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Introducing the University Website Management Center of Expertise

The Website Management Center of Expertise connects people, processes and technology. We help university departments create, host and maintain websites. Our team leverages the work done by a collaboration of university experts to ensure on-brand, secure and accessible website implementations.

Operational Excellence

The Web CoE is part of the universitywide Operational Excellence initiative. This initiative innovates and improves university services and processes.

Our program is tasked jointly by the chief information officer and the associate chancellor of strategic communications and marketing.

Structure of the Web CoE

  1. Website Management Center of Expertise Program

    Many units at the university provide services, tools and other resources invaluable to the support and creation of college- and department-level websites: from web hosting and consulting services, to hosted Illinois-branded assets and themes, to website accessibility evaluation.

    The Web CoE combines these resources under one overarching umbrella, increasing awareness of and amplifying the value and benefits of each alone. The Web CoE, in conjunction with the IT Enterprise Service Management Office, ensures that web management-based service offerings are consistent with university standards for a better customer experience.

  2. Service & Resource Providers
    • Office of the Chief Information Officer
    • Website Management Consulting
    • StratCom
    • Administrative Information Technology Services
    • Office of the Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

  3. Communities of Practice
    • .Net Developers Affinity Group
    • IT Accessibility Liaison Program
    • UX Lunch Club
    • Website Implementation Guidelines Group

  4. Website Management Advisory Group

    The Website Management Advisory Group supports and makes recommendations for the Universitywide use of the Web CoE Program to ensure appropriate guidance and alignment with strategic goals such as user experience and operational efficiency in branding, security, privacy and accessibility.

  5. Campus Center of Expertise
    • Generative AI Solutions Hub
    • IT Enterprise Service Management Office

  6. IT Operational Excellence Executive Sponsors
    • Chief Information Officer
    • Associate Chancellor of Strategic Communications and Marketing

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Program Goals

These goals support the establishment and provisioning of university websites while ensuring high standards of website accessibility, data privacy, cybersecurity and branding.

  • Provide collective web knowledge and expertise
  • Define best web practices
  • Elevate existing university web resources
  • Identify needed web resources
  • Create efficient web processes

The Web CoE relies on the collaboration of a diverse pool of subject matter experts and university service providers. It is led by the program director and informed by the groups outlined next.

Oversight: The Website Management Advisory Group

The WMAG provides oversight of the Web CoE and sets the strategic direction and priorities of the program. This ensures appropriate guidance and alignment with strategic goals such as user experience and operational efficiency in branding, security, privacy and accessibility. The WMAG is comprised of representatives from:

  • Website Implementation Guidelines Group Steering Committee
  • StratCom
  • Chief Communications Officers
  • Office of the Chief Information Officer
  • Office of Access & Equity
Experts: The Website Implementation Guidelines Group

WIGG is a community of practice including communications, marketing and technical experts from across the university. WIGG establishes best practices for U. of I. public-facing websites. By supporting an Illinois-branded, technical implementation of websites for all university units, WIGG ensures a consistent web experience for all users. 
WIGG teams:

  • Focus on creating and encouraging cross-campus communities of practice
  • Establish best practices for public-facing websites
  • Communicate these best practices to the university community at large 
  • Create website components and Illinois-branded themes
  • Maintain a common codebase and public code repository available to the university community

The WIGG Toolkit includes: 

  • Drupal Illinois Theme
  • WordPress Illinois theme 
  • Prebuilt components that are platform-agnostic
Join WIGG
Service, Tool and Resource Providers

Many units at the university provide services, tools, and other resources invaluable to the support and creation of college- and department-level websites, including:

  • Web hosting and consulting services
  • Hosted brand assets and themes
  • Communities of practice that focus on specialized areas such as accessibility and user interface design

The Web CoE combines university resources under one overarching umbrella to increase awareness of and amplify the value and benefits of each alone. Campus resources

Future Plans