Whether it’s for a center, a lab, a project, or even a department, we can get you started on the process!
No matter what, your first point contact should be your department’s communication lead!
Process for Making a Website
To get a good idea of how long this will take, check out the sample timelines for departments or centers/labs.
1. What is the home unit of the center/lab/project? Approval is needed from head of the home unit for work to begin:
- An academic department, institution, or school
- A college-wide center
- The College of Education and Human Development
- The University
2. Contact communication lead for department
- Communication leads are the college’s main coordinators for putting websites together.
- Their job is to determine what needs are and assess available resources.
3. Establish audience, content needs, and timeline with communication lead
- What is purpose or mission of center?
- Who is the site for? Who is it not for?
- How long does the site need to be around?
- What content is needed?
- How will content be organized?
- Who will be updating the site?
- Determine best vehicle for the material (center site, research page, other options)
4. Support of web presence
- Staff to produce content
- Maintenance plan
Key Considerations of Sites for Labs and Centers (Level 4 Centers)
Where do sites live?
- Departmental sites use a URL to show relationship with the department
- www.cehd.umn.edu/my-dept/my-center/
- Or show relationship to the college
- www.research.cehd.umn.edu/my-center/
- Or show relationship to the University
- innovation.umn.edu/my-center
Design of Center/Lab/Project Sites
- Centers use a design based off of the University brand requirements.
- Visual cohesion to the parent unit varies by project.