The UBC web infrastructure is decentralized and web properties are managed within individual units which consist of faculties, departments, programs, research centres, administrative units etc. It is estimates that more than 1400 websites exist under the UBC domain. Many more sites might reside outside this domain despite an affiliation with UBC. Sites can be hosted on UBC infrastructure or externally. Despite this fragmented landscape we all share some common goals:
- Building websites that support UBC’s and unit goals, such as student recruitment, community engagement, knowledge dissemination or donor relations
- Optimizing sites for conversions and retention
- Improving the user experience and increasing satisfaction with our UBC web experience.
The question is if optimization of individual websites will lead to the best results or if we should incorporate a more holistic approach to evaluate and analyze user behaviour and experience within our overall domain and network of sites?