modernizing internal communications with cascade server, wordpress and mailchimp
DESCRIPTION
#CSUC14TRANSCRIPT
MODERNIZING INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONSHOW TO CREATE A POWERFUL, LOW-COST C.O.P.E SYSTEM
DAVID SHIPLEY AND TREVOR THOMAS, UNB
DAVID SHIPLEY ENTERPRISE STRATEGY ANALYST
• Joined ITS in 2012, previously was Senior Web Strategist with Communications & Marketing
• Bachelor of Arts in Information and Communications Studies (’05), MBA (’15)
• Responsible for UNB’s web, mobile and security strategies and implementation
• @davidshipley
TREVOR THOMAS DEVELOPER
• Joined ITS in 2010 to help launch second-generation portal
• Played key role in UNB RWD conversion project in 2013
• Abides
THE PROBLEMCREATE A SECURE, SEMI-AUTOMATED INTERNAL NOTICES PLATFORM
…IN A UNIVERSITY
DO YOU READ YOUR UNB E-MAIL NEWSLETTERS
(EDAILY, ENEWS)?
26%
39%
22%
12%
Always Most of Time Some of the Time Never
THE CHALLENGEWE’RE GOING TO NEED A BIGGER (BETTER) BOAT
OLD UNB E-PUBLICATIONS SYSTEM
• DECADE OLD, CUSTOM CODED SYSTEM BUILT BEFORE BLOGS
• TOOK SIX MONTHS AND MORE THAN $25,000 TO DEVELOP
• REQUIRED 1/4 FTE TO APPROVE ARTICLES, MANUALLY SELECT NOTICES PER ISSUE
• E-MAIL COULD TAKE HOURS TO DELIVER TO ALL RECIPIENTS (THEY GOT IT WHETHER THEY WANTED IT OR NOT)
• MASS E-MAIL RESULTED IN GROWING SPAM REPORTS BY STUDENTS USING OUTLOOK, GMAIL, YAHOO!
CHALLENGES• Sudden failure of old system (we warned them)
• Reluctance by Communications and Marketing to lead internal communications
• Change in student preferences regarding email (they didn’t want university spam)
• Required a clean, easy-to-maintain central storage and distribution system
EMBRACING COPE
• New platform designed with create once, publish everywhere model in mind (C.O.P.E)
• A single web form to move info to a single repository for basic workflow then publication to a platform that enables C.O.P.E.
• A shift from in-house custom mass emailing solution to best-of-breed cloud solution.
THE BLUEPRINTS
THE BLUEPRINTSCOMBINING CUSTOM CODE, WITH VENDOR CMS WITH OPEN SOURCE RSS PLATFORM WITH CLOUD MASS E-MAIL
Secure Web Form
1 to 3 Sites, depending on
audience
1 to 3 WordPress
Sites
1 to 3 WordPress
Sites
MailChimp via RSS
Portal via RSS
UNB App Via RSS
Individual RSS
Departmental Sites
Social Cascade + MailChimp
UNB APP
DEMO
THE RESULTS
• Was launched in two weeks
• Cost $2,000
• 91% reduction in developer time and cost
• Students provided with choice on how to stay informed (happy students & Llamas)
QUESTIONS?
- Tim Cook, CEO, Apple Inc.
You can focus on things that are barriers or you can focus on scaling the wall or redefining the
problem.