Objectives

The objectives extended beyond aesthetics and usability:

• Enhancing User Experience: The project tackled broken links, outdated content, and inconsistent navigation to ensure a seamless and intuitive user journey.

• Boosting Visibility and Rankings: By repositioning the site as a competitive educational resource, the migration aimed to improve search engine rankings and align the college with peer institutions.

• Increasing Recruitment Success: Custom features were designed to foster connections and guide prospective students through a compelling journey, from exploration to application.

This complex initiative required balancing technical precision with creative strategy to meet the college’s diverse needs.

My Role

What began as a liaison role with the external web development company evolved into full project management. I became the driving force behind this digital transformation, leading efforts that included:

• Developing the Adaptive Content Network: I spearheaded the creation of a sophisticated tagging and filtering system, enabling dynamic content discovery across the college’s main site and its three school subdomains. This innovation catered to diverse audience needs while unifying the college’s digital presence.

• Representing Stakeholder Interests: Acting as the bridge between administrative goals, faculty needs, and the developer’s technical execution, I ensured alignment at every stage of the project.

• Training Faculty and Staff: Through workshops and individual coaching, I introduced best practices in SEO, CRO, and content creation, empowering teams to maintain their sections of the site effectively.

• Managing End-to-End Execution: From content migration and optimization to designing custom features for each school, I oversaw every detail, applying skills in technical SEO, behavior analysis, customer journey mapping, and UX design.

This comprehensive approach ensured the project addressed both immediate challenges and future scalability.

Challenges

The CMS migration came with significant hurdles:

• Faculty Alignment: While two schools embraced the collaborative process, one school resisted, expecting content creation to be handled entirely for them. This gap highlighted the importance of clear communication and strategic alignment in large-scale projects.

• Complex Audience Needs: The college’s diverse audiences ranged from prospective students and parents to alumni and industry professionals. Each school required tailored messaging and features to resonate with its unique audience while maintaining a unified college-wide identity.

• Tight Deadlines: With only a few months to prepare for the fall beta launch, I had to onboard stakeholders, migrate content, and implement features on an accelerated timeline.

These challenges demanded adaptability, clear communication, and strategic prioritization to ensure success.

Advanced Strategies & the Adaptive Content Network

Central to the project’s success was the Adaptive Content Network, a groundbreaking system that seamlessly connected audiences with relevant content:

• Dynamic Tagging and Filtering: Content was meticulously categorized by school, program, faculty, project title, audience, and more, enabling personalized content delivery and enhancing discoverability.

• Rich Media Integration: Dynamic feeds showcased galleries, blogs, and faculty contributions, providing users with a holistic view of the college’s offerings. This feature created a rich, engaging user experience that set the college apart.

• Recruitment CRO: Prospective students were guided through interconnected programs, creating a narrative that emphasized the collaborative culture of the college. This approach aligned seamlessly with the college’s recruitment goals.

• Stakeholder Value: Alumni & Donor Relations used the network to craft compelling fundraising narratives, while recruiters leveraged its features to create personalized pitches for prospective students.

This system became the foundation of the college’s CRO and SEO strategy, driving engagement across all audience segments.

Outcomes

The results of the CMS migration validated the power of a holistic, strategic approach:

• Measurable Success: Building Science and Architecture saw dramatic improvements, with Building Science rankings climbing from page 48 to the top of Google search results. UX ratings soared as users found the site intuitive and engaging.

• Dynamic Impact: The Adaptive Content Network enhanced internal linking, discoverability, and audience engagement. Alumni, faculty, and recruiters praised its versatility, citing its impact on recruitment and community engagement.

• Lessons Learned: The success of Building Science and Architecture, contrasted with the limited results in Graphic and Industrial Design, demonstrated that strategic content, technical SEO, and CRO—not just visual design—are essential for achieving measurable success.

Collaboration, Mentorship, & Strategic Vision

This project’s success relied on fostering collaboration across diverse teams, including faculty, administration, and external contractors. Through one-on-one training and workshops, I onboarded staff to best practices in SEO, CRO, and UX design, empowering them to take ownership of their content.

My mentorship ensured faculty felt confident navigating the new system, and my strategic foresight delivered a scalable solution tailored to the college’s unique needs. The measurable improvements in Building Science and Architecture proved the impact of a collaborative, research-driven approach.

Conclusion

This CMS migration was more than a technical upgrade—it redefined how the college engaged with prospective students, alumni, and other stakeholders. By integrating the Adaptive Content Network and applying advanced strategies, I created a platform that enhanced user experience, boosted rankings, and strengthened community ties.

This transformation set a new standard for audience engagement and lead generation, showcasing my ability to deliver scalable solutions for complex organizations.