A Website Redesign for Ease of Use & Increased Engagement

Huston-Tillotson University (HTU) of Austin, Texas, is an esteemed coeducational institution of liberal arts and sciences that grants undergraduate degrees in many different fields. The university is a not-for-profit corporation that welcomes students of various backgrounds. As a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, and multi-faith school, HTU wanted to ensure their website was set up to meet the needs of a diverse audience of website visitors.

Why Vuepoint?

HTU has nine academic departments. Not only that, but each department is bustling with students, professors, and staff, all with a passion for education and learning. To keep this massive amount of information organized and assist administrators in maintaining such a large site, Vuepoint provided HTU with a custom design and easy to manage WordPress website. With a successful history of website development, including complex educational sites, Vuepoint was prepared to deliver on HTU’s goals.

Strategy

In order to simplify navigation, our strategy consisted of redesigning the complex menu of HTU’s site to make it more intuitive and easier to find the information website visitors would be searching for. Additionally, the second focus of this project was to simplify the user backend so that university administrators could easily access, update, and manage their respective sections of the website.

Goals

Our primary goals on this project were twofold:

1. Simplify the complex navigation of the website without losing any of the rich detail of the original site.
2. Create a backend that’s easy for multiple users to add and manage new content.

The Website

The HTU website serves more than one purpose, so organization is key to a design of this scale. In order to appeal to future students, an attention-grabbing “Apply to HT” is prominently displayed in the header of every page. The enrollment page allows the user to apply to the university and review other important enrollment related links such as First Year Student, Transfer Student, Veterans, and the Adult Degree Program. This ensures that traditional and non-traditional students alike will be able to find the information they’re looking for. The navigation is broken into six major items with related pages displayed below each. This simple expanding navigation menu allows the user to quickly find what they’re looking for in one click. Fewer clicks = less hassle.

Behind the scenes, the website features custom user roles and an easy to navigate backend so that HTU can delegate site management to a large number of editors without granting the editors access to areas of the site they don’t need. Thanks to the power of WordPress, these editors can manage HTU’s website with little to no technical knowledge. And if there’s ever a question on how to utilize these publishing features, the user can always refer to the documentation provided in the dashboard.

The Results

The impact of the website redesign has been remarkable. The new website has received overwhelmingly positive feedback from various user groups. Prospective students now enjoy a seamless browsing experience, finding it easier to explore academic programs, campus facilities, and admission processes. Current students benefit from a revamped student portal that facilitates access to course materials, event calendars, and campus resources. Additionally, the website’s improved usability has led to increased engagement and higher conversion rates.

The successful collaboration between HTU and Vuepoint exemplifies our commitment to transforming educational institutions through digital innovation. Together, we have achieved a website that not only streamlines visitor navigation, but also serves as a powerful tool for university administrators to easily manage their online presence.

Discover how Vuepoint can help elevate your institution’s digital presence. Contact us today to explore our transformative solutions and embark on a digital journey tailored to your needs.