Developed over several months working in close collaboration with the College’s award-winning Marketing Team, the new site not only gives the College’s web presence a complete visual overhaul but also adds systems integration, full content management – and a wealth of other functionality - for the College and the website user alike. The most radical addition has been achieved by integrating the fully content-managed website with the College’s in-house courses database, enabling the visitor to search full details of all courses by subject, level of study and location. As the College’s records are updated, the website can be updated in minutes without manual intervention. Prospective students can apply for courses online, and be emailed automatically when new courses are added to the website.
As well as working closely with Virtual Viewing in the design of the website, it was vital to the Marketing Team that they would be able to completely administer the new website. Using Virtual Viewing’s OSCAR content management system, the new site gives them complete control over all content including photographs, Flash, video and news articles – including the ability to ‘showcase’ content.
Updates can be made in real time – so the latest News and Events can be added in minutes - and key items can be given prominence using a page-specific banner system – all through one easy to use, documented interface.
Naturally, Virtual Viewing didn’t stop there. The new site gives the College – and its website users – a vast array of useful features, including:- online course and apprenticeship application forms
- online job vacancies and applications
- email newsletters
- online forums for discussion and conversation (with moderation facilities)
- downloadable prospectuses
- online booking for College events
- support for disabled site users and full DDA Compliance
- online enquiry forms
- dedicated site sections for the University Centre Milton Keynes and MK6: The City’s Sixth Form.
A special Feedback facility, inviting comments from web users during the initial launch period, provided overwhelmingly positive comments on the look, feel, content and facilities of the new site. Chris Rice, the College’s Marketing Manager, has been delighted with the project, commented:
“We needed a company who could follow our brief. We have an award winning marketing department and we know what we and our students want. It was clear that Virtual Viewing was experienced at working with marketing departments, following a design lead and then making the design and technology work seamlessly. We weren’t wrong. The development went smoothly, on time and to budget, what more could we ask for? Online applications for courses, events and jobs have rocketed.” |