As more education search queries take place on mobile devices, the functionality and utility of information on your mobile site needs to meet the demands of today’s prospective student. This toolkit helps members as they prioritize their mobile site efforts. Use the resources below as an aid for tasks such as designing and writing mobile content, implementing optimization changes, and selecting vendors.
The toolkit is segmented into sections based upon common challenges members face when looking to optimize their website. Members of the PAE Forum can log in above to access the complete toolkit.
Redesigning or retrofitting a website for mobile is the perfect opportunity to review web content on the basis of clarity and necessity. This tool will aid in the review process, which consists of three phases: a content inventory, content audit, and content analysis. It provides lists of critical information to collect throughout an audit, as well as criteria to use to determine whether to keep, update, or discard content
Conducting a Content Inventory, Audit, & Analysis
Mobile content prioritization should be a collaborative process among all website users, including prospective students, current students, past students, faculty, and staff. This tool provides a module of questions that can be integrated into various data collection instruments that likely already exist: student satisfaction surveys, faculty and staff meeting agendas, prospective student focus groups, and alumni surveys.
Stakeholder-Agnostic Content Prioritization Module
A content prioritization matrix organizes potential content along the spectrums of audience demand and work/resource intensiveness. Once completed, the matrix will offer a clear sense of mobile quick-wins versus long-term objectives and low priorities.
This tool presents a taxonomy of continuing and online education calls-to-action and guidance as to when using each is appropriate. It also provides a map of effective call-to-action placement as well as a list of common call-to-action pitfalls.
As with a desktop site, the homepage should be the centerpiece of a mobile site: it is the door through which the majority of visitors enter. This tool outlines the results of a mobile page census and provides guidance for the optimal homepage design.
Homepage Census and Design Worksheets
Use this tool to view examples of mobile design best practice sheets crafted and endorsed by various universities.
The Mobile Maturity Model outlines the four stages of mobile maturity complete with detailed descriptions of each. This tool can be used to cultivate buy-in and to help colleagues better understand the end-to-end resource requirements of transitioning to mobile optimization.
Mobile Optimization Maturity Model
Institutions that choose to mobile-optimize their websites can choose one of four options: responsive design, adaptive design, a mobile application, or a parallel mobile site. Use this resource to view the advantages and disadvantages of each approach, determine the best-fit option for your unit, and educate stakeholders.
Mobile Strategy Comparison Chart
After introducing the Mobile Strategy Comparison Chart to colleagues, use this tool to facilitate brainstorming around short- and long-term mobile strategy.
Mobile Strategy Selection Worksheet
Like most large-scale endeavors, mobile optimization should take seed from a solid strategic plan. This tool provides mobile leaders with guidelines for crafting such a plan.
Access a set of top mobile frameworks (coding templates) that meet some or all of the following criteria:
1. Popular and highly used, especially in the higher education environment
2. Developed by or in partnership with a higher education institution
3. Highly rated product with large user base, as determined by an informal web search
4.Based on industry standards and therefore easy to adopt
Higher Education Mobile Frameworks
After identifying a campus-wide mobile strategy, use this worksheet to rate and compare product and vendor options.
Performance monitoring is an ongoing process and for many COE units, Google Analytics is the performance monitoring tool of choice. Learn about the wide range of tools and options to integrate data from other Google products.
Google Analytics Integration Guide
This tool lists a host of common COE-specific KPIs and grades each according to appropriateness for monitoring desktop, mobile, and tablet performance.
Directory of Mobile Optimization Resources
Use this directory to view the must-have resources for any web developer who wants to stay on top of evolving technologies and user expectations.
This resource requires EAB partnership access to view.
Access the tool
Learn how you can get access to this resource as well as hands-on support from our experts through Professional and Adult Education Advisory Services.
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