EDEN Overview  

EDEN was established to aid the university in better satisfying their web visitors. To accomplish this task, we convert the content from the university’s existing web pages into a new format that improves the user experience while providing the tools and resources to maintain a strong site going forward.

Converting content for even one website is no small task, let alone the hundreds of sites that compose the Northern Arizona University’s web presence. It requires a highly skilled team, months of dedication, a strong partnership with website owners, and a shared commitment to converting (rather than migrating) content. Read on for more content conversion project essentials.

The conversion process

Content conversion is the process in which content is transitioned from your old website to your new website. This content can include:

• text
• images
• photos
• graphics
• video

Think about it as moving houses; during conversion, you get to make decisions about what’s worth keeping, what needs to go, and what you need to acquired to complete your new home.   

Content conversion is particularly important because web content tends to get cluttered quickly if you aren’t updating on a frequent basis.

The university’s standard content conversion process involves four important phases:

Strategic foundation

In order to establish a strategic foundation, we hold an initial consultation with your team to determine key objectives and web audiences. This consultation helps to guide all further site development, such as:

• navigation
• content
• tone
• multimedia considerations

Content creation

The next step involves our team creating the content for the site. Based on strategic objectives of your department and the needs of your users, your site structure is developed, and we tailor the content to fit your specific goals.

Content publishing

After content has been approved by your department, it is uploaded and into the Content Management System (CMS) in preparation for the new website launch, when it will appear to the public. This will allow you to observe how the content will look on the page before the site goes live.

Completed

Your new content is live on the web and available to the public.

Conversion examples

The following example demonstrates the benefit content conversion can provide to sites across the Northern Arizona University’s web presence.

Before

Before content conversion, this homepage text (found below) failed to explain what degrees the College of Education offer, which is arguably the most important information for prospective students. 

Welcome to the website of the College of Education at N.A.U. I invite you to browse the site to learn more about our programs, faculty, research and other services. This site has been designed to acquaint you with the values and vision of the College. 

After

After content conversion, the homepage text provided information on the types of degrees the College of Education offers in broad strokes.

 

WELCOME TO THE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

Whether you want to be a teacher, counselor, school psychologist, or school leader, one thing is certain: you are passionate about inspiring others. At Northern Arizona University, we’ll prepare you to be a leader in education—so you can make a difference for the rest of your life.