Atlantic Business Technologies, Inc.

Author: Atlantic BT

  • The Best Way To Make Your Web Development RFP Perfect

    When you’re ready to launch a new website or improve your existing web presence, finding the right vendor is a crucial first step. You’re looking for a team that can deliver exactly what you need for the right price and on your deadline. In order to do so, you’ll want to reach out to several qualified vendors. That requires a document called a RFP (Request for Proposal). 

    However, putting an effective web development RFP together isn’t quite as simple as listing a few project requirements and waiting for proposals to arrive. If you want to get the right information, you’ll have to put some thought into the process. If you do it well, you’ll ultimately end up with the website and online tools you need.

    Let’s look at what you can do to create the perfect RFP and get your web development project off on the right foot. 

    [pull_quote]Kicking off a web development project is no small feat. To get the best results, you need to find the right partner. The best RFPs have clearly defined goals. You want to weed out the businesses that are not up to the challenge. Clear information from you allows them to share related case studies and prove, most importantly, why they are the best fit for you and your project.  -Eileen Allen, ABT VP Strategy[/pull_quote]

    Define Your Project by the Result First

    Too many executives bog down their RFPs with technical or creative details that amount to window dressing. It’s better to begin by thinking about the actual goals you want your project to  achieve, working backward from that point. The look and features of a website can always change. However, you should know what you’re trying to accomplish in the real world before collecting proposals.

    Describe Your Organization and its Challenges Thoroughly

    Make sure your RFP includes all of the important details

    In order for a web development company to accurately anticipate your needs, it has to understand the environment your organization works in. The more details you can share, the better. Describe your business, its customers, users, and any competitors you might need to worry about. It will be easier for potential vendors to provide you with a through quote. Conversely, incomplete background information means your creative team may not fully understand the scope of the project, thus under-or overbid relative to the amount of work required.

    Outline Any Technical Issues or Restraints

    Consider the technical issues that might be prerequisites for your web development project. Perhaps your website maps have to be closely aligned with a certain type of device. You could have big concerns about data storage, reporting, or security. You might even have proprietary software that needs to be integrated. These are the details that need to feature prominently in your RFP.

    Ask for the Information You Want to Receive

    Be as specific as possible when requesting information as part of a proposal. If delivery dates, payment terms, or meeting schedules are crucial to the success of your web development project, then ask for those details to be addressed with the quotes you receive. This will streamline the RFP process, making it easier for the vendors who are good match to self-select before they submit quotes.

    Get Relevant Samples from Vendors

    Naturally, you’ll want to see portfolios and case studies from any vendor you consider hiring. However, you can specify in your RFP what kinds of samples you would like to see. This will cut down the amount of time you’ll have to spend digging through irrelevant material.

    A Strong RFP Launches Your Web Development Project on the Right Foot

    An RFP isn’t just a way to find out how much various web development teams want to finish a project. It’s the first step towards creating a cohesive plan for your new website and seeing it brought to life. Consider these points and don’t rush when putting your thoughts together. What you ask for in a proposal today will have a huge impact on the finished web presence you launch later.

    Needing a template for your company’s RFP?  Contact us and we’ll be happy to help!

     

     

  • How to Work With More Than One Web Development Company

    For large, complex web development projects – such as those for universities and government institutions – establishing a new online presence is an intense undertaking. It’s not as simple as hiring a single provider and letting them get to work. You might need the assistance of multiple development teams, particularly if one has expertise with a particular software package or programming methodology.

    Bringing two or more web development companies in to work together can be vital to achieving the right outcome. Here at Atlantic BT, we regularly partner with colleagues in our field to develop complex websites and platforms.  We’ve proudly maintained working relationships with the good folks at Red Hat and Constellation, to name a few. Here are a few tips you can use to keep multiple vendors moving forward in sync. 

    Make Your Needs and Expectations Clear

    All of your web development vendors should participate in the discovery process together.  Collectively, you can agree on necessary benchmarks for success. You’ll want everyone involved to know what you’re trying to achieve and which priorities carry the most weight.

    It’s a good idea to have key goals and deadlines written and signed into agreement. This provides clarity.  The clearer the expectations, the more likely you and your vendors are to achieve your goals.

    Keep the Lines of Communication Open

    Teams work best together when everyone communicates

    Each of your web development teams will likely be handling different aspects of the project. Therefore, they need to be “in the loop” with one another during the design, revision, and testing phase. Any design changes can necessitate adjustments for other teams to make in related areas of the website.

    If you don’t have an open line of communication between both of your web development partners, you could find yourself facing duplicated work and unnecessary costs or delays.

    Figure Out Where Skills Overlap

    Even if your web development partners have different specialties, it’s likely that there will be some overlap between their skills and roles. For example, both may be proficient with developing user interfaces, or setting up data entry automation.

    To avoid conflict, or duplicated roles, it’s best to map out various stages of the project in advance. It also helps to anticipate points where multiple people might be working on the same solutions. You can then delegate specific pieces in a way that makes sense.

    Make a Plan for Key Decisions to be Made

    Work your way to the top with those who share your goals Even among collaborative vendors, there are going to be differences in opinion and style. Large, involved projects need to have a plan in place for any potential decision making. 

    In other words, your creative partner should know who to contact when a big decision needs to be made. You should also make it clear to your internal staff how these types of situations are going to be resolved and documented.

    Have a Need for Institutional Web Design and Development?

    Do you have a need for website that’s a bit more complex than that of the average small business or nonprofit? Atlantic BT can help you plan, manage, and execute institutional web design at any scale. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation. We can help move your project from concept to launch.

     

  • Know the Big Three Points in a Website Life Cycle

    In many ways, a website is like any other tool you invest in. When purchasing a new truck or building for your organization, you would understand that it would require upkeep. There is maintenance involved and repairs to take care of. Eventually, your purchase will have run its course and need to be replaced.  

    When it comes to websites, this is easily overlooked. Unfortunately, business owners, executives, and institutional directors often lose sight of this fact. That’s because websites don’t show their age the same way a physical asset would. Nonetheless, they do go through distinct lifecycles you can’t ignore.

    This process should affect your business planning. Let’s look briefly at the three major points in a website’s life cycle…

    1. Website Development and Launch

    A new website should obviously have all the latest features and tools. It should be designed to be fast, clean, and outlined for a flawless user experience.

    However, despite being new, it can still use monitoring and improvement. It’s crucial that you and your web development team keep a close eye on the analytics to ensure performance is as strong as expected. This will also help you see whether real-life users are able to find or take advantage of key features.

    2. Website Maturity and Revision

    Once a website has gone live and is stable and effective, you may think all the hard work is done. That’s rarely the case for very long.

    It’s important to keep adding new content and updating pages to ensure a mature website doesn’t get stale. Additionly, web developers and executives alike need to keep a close eye on competitors, platform providers (like Google, Facebook, Magento, etc.) and even online marketing best practices to ensure the organization doesn’t fall behind. For example, Atlantic BT worked with Propper to re-design their eCommerce platform using Magento 1. While monitoring the results of the re-design, our developers realized that the growth of the site required another upgrade to Magento 2. 

    A website can remain in the mature, productive stage for at least several years, but only through small improvements and additions.

    3. Website Upgrade and Replacement

    Even a well-designed website will eventually stop being an effective tool for the organization it serves. Technology consistently evolves, leaving unattended websites dated. Changes in user habits, such as the current surge of mobile users, also hinder site performance. Lagging technical or content updates can compound over time. There could also be changes in the company. 

    Whatever the specific cause, or combination of causes, it is eventually smarter and more cost-effective to build a new web presence from the ground up than it is to try to salvage old apps and pages. At this point, the cycle starts all over again.

    Managing the Website Life Cycle

    Understanding these points in the website life cycle enables you to make the best decisions for your business. You will know when and where to invest in site maintenance. You’ll even be ready to make the cost-effective decision to upgrade or replace your site at the right time. These choices are not always easy. However, they have big implications for your future.  

    Where is your website at in its life cycle? What are you doing to prepare for the future?

  • How One Growing University Found Genuine Brand Unity

    Campbell University has grown tremendously over the past decade. We’ve proudly added 3 new schools and dozens of additional majors and programs. We expanded to new campuses. Throughout this growth, one thing has remained clear. The university website continues to be our most effective recruiting and engagement tool with prospective students.

    The old campbell.edu did not engage our community with a united message and brand.

    However, our 10 distinct colleges and schools often operated their websites independently. There would be little to align them to the main campus site. This contributed to a disjointed experience on www.campbell.edu. For years our university site was a collection of independent websites. Each site was only connected by a central university hub. This was no surprise for a 130-year-old institution. There’s been a lot of time for schools and departments to move in different directions. Every branch was chasing their own aims and feeling passionately about their brands.

    Notice how different Campbell’s pages could be from one department to another. We had to bridge this brand gap.

    Campbell.edu was a clear reflection of that decentralized reality. There was little visual and navigational consistency. We also lacked a clear URL naming structure. Our primary CMS was built on a structural plug-in that was no longer supported. Two of our colleges and schools operated outside of the current CMS (including one built in a programming language that we could not support). This left us with ten unique websites with unique goals, unique design, and unique code bases. Furthermore, it was all managed by a staff of two web developers and one web designer.

    The Rebrand and Redesign of Campbell.edu

    In the spring of 2016, the University Communications & Marketing team decided to tackle these issues. As a result, two major resource intensive projects were conceived. It was time for a rebranding initiative and a digital transformation of our website. But we needed a partner to help us tackle these large-scale projects. The projects required a team who could work in a timely manner. Ultimately, they needed to deliver the results our university deserved.

    We found a partner in Atlantic BT. They recognized the importance of a global mindset. This didn’t mean ten different sites with their own voice and tone. It meant one unified site with multiple branches. ABT worked in tandem with our marketing and communications team. Together, they looked for every opportunity to build commonalities across schools and programs in both content and design.

    Campbell worked alongside ABT’s designers, content strategists and developers. The entire team was able to centralize all of our schools and units into a single WordPress multi-site installation. They ultimately deployed 21 subdomains over a 20 month span. Our teams collaborated throughout the process on content auditing, updating, and getting the new site ready for deployment. The ABT team helped steer the development of compliant brand-consistent global headers and footers. They also created a flexible band system which permitted school sites to highlight specific content that was unique to their students and audience groups.

    This gave all our schools and programs what they wanted—the ability to be distinctive—while maintaining the global look and feel that Campbell.edu needed. It helped that our teams solicited ideas and feedback from all these schools throughout the process. This increased their buy-in and made it easier to tailor content to their needs.

    homepage of campbell university

    Campus Reception of New Brand and Site

    The feedback from our campus units regarding the website transformation has been overwhelmingly positive. By approaching the project from a “global” perspective, the entire site maintains a consistent visual identity with site-wide structure for search and navigation. Schools were pleased with the relative speed of launch and flexibility regarding their own content. More than 100 content contributors have been trained to update sections of the website. They have also been eager to learn the CMS system. Each school and unit was able to customize the navigation and content prior to launch. Consequently, campus users have been able to focus on maintaining content for their programs. They no longer need to worry about design or development issues.  

    The Campbell web development team has also experienced benefits through the partnership. Atlantic BT handles security and server maintenance. Hence, Campbell developers are free to focus on the current update needs of the website. The ABT developers and project managers are promptly responsive with any issues that may arise.

    We continue to work with ABT for site improvement, building out new features that will help support all of our users on www.campbell.edu. Together, we are responding to the changing needs of the web. We’re on good footing—and ready to face the next year ahead as a unified university with a consistent online foundation.

     

  • Facebook Shutdown? Be Careful What You Wish For

    After stunning news broke that over 50 million Facebook users had their data breached and unlawfully harvested, lawmakers are calling into question the future of Facebook Advertising and irate citizens are calling for a total Facebook shutdown.

    As a private citizen, you should be outraged. As both a private citizen AND consumer of any goods or service, you should be prepared for {gulp}…higher prices and potential job losses. Let’s break it down.

    Facebook Shutdown as a Private Citizen

    No explanation needed. Just be mad.

    Facebook Shutdown as a Consumer of Goods and Services

    This is where a dose of “Careful What You Wish” will leave a bitter taste. We’ve all been there…inundated with ads everywhere we turn. Your Facebook feed. Instagram (owned by Facebook). Facebook Messenger. Video ads on video ads.  They chase you around the internet. You literally cannot escape them.

    “They’re so annoying”

    Most won’t disagree. But it’s hard not to notice that those annoying ads are pretty damn close to relating to some aspect of your life or a specific characteristic of who you are as a person.

    Facebook Ad Revenue

    The simple reality is Facebook is a marketer’s gold mine. It’s a behemoth compared to Google when it comes to targeting abilities. Facebook Advertising is drowning in user-level data. Every click you’ve made, every post you liked, every petty argument you’ve had in the comment section of some ridiculous meme…Facebook is recording every single touch point and continuously building out the most dynamic profiles of all 2 Billion of its users. And needless to say they sell that data to advertisers in the form of placing relevant ads in front you.

    But let’s dive into how the potential demise of Facebook Advertising affects you, the consumer.  Most companies operate in a Cost per Customer or Cost per Lead model in some shape or fashion.  Company A, through their own analytics and data, have established they are willing to pay X amount of dollars for a specific group of customers with identifying characteristics. Invest X amount of dollars into one targeted audience, expect to get X amount of dollars out of them.  Dumbed down, it’s the establishment of marketing contribution margins.

    Pay $.75, get a $1 in return. 25% margin.

    With Facebook Advertising, companies and their products are literally getting delivered two feet from their ideal customer (or whatever unhealthy distance you hold your phone in front of your face).  There’s no wasted marketing spend on trying to find you…Facebook does the heavy lifting.

    Now let’s imagine a world with no Facebook Advertising. A Facebook shutdown. Maybe we’re relegated back to more “traditional” advertising.  Back to more radio spots, perhaps a local TV commercial here or there, or {gasp}…newspapers. Instead of paying for exposure to a specific group of potential customers that Company A can expect to purchase, that same company will burn marketing spend on eyes and ears that they know are less likely to engage and make a purchase. In our world, we call that burning impressions. Burning money. Strike a match and just burn it.

    Facebook Shutdown?

    In the Cost Per Customer world, the $20 it previously cost a company to acquire a customer has now turned into $50/customer.   That aforementioned 25% margin? Poof.  And not only poof, Company A is now forecasted to operate in the red on paper.

    How will Company A attempt to remedy? Raise prices. Reduce expenses. And what is typically a company’s largest expense?

    Payroll.

    So while we have every reason to be outraged (and then some) over this egregious, unethical breach in the trust of our most personal data, a Facebook shutdown along with other similar social media platforms could have some very expensive repercussions for all of us.  Hyperbole? Maybe.

    Or maybe not.

  • Proven UX Research Strategies For a Strong University Website

    A university website must provide an informative, engaging user experience (UX) as they court prospective students. Dependable research is key to designing an effective UX. When planning for a university website project, you need to decide how you will approach both user research and feedback throughout the development cycle. It isn’t rocket science, but it does rely on critical thinking and crafty planning.

    In this article we will review sample plans that can help guide your user research. But make no mistake: There is no such thing as a one size-fits all research plan. Decide which strategies to pursue based on your objectives, project scope, and what resources you have available.

    Example Plan 1: University Website Redesign

    Your biggest UX challenge for the website redesign will likely be the sprawling business needs of the university. While most schools operate on an altruistic mission, that mission is fueled by stakeholder buy-in, marketing success, and brand awareness. These goals help ensure the success of a school but consider: are business goals equatable to the goals of the website?

    venn diagram of content on a university homepage versus what people are looking for
    The classic UX divide of the university homepage.  Source: xkcd.com

    I love the above XKCD panel that illustrates implementation vs user needs. It captures the heart of the problem: universities often tailor their web content to promote themselves, which results in regular users struggling to find the content they need.

    Balance business and user needs by regularly sharing user data with stakeholders. This will build empathy and keep your project on a user-centered track. Another project goal will be to make sure certain parts of the site (such as requests for information or scheduling a campus visit) are easy to locate and understand.  Prioritize users who are interfacing with your brand and services for the first time. What’s good for the novice is often good for the expert. Let’s move onto the research plan.

    Website Research Plan at a Glance

    Project TypePhaseResearch Methods
    University WebsiteDiscoveryStakeholder workshops

     

    Card sorts

     Design5 Second tests
     Post-launchFeedback evaluation

    University Website Redesign – Discovery Phase

    Stakeholder Consensus Workshops

    If there are multiple agencies, programs, or departments represented on the project, then plan for a stakeholder workshop to gather vital information about various needs and beliefs. The activities in this workshop might include a Q&A or user persona creation. Our team has had great success with moderated brainstorming, and affinity mapping activities. The purpose of these exercises is to build the overall mission of the project. Use the activities to keep the conversation focused on what needs to be conveyed to visitors and what actions to encourage.

    [Affinity Diagrams are groupings of stakeholder ideas to identify patterns, themes, and priorities]

    You may hit some political bumps—but don’t worry! It’s far better for this conflict to happen early in the project rather than right before launch. Use this as an opportunity to build trust and understanding with your important stakeholders.

    Card Sorts

    University websites have a large variety of content, meant to reach several audiences. Set aside time for your information architecture and content strategy. Perform a card sort of your information designs with representative users and pay close attention to the results. These tests are best done in person. You can gather qualitative comments by asking questions and encouraging your participants to think out loud. Caution: this activity is meant to smooth snags in the overall fabric, not statistically represent users as a whole. Don’t let a thoughtful user comment pass you by, but also be careful not to redirect the project to suit the needs of a single participant opinion.

    University Website Redesign – Design Stage

    5 Second Tests

    Plan for some type of regular design feedback. Try a 5 second test, which shows a user the design for 5 seconds and then asks them questions about their perception of the design. This will help you and your design team understand how clear your primary messages are.

    Here are some great questions to ask after exposing them to a single page design:

    • Describe the page you just saw.
    • What is the purpose of this page?
    • What are some actions you could take on this page?

    Of course, you can get a lot more specific depending on the page’s contents and what you hope to learn. These tests are straightforward, inexpensive to perform, and can yield fascinating results. Don’t overthink it!  With a small sample size, you might end up with a wide variety of results—but these honest and unbiased reactions from real users are pure gold to researchers. Put the right amount of emphasis on the results and have fun learning!

    University Website Redesign – Post-Launch Phase

    Intercept Surveys

    In my humble opinion, I think people spend way too much time deciding which feedback widget to add to their site and not enough time thinking about the data it will generate or how they will use that data in the future. Plan your surveys to catch your users at a crucial point in their journey with your university website, like after submitting information requests. This type of “intercept survey “ will help you make better assessments about needs and behaviors. But be careful—this survey isn’t simple analytic code that you can slap down and forget about. Like all research initiatives, it requires deliberation and attention.

    Use feedback surveys dedicated to ongoing evaluation and have confidence about the research question you’re asking. Keep in mind that we are all over-surveyed and under-rewarded. Your users are no different. Be brief and meaningful with your survey, letting the users know how their effort is benefiting a larger community.

    Example 2: Student/Faculty Resource Portals

    An online/resource portal on a university website is accessed by a captive group of dedicated users who are determined to complete their task. This single fact should drive your entire perception of its design. Personally, I find this type of UX research particularly exciting.

    For the purpose of this blog we will say that a resource portal is: A view that serves as a hub to resources that student or faculty members need to fulfill their vocational role.

    Because portals are able to complete a wide variety of tasks, they can suffer from poor organization. And—since each portal is different—comparing them to similar systems will only take you so far. It will be crucial to understand user motivation and high-level goals in order to develop a resource portal that is simple and accessible.

    User research is at the heart of this journey. Spend time getting to know the motivations and struggles of your user segments and the rest of the resource portal project will run smoothly.

    Research Plan at a Glance

    Project typePhaseResearch Method
    Student/Faculty Resource PortalDiscoveryScenario Identification
     DesignPrototype Testing
     Post-launchSummative Evaluation

    Resource Portal – Discovery Phase

    Scenario Identification

    Begin by listing out all the scenarios that would bring a student or faculty member to your university website. If you are interested in learning how to identify new needs, gather feedback from users themselves to prioritize those items. There are many ways to do this, either with stakeholders or by gathering the information with a card sort or survey.

    This simple activity is critical to building a meaningful resource portal. Once you have a prioritized list of real-life scenarios, it will be easy to dig into the user’s goals, tasks, and expectations. From there, you and your team will be poised to create a rough prototype inspired by your informed assumptions.

    Resource Portal – Design Phase

    Paper Prototype Testing

    For a project as important as a user resource portal, I recommend testing your concepts as soon as possible. Consider a paper prototype test. Create a prototype of your concepts with whatever materials are available to you (such as paper drawings or print outs). The only requirement is that your objects embody the ideas of your design team and project stakeholders.

    Explain the prototype to the user and ask them questions about how it works. Allow them to remove/add/change elements and explain their motivation. This last point is important! User motivation is more meaningful than the actions they take. As you perform these tests, record and report how users expected to complete the task. This will take more critical thinking than you might expect. We call these activities “participatory design”. It is sure to energize your team and give incredible purpose to your design decisions.

    Resource Portal – Post-Launch Phase

    Remedial Usability Evaluation

    While you may be tempted to focus solely on page analytics or help desk requests, I highly encourage project sponsors to re-evaluate the entire system and make sweeping changes to elements that aren’t working. It’s much cheaper to nurture and grow a system over time than it is to engage in redesign overhauls every 2 years.

    For remedial efforts, have a handful of users participate in usability testing sessions and work to minimize problems that may have developed over time. Should problem areas arise, you can take a focused look at those elements and refine the system.

    Conclusion

    Ultimately, higher education UX research has much in common with a great university experience: the learning process is ongoing and there are tons of study options. Because there are dozens of ways to gather valuable user feedback that will help refine your project vision, it is best to approach UX research with your goals in mind.

    Maintain a birds-eye view of the project’s desired outcomes, and you will be better-prepared to implement your research. Choose methods that will work to establish consensus among key team members and will uncover the most valuable insights to help answer your questions. You’ll have to be clever to pull off great design research, but that cleverness will set you apart from the pack as a caring and enjoyable brand to engage with.