The new Kensington & Chelsea College website, launched in April 2008, shows some major improvements over the previous version but, like any major web project, the process continues. User feedback and more formal usability testing is helping to polish this iteration while there is also a long list of new functions and features planned.
However, most importantly, there is now a solid frame-work for future developments. Firstly, the integration of the staff and student intranets so that once logged in, a user is provided with content directly relevant to the departments and courses where they work and study.
On the public side, the new structure will allow the college to engage with and meet the needs of its (potential) users more effectively. International students, for example, have different needs to employers looking for staff training. Likewise, an individual tutor or department is best placed to describe what a student can expect from them. The new site and associated content management system makes this all possible.
There are many other improvements but the final one to mention here are the possibilities for on-line marketing. The new structure and content is optimised to improve the natural ranking of the pages in search engine results. Now, with the integration of Google Analytics, the college gets immediate feedback and is able to act accordingly.
