Modernizing the School of Nursing Website

The Modernization of the School of Nursing Website was initiated with the goals of:

• Transforming the site to reflect the new organizational culture and align with University of Washington branding, to enhance user experience and improve marketing efforts.
• Condense site pages to ensure concise, relevant information, and implementing accessibility improvements to make the site inclusive for all users.
• Optimize the experience of site owners by minimizing custom code and aligning with the University of Washinton Shortcode handbook to empower them.
• Minimize plug-ins to lower financial costs and simplify site management.

The School of Nursing IT team introduced a newly modernized, intuitive website. Seamlessly aligned with the University of Washington’s design, it offered an enhanced web-building experience for site owners, keeping content fresh and reducing plug-ins. With top-tier UX and UI improvements, this site set a new standard in digital accessibility and user engagement. 

The success of the project was a result of the combined efforts of the IT and Marcomm teams. Nevine Isaak, the Senior Interactive Web Designer, spearheaded the design, crafted a comprehensive user experience, contributed to coding, and managed the entire project, ensuring high standards of creativity and functionality. Brad Coston, the IT Director, along with Systems Administrator Jeremy Peters, handled the system integrations. Meanwhile, the Marcomm team focused on creating and reviewing content. Together, these teams streamlined processes and built essential connectors, ensuring a smooth and intuitive experience.

The Modernization of the School of Nursing Website project began in November of 2023, with a successful go-live in September 2024—bringing in a new era of digital innovation and accessibility.

Unprecedented Project Scale

The project was unprecedented in scale for the team, bringing significant responsibility and uncertainty about meeting requirements and handling the scope. The team meticulously planned and collaborated, leveraging their strengths and ensuring thorough preparation. Despite being an in-house project typically outsourced, they embraced the challenge and executed it successfully.

Project Delivery & Timeliness

Managing a large project for the first time with a strict deadline before the 2024 academic year start posed a risk of potential delays and fall-throughs. The team prioritized tasks effectively and maintained a rigorous schedule, leaving no room for errors. Their well-structured planning ensured the project stayed on track and met the deadline.

Simplification of Custom Code

Transitioning to new code while maintaining the existing functionality risked losing essential features. The team developed new, user-friendly code that preserved all previous functionalities. This careful approach ensured continuity and improved usability.

Maintaining Content Style

Ensuring ongoing technical support for Marcomm and making sure their content continued to work seamlessly was a significant responsibility. The technical team provided continuous support, ensuring all content functioned correctly. Their commitment to making it work was crucial to the project’s success.