Posts by Mark Erickson

Thanks to all who participated in our website redesign kick-off meeting marathon this past week!

As mentioned in previous posts, we scheduled and successfully conducted 23 meetings with over 130 representatives from across the University involving students, faculty, staff, and administration in our 3 day conversation.  In addition, we had representation from CAS, CAPS, GS, and SEM...including both coasts!

Granted, this is just the first of many opportunities that the Bethel community will have to participate in the redesign process.

Based upon discovery from online surveys, onsite stakeholder interviews, public Q&A sessions, technical assessments, and numerous conversations, mStoner will generate a strategy document that outlines and defines constituency expectations, preliminary information architecture, and a project plan. More about that in the coming weeks.

We welcome your questions and feedback.  Feel free to leave a comment.

Seems the iPhone has a software solution for everything.
Need to remember where you parked your car? There's an app for that.
Need to recognize what poison ivy looks like? There's an app for that.
Need to know if the bird you're looking at is a red-faced warbler?
There's an app for that, too.

Need to know exactly what to expect in the stakeholder intake meetings?
Sorry, there's no app for that. You'll want to arrive with an open mind, and be prepared for anything!

mStoner consultants will be on campus April 14,15, and 16 in order to begin the strategy phase of our redesign process. Meeting with over 130 individuals representing students, faculty, and administration, they'll discover what makes Bethel distinctive, better understand the complexities of our institution, and begin to assemble a strategy for moving us forward.

If you can make time, please come to the Q&A session for all Bethel community members on April 16 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. (BC468). You’ll meet Patrick DiMichele, a senior strategist from mStoner, and learn a ton more about the project.

This week will be one of the most exciting weeks of the redesign process. Let’s get ready to welcome mStoner to Bethel and help them understand who we are, why we’re here, and where we’re going.

Here are some numbers to consider.  23 meetings involving approximately 130 participants over the course of 3 days.  Any way I do the math I'm reminded that Bethel is many things to many people.  We've done our best to include representatives from across the institution when scheduling our mid-April website redesign stakeholder meetings with mStoner consultants.

If you haven't received an invitation, or if you're unable to attend one of the scheduled sessions, please plan to join Patrick DeMichele from mStoner for a Q&A session on April 16, from 11a.m.-1p.m. in BC 468.  This event is open to the entire Bethel community.

We also invite you to complete our online survey.  At last count, we've received 130 responses.  Thanks to all for offering input and feedback!

Last week we launched our first online survey relating to the redesign.  We've received 65 responses to date from students, staff, faculty, and alumni! If you haven't yet provided your 2-cents worth, please do so. This information will assist mStoner consultants gain a perspective on what works and doesn't work with our existing website. We don't expect flattery or fanfare, just the facts. Visit: redesign.bethel.edu and click on the survey link to leave your comments.

Lao-Tzu (604 BC - 531 BC) likely didn't have a website. But I believe that he understood how daunting a task it would be to redesign one when he quipped, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

We're pleased to announce today that Bethel University will begin a website redesign!

Seems like an ominous undertaking. How does a university enter into a website redesign? How do we get started?  Who will guide us through the process? We've chosen an experienced partner to assist us as we begin the journey.  mStoner team members will be on campus in mid-April to kick-off the website redesign. They'll meet with representatives from across the institution, gather information, and offer Q&A sessions.  From this input, mStoner will help us map out a strategy plan, and determine next steps. Web Services will facilitate throughout the process.

Everyone would agree that Bethel has a beautiful campus.  Situated alongside Lake Valentine we enjoy a natural setting surrounded by rolling hills and trees.  We also recognize the beauty of our built environment.  Brushaber Commons will soon open and provide a much appreciated 'family room' for the Bethel community.  Yet, what of our "virtual" campus?  It's been some time since our last redesign...summer of 2004, to be exact.  Do you have any idea how many visitors www.bethel.edu has in a given day, week, month, or year?  Analytics aside, it's safe to say that more people visit our virtual campus than visit our physical campus.  In this day and age of internet communication, we believe it's high time to improve our online presence, to meet the needs of those we know and those we have yet to meet.