Services

How It Works

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Request

Fill out the request form. We'll respond within 72 hours with recommendations and a list of next steps.

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Onboarding

We'll give you an overview of Columbia Sites service offerings, create a scope of work, explain our production process, and schedule training for your team.

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Site Build

Creating, editing, and moving content can take a while. If you choose one of our paid service models, we'll help you with this stage of the process.

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Pre-launch

With all of our models, we'll assist you with choosing a site name, perform a quality control audit, make content recommendations, and test the site to prepare for launch.

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Site Launch

Once you're happy with the content and layouts, our developers will run the scripts, configure Google Analytics, and make any necessary domain name switches.

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Post-launch

We'll notify you when the site is live and confirm that everything is working as expected. 

Service Packages

Choose a service model to fit your needs.

Basic Package

This model is ideal for smaller sites or for teams with content development and site-building experience as well as the resources to build a site on their own. The Basic model provides a blank site template, system patches and updates, and a pre-production site review by the Columbia Sites team.

Extended Package

Our Extended service package builds upon the Basic package and adds 5 hours of content management and site-building support, as well as content migration assistance. The Extended plan is ideal for teams with smaller sites who don't have the resources needed to migrate content from their existing site to the Columbia Sites template.

Premium Package

This service model includes most services from the Extended model and is designed for teams with larger sites. This model is ideal for those with the resources needed to migrate content from an existing site to the Columbia Sites template, but need assistance with usability testing, user research, content analysis, and new content development.

Ultimate Package

Our Ultimate service model includes all Columbia Sites services and is ideal for teams with larger sites or significant user research and content analysis and migration needs.

Service Package

Checklist of the services included in each model.

Columbia Sites may not be used for:

- websites that might contain high-risk data, including data subject to HIPAA, FERPA, or other regulatory laws
- sites that require sophisticated forms, custom layouts, credit card payments, or other complex user interactions
- personal sites for faculty, students, or staff

Columbia Sites Services

Here's a list of ways we can help you with your new site; let us know if you need additional info.

Comparative Analysis and Testing

We analyze the competitiveness of your site with peer institutions’ websites to uncover new features and potential gap for new content. This service is available as part of the ultimate package.

Content Development

We'll make recommendations on how to create great content, organize and edit it, and present it in ways your site visitors will find accessible and appealing. Choose the Extended or Ultimate package to get this service.

Content Migration

Moving text, images, and video from one site, or platform, to another. If you choose our Extended package, we'll do the heavy-lifting.

Content Strategy

With our Ultimate package, we'll analyze your resources and goals to help you streamline your website mission, create an efficient editorial workflow, structure your content, and showcase your work.

Ideation and Design Thinking Workshops

Explore creative ways to solve complex issues by engaging with the end users in a collaborative environment. We take business viability, technical feasibility and user desirability into consideration when we brainstorm together for innovative solutions.

Identity and Branding

Columbia Creative, our in-house design shop, is responsible for all University branding and will design a number of options for you to review. Pick one for your site and we'll show you how to upload it.

Information Architecture

We'll work with you to create an information architecture that will inform the content strategy and content development for your new site.

Photography Services

Members of the Columbia Community can download free images from the Photo Library, or from Columbia Creative's Photo Archive. Some have restricted use, but most are available for University publications and websites. Ask us for stock photography service recommendations

Trainings and Workshops

Eight workshops designed to help you build your site, create useful content, understand site analytics, and work efficiently are available each month at no cost. Two are required, but attend as many as you want, as often as you want.

User Self-help Guide

The Columbia Sites User Guide—with tool tips and detailed instructions—is available at any time within the administrative backend of your site. Additional video tutorials will be available in summer 2017.

User Research

If you choose the Premium and Ultimate packages, we'll identify site audiences and conduct user interviews and surveys to help you optimize information architecture and streamline content.

Usability Testing

After gathering an audience of targeted end-users, we test your site against a series of pre-defined tasks chosen to match your content and site goals. Pick the Extended or Ultimate package to find out what your users really need from your site.