American Sociological Association

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Summary

I led the redesign of the ASA website (launched June 2016). The revamped website incorporated a new content management system (Drupal), graphic design, information architecture, taxonomy and restructured content. I played a dual role of Product Owner and Content Strategist, and orchestrated the project from initial planning and design, to development and final delivery.

Product Owner

I simplified client requirements and prioritized competing requirements to define the technical and design scope of the project.

I developed an RFP and led the process to solicit competitive bids from multiple vendors and to select a digital agency to execute the project.

My department was able to obtain a budget for the project from ASA Council. We were able to identify and partner with a digital agency who met the scope and specifications of the project within the required budget.

Content Strategy

ASA hired me in 2014 to redesign a website which had been fielding complaints for years from staff and members. Most commonly cited problems were: the site was not mobile-responsive, important content was buried and hard to find, the site was too “ASA-centric” and did not highlight sociology or the work of sociologists sufficiently, and the look and feel was dated and unattractive.

I saw an opportunity in this project to utilize the power of a taxonomy to surface previously-buried content about sociology (publications, news releases, journal articles, member-created content). I developed the digital content strategy of a modern, mobile-responsive and taxonomy-driven website with topic-driven landing pages populated with dynamic and curated resources along broad, topical, sociological themes.

What I Did

I performed a content audit and inventory

Collaborating with a task force of practicing sociologists, I developed a taxonomy to drive dynamic content and enhance search results for the website

I conducted user research: user survey, stakeholder and staff interviews, card sort, tree test

I reviewed and evaluated wireframes, sketches, information architecture, and designs

I developed an editorial calendar to highlight sociological content on the homepage of the redesigned website.

Impact: ASA was able to realize the vision of a mobile-responsive, sociology-centric website with dynamic, topic-driven features that featured the latest in sociology from ASA’s vast collection of content. The digital agency we worked with developed, and I executed, a content strategy where ASA’s collection of journal articles, magazine, and member-generated content from blogs and member newsletters were regularly curated for content to highlight on the homepage of the website. The site launched on budget and on time.