Web services

It's time for your new website!

All University of Kansas Medical Center web pages are moving into the new Content Management System (CMS). This is a major undertaking for any office or department. Fortunately, the Office of Communications can help.

First, contact Julie Adam to request that your department be put on the list for transition to the new CMS. We would then like to meet with you to answer any questions you might have about the following steps needed to make the process as smooth and efficient as possible.

Make sure your department leader is on board

Getting a new website takes an investment of faculty and staff time. It's crucial that departmental leaders encourage faculty and staff to actively participate and meet required deadlines.

Designate a point person

Choose one person from your department to be in charge for the duration of the website project. Several people within a department can be involved in the process, but we ask that only one be designated as the go-to person. We will likely have many questions and suggestions for how to make your website more user-friendly and easier to navigate. Your point person should be readily accessible to our team from start to finish and empowered with the ability to make decisions about the website.

Update your content

Go through your entire website and make sure every bit of content is updated. Check:

• Phone numbers
• Addresses
• Email addresses
• Faculty list - delete faculty who have left and add those who have joined.
• Click on each link on each page on your website to check if you have any broken links.
• Update any Word documents or pdfs that are linked to on your website
• Fix or make note of each item that needs to be updated. If there are entire pages that you don't need, contact Karen Chinn to have them deleted.

Reorganize and create new content

Most departments will not be ready to move all of their pages over "as is" to the new system. We can help improve the content, design and images on your web page. Like you, we want the world to know how great your department is — but this means making information easy to find, visually appealing and easy to understand.

Compile:

• Achievements
• Accolades
• Rankings
• Research
• Stories that highlight main/important faculty members

Faculty pages:

• Each faculty member must have a bio and a photo.
• If you absolutely know the bios on the current website are up to date, then we can transfer the information over. However, in most cases, we have found incorrect titles and outdated information. We can distribute a template that is quick and easy to complete and return to us.
• Photos: We may not be able to use the photos on the current website — we are using photos larger on the new websites. And many faculty photos were taken many years ago. We strive to have an up-to-date website in content and photos. If the current photo isn't old, contact Photo Services to see if they can provide us with the current photo at a larger size. If the photo is old, contact Photo Services to set up a photo shoot for the faculty member.

Create:

• Finally, make note of any pages you would like to add to your website and locate/compile/write the content for it.

Get new photos

Websites that don't have good photos are boring. If the photos on your website are outdated, poor quality or non-existent, you will need new photos.

• We encourage you to work with KUMC Photo Services to take new photos for your department. For an affordable rate, Photo Services will get active, interesting photos of your faculty and staff and they will take any profile photos needed for faculty bios. Contact Elissa Monroe in Photo Services at ext. 8-7218 and ask about a website package.
• We also can augment with stock photos, which normally cost your department anywhere from $5 to $10 per photo.

We strongly discourage the use of group photos. Why?

» Photos become outdated quickly as faculty members leave or join the team.
» Group photos are static and uninteresting.
» Unless the photo is captioned, readers have no idea who is in the photo.

Sorry, we can't

All web pages must use the template designed for KUMC, and we cannot vary from that design, which means:

• You cannot have horizontal navigation at the top of your home page.
• Logos: We cannot create a logo for your department. If you want a logo, you must discuss the matter with University of Kansas Art Director David Duncil at dduncil@ku.edu.

Helpful tips

We have posted a tool kit containing best practices for websites, tips for writing for the web, information on photos, images and video and other helpful information. It is posted here.

If you do not have the time or staff to update your website regularly (weekly or monthly), then we would discourage a "news" or coming events page.

You cannot copy photos or graphics from someone else's website without their permission. Photos and graphics must be owned or purchased by your department or KUMC.

Research page: Please let us know if you would like an RSS feed to your research and publications on PubMed.

Check out these KUMC departments that have successfully transitioned to the new format:

• Pediatrics
• Healthy Hawks
• Integrative Medicine
• Dermatology
• CCHD
• IAMI

Before and after

A makeover isn't complete without before and after pictures.

Dermatology before:

Dermatology after: