Feb. 4, 2004

Casting a New Web

University Unveils Phase Two of Plan to Create a Robust, Service-Focused Online Presence

By Greg Licamele

Untangling a web can be interpreted as a daunting challenge, yet those leading GW’s new Web site and portal project are preparing to build a robust, service-focused presence scheduled for the fall semester that will unite content and online transactions.

The second phase of a three-step strategic Web plan was unveiled last month as organization of www.gwu.edu changed from department names to topics, including living, learning, computing and working. Each of the 11 new action topics has a corresponding page that includes a list of online services.

But now the focus of GW’s Web Steering Committee and Web design team changes to Phase III, which will provide distinct portal pages for University community groups.

After users log in, they will have the option of customizing their portal page, similar to today’s GWeb Portal; however, views will be more customized for different communities — faculty, staff, students and alumni. Existing and new services, such as viewing budget reports, approving purchase requisitions, publishing content on the portal and syndicating to other Web sites, and other online transactions will be added to the portal, creating a one-stop-shop for internal users.

“Eventually, as we move through these phases, the GW Portal will be the driving engine for internal constituencies to do their business, building on our current services such as registration, paying student accounts, checking financial aid or checking E-mail,” said Robert Chernak, senior vice president for student and academic support services (SASS).

Robyn East, executive director of administrative applications, said Phase III will begin by uniting existing content from GWeb, GWired Student Network and other University Web sources, followed by new projects aimed at easing the business operations of the University.

East cited the approval process for purchasing goods by faculty and staff as one example of future functionality.

“Right now, you have to login to the accounting system and go through a number of screens to find the particular transaction you got an E-mail notification about,” East said. “As we push functionality out of the enterprise systems, tasks such as requisition approvals will appear in an inbox of action items on one’s customized portal page.”

Other examples of new and improved services for the portal, which will either be integrated immediately or prioritized for a future launch, include:
• Integrated University calendar
• Budget reports
• Easier methods for researchers to track their projects
• Improved ways for faculty to enter grades and use classroom-related applications
•Content management system for departments and offices to update their Web sites

David Swartz, chief information officer, said the new portal fits into the larger University strategic plan of focusing on customer needs and services. He cited the Registrar’s Office as an example of users taking care of their business when it’s convenient, meanwhile, freeing an employee to work on other projects.

“When (an employee) is dealing with huge volumes of generic or simple requests, it takes them away from the more complex tasks,” Swartz said. “So we’re allowing people to service themselves over the Web, then building call centers or help desks of generalists that can help a much broader group of people. Then, you have your specialists. We envision this as a model of where we’re going.”

“We’re trying to get to the point where the portal becomes a real 24-7, interactive service for most business transactions that students, faculty and staff need to take care of,” Chernak said. “Handling a lot of other issues on a one-on-one basis online will cut down on a lot of pedestrian traffic in high-volume areas, too.”

William Frawley, dean of the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, said this project holds great potential for faculty and researchers.

“I see this as high priority because it involves intelligent information management and personalized academic data-mining,” Frawley said. “So its effects will be enormous. Even the personalized portals we have now through GWeb are very useful in this regard, although in many ways designed for news, movies and other items. An academically-based knowledge portal would be a significant advance.”

With thousands of pages, navigating a Web site at a large university can be a challenge, but the goal in this new phase is intuition and ease of use.

“Everyone’s pulling together, getting beyond the politics, and putting the customers first,” Swartz said. “Very few universities can do that.”

But another critical goal is focusing on the look, feel and content of second- and third-level pages. A content management system is scheduled to be unveiled this year, making it easier for offices and departments to update their sites. Swartz said incorrect or outdated information presents a credibility problem for the department and for the University. He’s hoping a content management system, complete with standards and templates, will enable departments to maintain more consistent and timely Web pages.

“We’re going to have to do more oversight because it affects the GW brand when someone puts garbage out there,” Swartz said. “It will be easy to do that when we give them the tools to do it. They won’t have an excuse.”

While the portal and department pages are tended to, GW’s front door to the world, www.gwu.edu, will be more of a marketing outlet.

“It’s for external constituents to get an understanding of the University,” said Deborah Snelgrove, executive director, SASS communications and technology. “So it’s not only a combination of helpful information that we all know our constituents need and want, but the service information and links should also reinforce our branding with consistent marketing and graphic design to all our external information seekers. Certain information and service content will cross over into the portal for the internal GW community. We are identifying those services and developing that content now.”

Research of other university Web sites and portals yielded few examples GW could follow for its strategic Web plan. Swartz said the University of Washington represents one example, while the University of North Carolina (UNC) devotes resources to its admissions presentation.

“UNC is spending a lot of money on the front end for incoming students,” Swartz said. “Recruitment, getting them in the pipeline and keeping them at GW through improved retention are things we need to do a lot more of.”

“This project is not just about service, it’s also about improving our efficiency and the bottom line of the University,” said Louis Katz, executive vice president and treasurer.

Chernak said the University’s strategic plan has set benchmarks for improved customer service, especially on the Web. He noted GW’s recent investment in a new E-mail system and the assurance of wired residence hall rooms as examples of the University both spending its resources carefully and meeting its goals.

“I think we made an early commitment to technology as a University,” Chernak said. “I think it’s still going to take a portion of our budget to keep the momentum going, but we’re committed to it.”

An important commitment and element of the portal project also includes security and privacy issues, Swartz said.

“One of the advantages to an integrated architecture is that we can focus on strengthening the security in order to protect privacy, as well as to reduce the difficulty in managing eight different passwords,” Swartz said. “You’ll have a single login, which can be used from home or from any place at any time and you’ll still have protection.”

With all of these changes on deck for the fall semester, Snelgrove believes education and outreach to users, along with proper planning by departments, are cornerstones to the project’s success.

“The cultural change and education that has to take place on this campus is that we’re moving from a department-centric focus to a service-centric focus,” Snelgrove said. “What we’re doing is creating a seamless, strategic and integrated experience on the Web.”

Katz added the Web restructuring and portal projects are important efforts to address directions charted by GW’s Strategic Plan for Academic Excellence introduced last summer.

“These efforts are just the beginning of our focus on improved service, since a new cross-functional team called the Service Excellence Core Group is being created to further strengthen and support excellence in service delivery, customer service and satisfaction and client relations in every operational aspect of the University,” Katz said. “This group, with representation from across the University, will start its work shortly to identify priorities and map out changes that will bring the improvements desired. We are taking our commitment to service very seriously and doing our part to make GW a leader in its commitment to its faculty, students and employees.”

Send feedback to: bygeorge@gwu.edu