Director of Web Communication at Texas Woman’s University, Liz Norell gave one of the most interesting presentations I attended at the Web Communications and Strategies Conference in Salisbury this year: “Got Five? Effective User Testing with $5 and Five People.†Reporting to the Associate Vice President for Marketing & Communication, Liz in charge of the 30,000-page external website, a site composed exclusively of HTML pages.
1) What’s your background? What did you do before becoming a higher ed web pro?
My background is in journalism and Web design — about equal parts each. I majored in journalism and have worked as a reporter, writer and editor in a variety of media. I got into Web development through a fluke at a college internship where I worked as a fact-checker and writer. Throughout my career, I’ve gone back and forth between jobs with a writing focus and jobs with a Web focus. But, every job I’ve ever had involved both, to some degree or another.
I joined the ranks of higher education in 2003, when I came to work at Texas Woman’s University. I’ve always loved the higher ed environment and considered my current position to be my “dream job” — I worked very hard to get this job, and have loved every minute I’ve spent working at it.
2) What’s your biggest achievement as a higher ed web pro?
I think my greatest achievement has been helping others see the value of communicating — and communicating well — in an online environment. When I started this job a little over two years ago, most of our website was stagnant and uninteresting to prospective students. While we still have a long way to go, I believe there has been a fundamental shift in attitude towards our university website during my tenure here. People are now thinking about the Web at the conceptual stage of planning communications, rather than as an afterthought.
3) What’s the most difficult part of your job?
Without a doubt, the most challenging aspect of my job is dealing with the political and turf battles inherent to bureaucracy. I try to keep a good attitude about it, recognizing it’s just part of working in higher education. I think I’ve done a good job of managing the political aspects of my work, but it is a near-daily obstacle I have to face.
4) In your opinion, what’s the biggest challenge we face as web pros in our industry?
Honestly, I think the biggest challenge for those of us “Web pros” in higher education is to stay afloat … with shrinking budgets and staffs, as well as continually advancing and changing technology, I find it hard to keep up with my work and stay informed about new technologies and trends. It’s a constant struggle.
5) Any good advice to share with your fellow higher ed web pros?
Escaping to a professional development conference is one of the few ways I’ve found to keep myself tapped into the community. The uwebd listserv is another — for those who aren’t on the list, I highly recommend signing up.
I also think it’s absolutely critical to cull relationships with people on campus — at all levels on campus — who understand what you’re trying to do and support you in those endeavors. When I’ve exhausted my ability to influence others who might resist new ideas, I’ll call upon those people to provide feedback in support of improvement. I consider time spent getting to know those on campus absolutely the most valuable effort I make to do my job well.
6) What about a couple of good links?
- Archives of EDUCAUSE Live seminars
- Usability.gov — a great collection of usability/accessibility resources
- craigslist.com — such a great collection of useful (and entertaining) bits
