigate compared navigation bars and menus. Websites with younger audiences see higher percentages of navigational search. We work with the university’s community of digital communicators to help them embed keyword search into their pages and make their content easy to find, too. See information on title tags on the Web Guidelines page for the top factor in increasing webpage “findability.”
Mass Email
Blocked images, tiny fonts on a smartphone, and getting trapped in “Junk Mail” are just some of the problems you may encounter when trying to send to a large email list. University Web Services can answer questions about your mass email and make sure it functions in email programs as envisioned. Our editing ensures clarity and congruence with other university messaging. And our quality testing covers desktop email, webmail (such as Gmail, Yahoo and Outlook.com) and smartphone email programs such as iOS Mail and the Gmail app. If you have never worked with us, plan a specific day for your mass email to appear in users’ inboxes and contact Web Services at least two weeks in advance. Review mass email guidelines.
Website Redesign and Templates
University Web Services provides web templates for all sizes of websites.
Executed well, a website redesign can be a powerful means to attract and serve prospective and current students, faculty members or the specific audience you serve. Or a redesign can be a complete waste of energy. We would like to help you have the former. University Web Services specializes in creating attractive, compelling, usable websites in a way that highlights usability over flashy effects, effective written content that search engines can find, and future growth. If you are considering a redesign (or original design) for a high-visibility project or you would like our assistance on a smaller project, please complete our client survey. Ask other key stakeholders in your department to complete one too so we have a well-rounded view of what is needed beyond the front page of your website. Be ready to name a subject-matter expert in your area who can give the time it will take to audit, review, edit, create and compile the content. This person should also complete a client survey.
Content Management
Many employees need the ability to edit pages without requiring a web developer’s assistance. To that end, University Web Services supports a highly customized WordPress content management system (CMS) for institutional use (sorry, no blogs allowed). Staff equipped with excellent grammar and spelling skills can usually be trained to edit and publish webpages with 15 minutes of orientation. If the website is not on CMS today, making the decision to move to CMS often goes hand-in-hand with a website redesign.
Accessibility
The University complies with Texas Administrative Code 206.70 Accessibility Standard for its webpages. More about web accessibility at UTD.
Intercom
Intercom features campus news, events and stories intended for staff and faculty. The site is accessible via NetID single sign-on. An email is sent to employees every other Friday. There is no “opt-out” provision for this communication.
Urgent and Crisis Communication
University Web Services is responsible for delivering urgent or crisis-related information on the university’s homepage and mobile front page. We test this system monthly, as part of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) with tests of other systems managed by Periodicals, University Police and the Environmental Health and Safety office.
E-Commerce
We can assist you with collecting revenue online using the university’s Marketplace system. If you need to establish a new storefront, read the university’s credit card policy and contact fms-treasury@utdallas.edu. To add/remove users or update cost center/account information in your Marketplace, contact fms-treasury@utdallas.edu.
If you have questions about an existing storefront or Marketplace in general, please contact us.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do I get my department’s website redesigned?
A: Explain what you want done and why via the website redesign survey.
Q: Where do I report a broken link?
A: Write to us at webdeveloper@utdallas.edu. Include two URLs: the broken one and the URL of the page that holds the broken URL.
Q: Can I use your template to send a mass email from Outlook?
A: You can but it’s not a good idea. Desktop sends to multiple parties often results in a “junk mail” designation being placed on your message. We recommend you submit a checklist at least one or two weeks in advance and talk to us about transitioning your list to one of the university’s dedicated email list servers instead.
Q: Can you fix my personal UT Dallas webpage?
A: No. Personal webpages at UT Dallas may be accessed only by using your personal NetID and password. University Web Services works on institutional pages only.
Q: How do I get access to your photo library?
A: Write to us at webdeveloper@utdallas.edu or call us at ext. 4995. Explain how you want to use the photographs along with your request.