Santa Monica College Website Redesign competitve Anaylsis

David JimenezClient Survey Competitive Analysis Personas Communication Project Brief Estimate ScheduleSitemap Wireframes

General Information

Client Survey Santa Monica College

1.What is the name of your company and your current (or intended) URL? Santa Monica College ww.SMC.edu

2. Who are the primary contacts from your organi-zation, and who has final approval on the project? Please list names, titles, email addresses, and phone numbers. David Jimenez-creative directordavidJ@edu.com…..310 494 100 3. What is your intended launch date for the new site? Are there any outside considerations that might affect the schedule (for example, PR launch, tradeshow, annual report)? Summer/fall 2014.

4. Do you have a specific budget range already established for this project? Can this project be divided into phases to accommodate budget and timing constraints.Yes 10,000-15,000

Current Site5 Do you feel your current site promotes a favor- able user experience? Why or why not? Yes it does, the current website is very informal presents graphic elements, search function, web links text and html links. Consistent with design-layout through out the website.

6. What specific areas of your current site do you feel are successful? Why are they successful? Home page, corsair connect and student service. Color, function, photography, links, forms and data entry.

7. What shortcomings exist with the current site, and what three things would you change on the site today if you could? The current site is to busy overstuffed with keywords can get overwhelming with information. 1.layout 2.visualization

8. Have you conducted usability tests or gathered visitor feedback for your current site? If so, how long ago? Please include any reports or findingsyes, winter 2014. Site works well functionality and consistent in layout but site is overwhelming with information and links. Site can be simplified and have an easier user experience. User can get lost visiting the site with so many links and information thrown at you in the homepage.

9. How important is it to maintain your current look and feel, logo, and branding? Very important to keep current logo and branding.

10. What are the main reasons you are redesign-ing your site (new business model, outdated site, expanded services, different audience)? Outdated site.responsive web

11. What are your primary online business objec-tives with the site redesign? What are your secondary objectives? (Examples include increased sales, marketing/branding awareness, and fewer customer service calls.) Please discuss both long- and short-term goals.Primary objective is to have more students enroll into smc by providing a clear and easy to follow website/ enrollment guide.Secondary objective is to keep current student satisfy with website and providing an friendly and easy user experience. But still ultimately having a website that competes with all other competitors

12. What is the main business problem you hope to solve with the site redesign? How will you measure the success of the solution? responsive design for mobile/tablets We hope to solver a simpler user experience, less links and text and just the primary functions of the site. This will be measure by the amount of traffic brought to the site

13. What existing strategy (both on- and offline) is in place to meet the new business objectives? Advertising of new site coming, advertising in school magazines, billboards on bus promotion thru professor and club groups.

Reason for redesign

Client Survey Santa Monica College

14.Describe a typical site visitor. How often are they online, and what do they generally use the web for? Give basic demographics: age, occupa-tion, income level, purchasing habits. (Use as much detail as possible in profiling your target user. Profile more than one type if appropriate.)

Male/Female early 20s part time workers 15,000-25,000 a year Usually on website to view current classes, view grades and current events going on. In college to obtain a degree or certifi-cation or looking to transfer

Male/Female in late 20s and early 30s part time/-full time workers 20,000-45,000 a year. Usually on site to search for classes and get information on specific things such as end of semester date check for class assignments and also taking online courses. looking to gain a certification or enhance their skills

Male/Female late 40s early 50s retired looking to improve skills or gaining new skills. Usually on site to search for classes gather information on class assignments 15.What is the primary “action” the site visitor should take when coming to your site (make a purchase, become a member, search for informa-tion)? Primary action for visitor is to check avail-able course, check grades and most importantly enrollment into santa monica college

16. What are the key reasons why the target audience chooses your company’s products and/or services (cost, service, value)? Creditability of the college, great professor and competitive course compare to other universities.

17. How many people (as far as you can tell) access your site on a daily,weekly, or monthly basis? How do you measure usage? Do you forecast usage to increase after the site launch and by how much? 30,000 + users and yes I expect to see more visitor after new launch

18.Use a few adjectives to describe how your site visitor should perceive the new site. (Examples include prestigious, friendly, corporate, fun, for- ward thinking, innovative, and cutting edge.) Is this different than the current image perception? Modern, Forward-thinking, user friendly easy to view and navigate same image perception just more simpler.

19. How is your company currently perceived offline? Do you want to carry the same kind of message through your website? Professional, modern, respectable and current in world events. Yes we do

20. How does your company differentiate itself from competitors? Do you think your current audience differentiates you from your competition? Please list competitor URLs. We stay update with current events happening in the world, we stay update with current education goals we stay current with trends happening in education and we can compete educationally speaking with other major universalities. UCLA.COM WLAC.EDU ELAC.EDU USC.EDU

21.List the URLs of any sites you find compelling. What specifically do you like about these sites? UCLA.COM USC.EDU, we like the simplicity of the site the basic need of an user are bold an easy to notice users wont get lost landing on the homep-age.

Audience / Desired Action Perception

Client Survey Santa Monica College

22. Will this site use existing content from the current site? If so, what is the source, who is responsible for approval, and has the content been audited? If not, will you be creating content in-house or using an outside provider?The new site will use some of current content but were looking for an over-haul of the content getting rid of unnecessary content an links an will be using an in-house provider.

23. What is the basic structure of the content, and how is it organized? Is it a complete overhaul of the current site or an expansion? We will like to keep current logo an color scheme of site but will like to have less links and content have a visual site with photography on homepage an easy to access to basic needs will like to use an more up to date look

24. Describe visual elements or content that should be utilized from your current site or market-ing materials (logo, color scheme, navigation, naming conventions, etc.). keep the same logo and color scheme an overhaul on navigation and naming conventions .

25. How will the content of this site (along with functionality and navigation) expand or differ from your current site? Do you have an existing sitemap for the outgoing site structure? Do you already have a sitemap or outline for the pro- posed redesign? Will like to use a more current look for the site flat design and we do not have a current sitemap an most importantly incorporate responsive design.

26. What is your target platform and browser? Whom can we talk to in your organization to help respond to technical issues? Firefox and safari, laptops and mobile design. David jimenez

27. Are there specific technologies (Flash, JavaS-cript, DHTML, etc.) that you would like to use in the site? If so, how will they enhance the user experience? Please describe in detail. Javascript, dhtml it will give the user a more friendly and easier experience.

28. Will you have database functionality (dynamic content generation, personalization/login)? Do you already have a database in place? Please describe it in detail, including specific informa- tion regarding existing programs and software? Speak to david

29. Will you have a need for secured transactions (e-commerce)? Do you already offer transactions online? Please describe in detail. Yes for paying off school debts.

30. Will you require other specific programming needs (such as personalization or search capabili-ty)? Please describe in detail. Yes search capabili-ty to seach for class and specific programs in our campus.

31. How do most people find out about your current website? What kind of triggers prompt a visit (referral links, incentives, search engine terms)? What methods of distributing the URL already exist within the company on and offline?Through promotion on billboards, word of mouth through our professor, google, magazine televi-sion commercial and radio prodcast.

32. Briefly, what are your short-term marketing plans (specifically, for the site redesign and the 6 to 12 months following launch)? Advertising through our old website word of mouth thru professor and advertising in our campus

33. Do you have an existing or planned marketing strategy in mind to promote this site redesign? If so, please describe. Yes promote through our campus and online website

34. Do you intend to keep the site updated? If so, how often? Who is responsible for updating and providing content? Yes daily update of social media, we have an in-house designer.

Marketing/UpdatingContent Techology

Overall goals and objectives: The goal of this competitve anaylsis is to provide a comprensive view of similiar and competing unviersitieswebsites, In order for us to provide an more effctiveness and usable site. In this 3 page report we anaylaze content, techology, look and feel, design lay-out and overall effectiviness of competing sites. will provide screen shots and breakdown of four similar sites including SMC website itself.

Methodology:This competitve anaylsis was cpnducted by the design team David Jimenez & david jimenez. Individualsparticipating in this analysis are classiflied as potential users. This anaylsis will allow a range of observationsof overall use of each site.

This anaylsis was conducted in the following order:Looking at what the site has to offerdoing individual anaylsis combinding the informaton we gather

Executive summary: We anaylzed four unviersities websites ranging from communitty collegeto universerities to gather and compare the most effectiveness and appealing features in order to best determined the direction of the redesign.

As users, we noticed that the most effectiveness site have a clean an simple design, bold typographyflat design and catching color schemes. As for functionality this sites offer an search engine to allow user to filter through alot of content for fast results We found that UCLA & USC website to be the most appealing, UCLA navigation is easy to undertstand withthe main user usage in bold: APPLY.VISIT.GIVE , search engine for quick search, color scheme matching the logo and feel of the campus, photography to give the user an interactive engagement. easy lay-out not overwhelm by links or type. USC website had a very similiar layout, search engine for quick search, color scheme matching the universities logo and feel, photography showing current student activitesand events, follow by a few links with type not overwhelming

We found the SMC website homepage is overwhelming with to much information alot of content can distractthe user from its basic search and needs. we suggest SMC to pair up similiar information filter alot of its contentfor instences discover smc & campus resources can be classified under the camous resources tab/link with a filter content and simplified links a much cleaner and easier design approach can be established.

For SMC navigation we notice that are over 25 links on the landing page, to many links are overwhleming cause the user to feel lost. We notice that a few of the links redirect the user to the same page such as smc online directs you to links leading to Corsair connect

Santa monica college is a strong universities and we believe their site should compare to many of the power-hitters universities such as UCLA and USC. We planed on approaching this design by emphasising a clean an bold flat design, keeping the same logo and using the college color scheme throughout the website. Having fewer links and emphasis the basic usage for the user to have an easier and friendly experience. also interigating photography so the user can feel engage. SMC has the oppturnity to stand out from the othercommunity college and start competiting with the power-hitter

Santa Monica College Competitive Analysis

University of Southern California

The USC site provides alot of information but doesnt overwhelm the user with content The bottom coloumns gives the user the option of changing the news feed, Images are the first thing that you see on the landing page whic is welcoming. The use of color match the the school’s logo, typography is clear and well placed. USC site is one the most appealing sites but its lacks in respondsive web which is very disapointing

OVERALL EXPERIENCE

FUNCTIONALITY/EASE OF USE

LOOK & FEEL

EFFECTIVENESS RATING

ww.usc.edu

The ELAC site has a great functional design, on the homep-age they have links that are very useful for the user apply online , register online, and schedule classes... on the top right which can be very helpful.The ELAC site does lack style, the design looks a bit outdated with a blue back-ground, typography is unactrative. On the home page the user has many links and alot of things going on very simliar to the wlac and smc site. elac site is always unresponsive to smart phones and tablets

East los angeles College

OVERALL EXPERIENCE

FUNCTIONALITY/EASE OF USE

LOOK & FEEL

EFFECTIVENESS RATING

www.elac.edu

Santa Monica College

The SMC site has a good design good quality images but as the user lands on the homepage there overwhelm with links and information, the site is very busy for the eyes, you just dont know where to start. The color and typogra-phy is good well placed, the site can be simiplified In addition the smc site is not responsive, I also notice that alot of the links lead up to alot of the same subjects.Over-all the site has a good design but its also packed with information thats unattractive an loses it since of design.

OVERALL EXPERIENCE

FUNCTIONALITY/EASE OF USE

LOOK & FEEL

EFFECTIVENESS RATING

www.smc.edu

West los angeles college

WLAC site is similiar to the SMC site also has to many tabs and links which can be overwhelming and unattractive to the eyes, they provide columans in the bottom but not the option of scrolling.Typography is clean and the color match the logo the site can use some cleaning, WLAC site is not responsive site either.

OVERALL EXPERIENCE

FUNCTIONALITY/EASE OF USE

LOOK & FEEL

EFFECTIVENESS RATING

www.wlac.edu

University of California Los Angleles

The UCLA site is great, the look is very clean and minimal and still manages to provides plenty of information. The user first see images and columns in the bottom with the option of scrolling very similiar to the USC site, The UCLA site also has search column and a yellow highlighted section which says VISIT APPLY GIVE which is catch-ing. The typography is clean and colors match the schools logo. The UCLA site is the only site that offers responsive web no other school site has this feature.

OVERALL EXPERIENCE

FUNCTIONALITY/EASE OF USE

LOOK & FEEL

EFFECTIVENESS RATING

www.ucla.edu

Name: Jamie chungQuote: “I usually visit the SMC website 3-4 times a week,some of my classes post the assigments E-Companion ”Description: Jamie is a full time student majoring in business administartion, she usues e-companion regulary,finicial aid, andenjoy talking to her friend on her laptop.

Age: 23Occupation: studentEducation: A.A degree/certificationFamily: singleIncome: 20,000

What does the user want/need?Top 3 User Goals on the site: check weekly assignments, review lessons see important dates corsair connect.

Technical Profile:• Preferred operation system: Windows• Preferred browser: Firefox• Internet skill level: basic• Internet use (hrs/week): 10hrs

Favorite Sites:1. Tumblr.com2. SMC.edu3. Fashion.com

What does your client want/need?Top 3 Business Objectives: more visits, more traffic simplified look.

Santa Monica College Personas

Name: Trevor greenQuote: “since I’m usually on the go, I like to use my iphone for fast results so organized must be easy to understand and nice on the eyes”Description: Trevor is looking to learn a new skill, has a full time job and is searching for night classes and online courses

Age: 28Occupation: writerEducation: B.A in EnglishFamily: singleIncome: 35,000

What does the user want/need?Top 3 User Goals on the site: view available classes. View degrees and job listings on campus

Technical Profile:• Preferred operation system: Apple• Preferred browser: Safari• Internet skill level: expert• Internet use (hrs/week): 25hrsFavorite Sites:1. Writers.com2. Instagram.com3. Wordpress.com

What does your client want/need?Top 3 Business Objectives: Attactive more people on the site, provide a simplified and modern look.

Name: kelly roseQuote:”im a continually looking to grown and gain new skills and informa-tion”Description: Kelly uses the web to acquire new skills, read the news and come across projects, she enjoys reading and learning.

Age: 40Occupation: marketingEducation: B.AFamily: 2Income: 48,000 annually

What does the user want/need?Top 3 User Goals on the site: view certification requirements, class schedules and campus photos

Technical Profile:• Preferred operation system: Apple• Preferred browser: Firefox• Internet skill level: moderate• Internet use (hrs/week): 15hrsFavorite Sites:1. Netflix.com2. Marketing1.com3. Wordpress.com

What does your client want/need?Top 3 Business Objectives: more traffic and visitors, a cleaner and simplified looked

project summarySanta Monica College is a well respected public/community two-year college that is ranked high among the Nation's Junior Colleges. SMC ranks number one in California for four-year university transfers and boasts the largest number of international student populations in the United States Santa Monica college is looking for a full redesign of their current website. The site now in operation but its not responsive and has out grown its current content SMC has requested a new design that will be mobile ready and make it's online presence stand out from other community colleges with a simplified and accessible interface. A clean, clear, fresh and well-organized experience is what we want the user to find. The immediate goals are responsive design that will be clear, in addition a well organized navigation that will allow all users an easily understandable path to their individual needs and a clean presentation. Long term goals be a tool and resources for future students, current students and faculty.

Target AudienceSanta monica college target audience is primary student, approximately 30,000 students are currently enrolled. In addition The average age of enrolled students is 25 years the majority of students have reasonable level of internet and computer savvy with the majority accessing services via mobile devices. the second target audience is the faculty’s they will have a university or greater level of education and will possess a moderate amount of current tech savvy. Laptops and mobile devices are the general method of their communication. Macs and PCs will be found sharing the same network. It can be reasonably expected to find both IE and Firefox in use and up to date

Perception/Tone/GuidelinesSmc website current perception is, unfocused and difficult to navigate giving the feeling of being lost, confused and frustrated most importantly smc website is not responsive ready giving students an undesired feeling to log in. SMC wants an organized, clear and easy to navigate site that leaves the visitor with a sense of understanding and accomplishment.responsive, clean, thoughtful, friendly, up to date. There should be a main and secondary navigation with a central rotating of images and content.

Commuication StrategyThe web site redesign will provide direct methods of communication to all visitors, news, updates, faculty blogs, password protected teacher, student and interactive classroom assignments The site lacks organization of information so perhaps change the way things are grouped by doing hidden hovers or drop down categories. SMC also lacks responsive web so a new mobile design will be implemented along with the college color palette and a clear font family. All in all, the user needs to be able to navigate through the website on any form of device mobile, tablet, desktop without hassles and unnecessary distractions without the feeling of being lost/confused. The first phase of development will focus on the sites responsive design with the second phase development dealing with organization of information and links

Santa Monica College Creative Brief

Competitive positioningSMC is one of the most top ranking community colleges in the nation with a successful transfer rate to higher 4 level Universities as well as strong diverse programs/degrees. The classes and books are affordable and has several campus locations depend-ing on student's area of focus.

Single Minded MessageChanging Lives in the Global Community through Excellence in Education.

Santa Monica College Creative Brief

Santa Monica College Budget Estimate

Description & Fees: The site will consist of approximately (x number of) pages. (Include any additional functionality here.) Client to provide access to Web hosting information needed to launch site.

Phase One: Research & Analysis $7,00-$10,000 Will work with client to analyze “competitive” sites, access audience needs, and determine site goals. Will leverage any existing research completed by (client name) and will consult with (client name)’s internal team to establish the site’s structure, functionality and technical parameters.

Phase Two: Design Development $3,000-$5,000Initial meeting to discuss next steps and web schedule. Presentation of two design directions to show a home page and one other section drill down page. Refinement and application of preferred direction to all pages. Presentation of pages as pdf files for proofreading. After final approval of all pages, prepara-tion of all pages and image files for technical production. Includes one round of revisions in the design phase only.

Phase Three: Technical Production $10,000-$13,000Building of HTML pages from layered Photoshop files. Implementation of page titles, meta tag description, and keywords for search engine optimization. (Client to provide description and keywords). Beta testing on development site to perform cross-browser and platform testing. Uploading final files to web host for official launch of the site.

Total for Design and Technical Production $20,000-$28,000

Should the scope of the project change or the deliverables for the project change, this estimate may need to be revised.

Revisions/ChangesBase fee includes one round of revision in the design phase only.Additional revisions will be billed at an hourly rate of $60

Payment Schedule:30% of fee to begin project40% after completion of design production30% upon delivery of final HTML files

Designer delivers new Creative Brief, estimate and schedule 02/10 Designer and Client meet to conduct User Profiling session Wednesday, 02/19 Designer finalizes and delivers User Profile document Tuesday, 03/05 Designer delivers draft navigation as Sitemap document Week of 04/01 •Designer delivers draft wireframes and any revisions to initial sitemap 04/18 •Designer & Client determine schedule for content delivery Designer begins site look and feel Wednesday, 04/23 Design direction presentation Tuesday, 05/18 Designer delivers revisions to look and feel, if required Friday, 05/29 Once Client signs off on design look and feel, Designer completes page designs (10 to 15 pages estimated) 06/10–07/15 Client delivers final content Thursday, 07/25 Designer begins final production of all graphics files Week of 08/10 Designer begin technical production:Designer to create HTML, image folder and CSS files for posting to development site. Week of 08/12 Beta testing Monday, 08/20 Site launches Wednesday, 08/25

Santa Monica College Preliminary Estimate