Website Rebuild

Rebuild Timeline

Web content audits across campus
Site building and debugging.
Web editors
- Review and edit content.
  - Any edits and cleanup that can be done this month is appreciated!
- Ensure content being moved to the new site is current and up-to-date.
- Delete unnecessary content.

Split between live site and development site
- At this point, web services will be maintaining and updating two sites.
  - Please try to limit changes to essential items.
- Web services will begin initial building of high level pages and updating information architecture.
Deleting
- Web editors will contact web services to delete and content on the live site so it may also be removed from the development site.
Late in October, training and help sessions for web editors will be held.

The work is not done!
- Continue to provide trainings for web editors.
- Web services will be creating and updating training manuals.
- Web editors will continue to optimize content for the new design.
- Webpage approvals and AP style reviews will continue to ensure consistency and accessibility across the site.
Start prioritizing and collecting phase 2 elements, improvements and fixes.
- Web editors can share their ideas at websupport@sdstate.edu.

If you need assistance preparing your content for the new site,

Speed and performance – The coding is old, which slows down the site and impacts user experience. Our site was built in 2016 and, honestly, could have been rebuilt 1-2 years ago.
Security – The older the site, the more customization is needed. The more you customize features within the site, the less secure it becomes.
Support and maintenance – Drupal versions, like most CMS systems, have an end of life and are no longer supported. The current site was built in Drupal 8, which is no longer supported, and we have updated to Drupal 9. We are attempting to move to Drupal 10 but are having challenges due to legacy code all the way back to the Drupal 8 build.
Navigation and content – The current navigation and content is causing duplication throughout the site. This is a leftover effect from the old site in the Common Spot and the challenges of building the first Drupal site. The more information posted to the site the greater chance of duplication based on current navigation framework.
Technology advances – Technology continues to adapt, evolve and become better. Our current site right now is like owning and iPhone 9. Also, it is time to rebuild the APIs with things like Banner and EMS and prepare for the university’s move to the Slate content management system through admissions. The approval process can also be revisited.