Web Toolbox

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  Website oversight and assistance

  The Marketing & Communications (MarCom) Web staff oversee University websites generally, including the work of website contributors outside of MarCom. We periodically audit all website pages to ensure adherence to brand, design, and content quality standards, as well as all technical requirements including accessibility.

  Note: MarCom does not oversee the academic catalog. Catalog editors will work with ITS Help for annual updates.

  MarCom's online Web Request form should be your first resource for website needs. You can also contact MarCom with questions or to request a site quality review. We usually find issues that you may be unaware of. MarCom is always happy to help improve the Detroit Mercy websites.

  When MarCom staff finds any issues on any University website, at our discretion, we will either:

  • ask website contributors to correct the issues, or
  • correct the issues directly, according to MarCom Web standards, with or without notice.

  MarCom strongly encourages the use of our Web Request form to ask for website changes. This is the best way to get a quick response. Catalog editors: work with ITS to make your updates to the academic catalog.

  In special situations, non-catalog access to Cascade CMS may be granted, at MarCom's discretion. MarCom may refuse or revoke Cascade access at any time, for any reason. Cascade users will receive notifications of system changes, training and other information relevant to website contributors, usually via email. It is imperative that all Cascade users follow all such directions.

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  What does MarCom Web do?

  MarCom Web staff manage website design, functionality, and technical development for the public websites in the udmercy.edu domain. Because content quality is critical to institutional goals, especially recruitment, we also help University colleagues create, refine and maintain the content of their website sections. Therefore, MarCom oversees:

  • strategic website scope
  • website content quality
  • development of new websites, website sections, and webpages
  • best practices for the websites
  • training and access in the Cascade CMS system, for content contributors who make frequent updates
  • technical assistance for website content contributors
  • website design
  • usability and accessibility compliance
  • website code, functionality and other technical underpinnings

  NOTE:

  • MarCom does not maintain the academic catalog, nor support catalog editors. For catalog issues, contact ITS.
  • MarCom has sole discretion to edit any website content.
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  Website priorities

  No website can be all things to all people, so it’s critical to be clear on the strategic priorities of a site. For University of Detroit Mercy, the overriding purpose of our public websites is to support the revenue-bearing activities of the institution, namely:

  • recruitment and retention of students
  • advancement, i.e. fundraising

  Based on these core Web goals, the most important audiences for Detroit Mercy websites are:

  • prospective students (and their parents)
  • donors, especially alumni

  By necessity, website activities that further these goals will always be given priority.

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  Maintaining your website

  Websites require the involvement of:

  • content experts – i.e. subject matter experts of each University area – to contribute up-to-date information that appeals to and assists their key audiences, and
  • technical experts who are well-versed in the many layers of Web-specific requirements and best practices.

  In most cases, content experts should work with the technical experts on the MarCom Web team by submitting a Web Request form for help in creating and updating website content.

  Catalog editors, however, are still responsible for using Cascade CMS to annually update the academic catalog. MarCom does not support the academic catalog. Catalog editors work with ITS for such updates.

  In some other special cases, MarCom may also choose to grant Cascade access. See "Do you need Cascade access?" for more.

  Aside from the catalog, we encourage you to contact MarCom to make sure your webpages meet the many content and technical requirements. Even those with direct Cascade access regularly run into difficulties, including in areas like webpage design, branding and style consistency, site organization, technical issues, special functionality, etc. Use our Web Request form to let us know what you need.

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  Contact us/Web Request

  The Marketing & Communications Department is happy to discuss Web-related issues, such as:

  • website maintenance questions
  • improving website content and effectiveness
  • adding files or pages to an existing website
  • building a new site or new functionality
  • choosing and integrating a third-party Web system

  You can use our Web request form any time, or contact MarCom by phone or email.

FAQ

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  Do I need access to Cascade CMS?

  With one big exception, you do not need Cascade access to do occasional website updates. Such infrequent updates can be requested of MarCom using our Web Request Form. The big exception, however, is that all catalog editors must have Cascade access, even if the catalog is the only editing they do on the site. (See catalog notes below.)

  Catalog notes

  In addition to various Detroit Mercy websites, the University's academic catalogs are also maintained in Cascade CMS. To perform the annual catalog update, Cascade access is required for all catalog editors (regardless of non-catalog activity). It's important to note:

  • MarCom does not handle catalog issues.
  • All catalog-related issues (including Cascade use) are coordinated through ITS in collaboration with the Registrar.
  • Catalog access is separate from access to other areas of University websites.

  Frequent updates

  For institutional areas that prove to need frequent website updates, MarCom may decide that one or more people in that area must take on that responsibility, which includes Cascade training and access, as detailed below. MarCom reserves the right to determine when update frequency calls for a new Cascade user. We encourage you to use the Web Request Form until such time that MarCom asks that you train a Cascade user in your area.

  In all cases, MarCom may refuse or revoke Cascade access at any time, for any reason.

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  What are my responsibilities when adding web content?

  See Web Content Responsibilities.
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  Where are the Cascade training videos?

  See Cascade training.
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  Why can't I just ...?

  The Marketing and Communications Department controls the visual design of the main University websites.  Centralized control of website design is essential for consistency, accessibility and maintainability.    Current website design is based on extensive research and planning, technical requirements, stakeholder review and approval, and testing.  The Web design task overlaps with other MarCom activities like graphic design and managing the University’s brand and identity.

  Website design includes page structure and layout, font styles, colors, navigation menus, image sizes, etc.   The current design has been tested to work on a variety of device/browser combinations.  The design is “responsive,” which means that pages appear with an appropriate layout on diverse devices, from full-sized desktop computer screens to mobile phone displays. And the design meets WCAG 2.1 accessibility requirements.

  There is a variety of attractive design options available within the University’s approved page design.  Feel free to contact the MarCom Web team to discuss making the most of the available webpage components.

  "Why can't we just  ....?"

  MarCom discourages deviations from the approved design.  We often receive requests “Why can’t we just add/change ___?”  There are several reasons why we turn down such requests:

  • Consistent design makes our websites easier to use and navigate for site visitors, thus making our sites more effective.
  • A shared design is critical for maintenance and upgrading of the websites.  We do not have the resources to maintain, upgrade, or support multiple website designs.
  • Modern Web design is much more complex than older models.  Today’s webpages must display differently in response to a given user’s display device, whether that is a full-sized computer monitor, a tablet-sized device, or a hand-held smartphone.  Such so-called “responsive” Web design is deeply enmeshed with several layers of XHTML, CSS, and JavaScript code.  Therefore, additions or changes to website design are major code reengineering projects that must be tested on a variety of devices and browsers.
  • Consistent design reinforces the University brand.

  Please bear in mind that while good visual design is important for a website, flashy “cutting-edge” rarely increases a site’s effectiveness.  In fact, a studied history of visual Web design trends shows that elaborate, “innovative” designs often decrease the effectiveness of a website, because the design ends up obscuring and distracting from the basic goals of site visitors.

  Remember that the highest-priority visitors come to the Detroit Mercy websites for two things:

  • to find essential information about the University, such as its programs, costs, etc.
  • to complete tasks such as apply for admission, register for a visit day, etc.

  Detroit Mercy website visitors are not looking for an extravagant visual design experience, especially if the design slows them down in using the site to achieve their basic goals quickly and easily.

  Ideally, our sites are both very usable and visually impressive.  However, creating ambitious graphic designs that are also very usable is a much more complex and demanding task than people realize.  With limited Web development resources:

  • usability and site effectiveness must be prioritized as "musts," i.e. mandatory, and
  • elaborate visuals must be considered at most “nice to have,” i.e. optional.
    

  Nonetheless, our websites are designed to be pleasing enough visually to have the intended effectiveness.

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  Other Common Help Questions / How-to's

  See "How to..." for Detroit Mercy websites.