Updates: when it comes to phones, we speculate about them - when it comes to Facebook, we bemoan them - and when it comes to our software, we accept them. Evolution is a constant reality of our digital lives and our digital work environment.
Starting on Monday, January 9, 2017, University of Alberta faculty, staff, students, and alumni will be able to participate in a Digital Engagement Survey that will be the first step in the next evolutionary shift in the U of A's digital landscape.
We've experienced change before. Over the course of the last seven years, we've seen the U of A's digital landscape adapt with the rest of the internet. With the introduction of HTLM5, the university moved to a mobile friendly platform; the rise of Google Maps improved our ability to navigate our campuses; and the addition of MOOCs has expanded the reach of our distance education in a way that our own A.E. Ottewell could not have imagined when he launched the Department of Extension's "Magic Lantern" lectures back in 1914.
While partially driven by the availability of new technological advances, many of the changes to the U of A's digital ecosystem were also the result of user input. In February 2011, the university surveyed its community to determine how to best address their online needs and desires. The feedback collected helped to guide the online strategies and layouts that were used to help increase undergraduate applications (49% increase between 2010-2015), employment applications (27% increase between 2010-2015) and donation campaigns (79% increase to online donations).
Time continues to move on, and so too the internet. The algorithms that drive how content is curated in Facebook and Google have and are changing the ways that we interact with our web environments. In addition to this, the university community has also moved forward. In For the Public GoodFor the Public Good, we came together to set a new strategic plan - one that includes the objective to build "an integrated, cross-institutional strategy to demonstrate and enhance the University of Alberta's local, national, and international story." All of this means that it is time to review our digital ecosystem.
To start, the survey will invite faculty, staff, students, and alumni to outline their current online needs, interests and views when it comes to the U of A's website, apps, and social media channels. This anonymous survey should take no more than twenty minutes to complete. As Jennifer Chesney, Associate Vice-President (University Digital Strategy) puts it, the survey is really about asking the community how you want to consume and connect to university information. Members of the public and community partners will also be able to submit their thoughts, since the survey will be accessible on UAlberta.ca.
Results of the survey will be shared through a number of channels later this spring. They will be used to help inform the next steps in the UAlberta.ca evolution. Survey participants can also volunteer to assist with future discovery stages of the evolution process, which could include test driving future online designs and web elements. Active community participation is a key goal for Chesney who urges that "we want people to participate; that's what a university is all about."
The digital engagement survey and overall planning process will be conducted in house using existing internal resources and expertise. The ongoing initiative will be overseen by a cross-unit UAlberta.ca Evolution Executive Committee, chaired by Interim Vice-President (university Relations) Jacqui Tam. Tasked with overseeing the strategic planning, design, development and implementation of the evolutionary changes to the U of A's digital presence, the committee will ensure that any developments are carried out in support of For the Public Good.
"When it comes to the needs of our internal community, web environments are really no different than our real world spaces - they should be welcoming and authentic, while allowing us to do the work we need to do," Tam says. "Our digital environments must also effectively tell our local, national and international story, ensure the information external audiences want and need is readily available, and facilitate numerous online transactions. The survey that launches on January 9 and runs until February 3 will be very important in helping ensure our web environment will meet all of those needs."
UAlberta.ca Evolution Executive Committee:
Jacqui Tam (Chair), Interim Vice President, University Relations
Jennifer Chesney (Vice Chair), Associate Vice President, University Digital Strategy
Rehan Malik, (Initiative Manager) Product Manager, University Digital Strategy
Maria Skulmoski (Support), Administrative Coordinator, University Digital Strategy
Michel Proulx, Director, News & Media Relations, Marketing and Communications
Wendy Rodgers, Deputy Provost, Office of the Provost
Lisa Collins, Vice Provost and University Registrar
Bruce Sutherland, Senator and Director, Institute for Geophysical Research
Andre Costopoulos, Vice Provost and Dean of Students
Sean Price, Associate Vice President Alumni Relations
Andrea Smith, Senior Administrative Officer, University Relations