Why is this important?

We need to follow processes to gain a thorough understanding of users' needs and requirements, and then ensure that we build and maintain our sites to meet those needs concisely. Don鈥檛 take 鈥淚t鈥檚 always been that way鈥� for an answer. It takes work to make things simple.

Checklist of things to do

Planning and research

• Create a user research plan that spans every stage of your web project (when appropriate).
• Complete a site content audit.
• Review analytics data.
• Clearly define your site's goals and objectives based on users' needs.

Ensuring compliance with guidelines and requirements pertaining to digital content

• Adhere to McGill's guidelines and requirements pertaining to digital content and instigate a plan for evaluating adherence on an ongoing basis. This includes content created with generative AI.
• When working with external vendors, be sure guidelines and requirements are communicated and acknowledged.

Building and evaluating your site

• Build prototypes that incorporate the end-to-end user experience.
• Outline problems uncovered though user research and testing and identify solutions.
• Conduct usability testing before and after your site launch (include users who require assistance to access digital content).
• Put a plan in place for evaluating and revising your site on an ongoing basis.

Use of generative AI when building and managing sites

• Clearly indicate when images, video and audio content have been produced by generative AI.
• Text-based content created using generative AI should be evaluated for adherence to McGill's Digital Standards.
• Using generative AI tools can infringe on a copyright owner's exclusive rights by producing derivatives. McGill users must respect copyrights. View the Copyright at McGill website for further details.

Supporting resources

• 7 Questions to Ask Before You Build a Website
• Getting ready for a site redesign
• Checklist for new site managers taking over an existing WMS site
• A New Year鈥檚 resolution you can stick to? Site content auditing!
• Google Analytics 101
• How healthy is your website?
• User experience toolkit
• Usability Testing 101
• Making your web pages accessible
• McGill Visual Identity
• Copyright at McGill
• Policy on the Responsible Use of Information Technology at McGill (Secretariat website)