JiscMail Logo
Email discussion lists for the UK Education and Research communities

Help for WEBSITE-INFO-MGT Archives


WEBSITE-INFO-MGT Archives

WEBSITE-INFO-MGT Archives


WEBSITE-INFO-MGT@JISCMAIL.AC.UK


View:

Message:

[

First

|

Previous

|

Next

|

Last

]

By Topic:

[

First

|

Previous

|

Next

|

Last

]

By Author:

[

First

|

Previous

|

Next

|

Last

]

Font:

Proportional Font

LISTSERV Archives

LISTSERV Archives

WEBSITE-INFO-MGT Home

WEBSITE-INFO-MGT Home

WEBSITE-INFO-MGT  2001

WEBSITE-INFO-MGT 2001

Options

Subscribe or Unsubscribe

Subscribe or Unsubscribe

Log In

Log In

Get Password

Get Password

Subject:

Re: Cross-site branding on distributed academic websites - any success stories?

From:

Mike McConnell <[log in to unmask]>

Reply-To:

Mike McConnell <[log in to unmask]>

Date:

Thu, 1 Nov 2001 18:33:23 +0000

Content-Type:

text/plain

Parts/Attachments:

Parts/Attachments

text/plain (87 lines)

Hi Rick,

Thanks for replying to my post.

> > Nevertheless, people will form impressions of institutions based on the
> > appearance of their web sites. As has already been noted, PR departments
> > and the like spend lots of time and money perfecting corporate branding.
> > Regardless of the desirability of this, it is a reality.
>
>This sounds rather like "never mind the quality, feel the width".
>Reality or not, perhaps this money could be better spent.

What I meant by this was if an institution makes a considerable investment
in establishing a corporate identity, with strategic objectives in mind,
then it is in that institution's interests to ensure that all PR media it
produces should reflect that identity.

I believe that if treated correctly this can not only reflect well on the
institution, but also enhance users' experience of the web site. Rather
than being an add-on, if treated sympathetically, corporate IDs can enhance
the presentation of content. I don't doubt you've visited heavily branded
sites that have a dull feel - this is a result of poor graphic design, not
a fault with branding itself.

It is my experience that a wide variety of departmental web sites of
differing ages, appearance, relevance and style result in an uneven,
confusing and disjointed viewing experience for users. I have no evidence
to suggest this discourages customers from dealing with an institution, but
based on my own experience of third party sites, it discourages me!
Branding and corporate ID does not have to mean huge logos on each page -
it can mean standard fonts, standard links, standard layout: elements that
help visitors orient themselves.

> > Allowing departmental web sites to grow unchecked means that the
> > institution is not utilising its website strategically to reach
> > institutional objectives.
>
>I don't think I ever suggested that other design elements are unimportamt
>etc. (see my original post). Your latter comment seems to suggest that you
>wish to control growth (and therefore content?) of departmental sites.
>Is this likely to benefit an institution?

Departments should of course be able to control their own content, but they
are not independent entities and I would question whether they should be
able to publish materials without at least some form of centralised
editorial control.

> > It is possible to have individuality from department to department AND have
> > standard corporate elements! This means that the institution/SMT's
> > objectives can be met, without stifling any extant ecology of developers
> > across the campus.
>
>I agree with this, the problem is in defining the elements which are
>_really_ necessary and convincing the departmental information providers
>of this.

I thoroughly concur. Without the participation of the relevant people in
departments, you cease to have an ecology, and you then run the risk of the
dull corporate brochureware we all know and hate!

Cheers,

Mike









------------
Mike McConnell
Web Team Manager
[log in to unmask]
http://www.abdn.ac.uk/web

University of Aberdeen
Directorate of Information Systems and Services
Edward Wright Building
Dunbar Street
Aberdeen
AB 24 3UF
Tel: +44 (0)1224 27 2602
Fax: +44 (0)1224 27 3372

Top of Message | Previous Page | Permalink

JiscMail Tools


RSS Feeds and Sharing


Advanced Options


Archives

March 2024
December 2023
November 2023
August 2023
July 2023
June 2023
April 2023
March 2023
February 2023
December 2022
October 2022
August 2022
July 2022
June 2022
May 2022
March 2022
February 2022
January 2022
December 2021
November 2021
September 2021
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
August 2012
July 2012
June 2012
May 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
February 2011
January 2011
December 2010
November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998


JiscMail is a Jisc service.

View our service policies at https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/policyandsecurity/ and Jisc's privacy policy at https://www.jisc.ac.uk/website/privacy-notice

For help and support help@jisc.ac.uk

Secured by F-Secure Anti-Virus CataList Email List Search Powered by the LISTSERV Email List Manager