Work — Southeastern Oklahoma State
Personalizing user experience to better own messaging and branding
Project Scope
Southeastern Oklahoma State University, SE, had many unique factors that set them apart from our other clients. These unique factors presented us with opportunities to tailor a custom web strategy that would work for SE. With thorough evaluation, we were able to create a cohesive, flowing, and award-winning website that empowered the SE marketing department to truly drive their marketing goals.
Through our discovery process we were able to determine a few unique factors about Southeastern. Their campus make-up was largely that of non-traditional students. These students were commuters, working professionals, online, graduate, and often slightly older. Additionally, Southeastern has one of the largest segments of Native American students, and a large percentage of SE students are first generation. These distinguishing factors led to a website strategy, and user experience, targeted and focused on an audience that may not be familiar with the standard structure and offerings of a university.
We identified and built a site structure that considered each audience, giving them their own pathways and clear calls to action throughout their site interaction. In addition, the homepage features audience waypoints for specific sub-population groups, guiding them from their first entry point.
Prior to our engagement, Southeastern had a decentralized site governance structure with I.T. playing a central role in content and development. We made recommendations for staffing changes that centralized most website responsibilities in the marketing office, ensuring a strong and unified brand and user experience.
In the beginning phase of development, we discovered that Southeastern was deploying multiple installs of WordPress across the site with varying design templates, user access levels, and plugin functionality. We were able to streamline and centralize the site into one custom WordPress Multisite installation.
Because of Southeastern’s population make-up, the website is a primary communication tool for both internal and external audiences. To satisfy the needs of internal audiences, we created a robust directory tool that ties content together across various departments and offices into a single searchable directory.
Southeastern did not have a unified brand message. We worked with existing brand collateral to identify themes and landed on a message framework titled “Find your moment.” Integrating this message with the refined user interface proved to be a great fit. We were able to modernize the website design and visually dial up a new and personal look and feel for Southeastern that could be deployed across desktop and mobile.
This website won a 2019 Graphic Design USA American Web Design Award.
