Community Colleges of Spokane just launched three new public-facing websites for Spokane Community College (scc.spokane.edu), Spokane Falls Community College (sfcc.spokane.edu) and the district (ccs.spokane.edu). The new sites already are having a big impact.
Students, prospective students and the community now have an improved experience connecting to the colleges from anywhere. The design is mobile responsive and built to meet the needs of our main audience—students.
Since the three sites went live on April 23, the community colleges have been receiving five times as many inquiries from prospective students as they experienced with their old websites.
“Our new websites showcase our commitment to putting our students first,” said Chancellor Christine Johnson. “They make it easy for current and potential students to find the programs or assistance they need, and we already are seeing great results.”
Focus groups, surveys and testing played a big role in developing the sites, as well as a large effort to completely restructure and rewrite the content to make the information concise and easy to understand.
Some key features include interactive tours of both campuses with 360-degree photos, a robust search function and improved accessibility for people with disabilities.
“We didn’t take this project lightly. We took the time to do the research and focus on what our users need most,” said Carolyn Casey, CCS public information officer. “We know the website is a critical tool for students and prospective students. The new sites really reflect that work, and we will continue to improve the user experience as time goes on.”
The effort was a joint project of CCS marketing and information technology departments.
Community Colleges of Spokane is a dynamic, 12,300-square-mile state community college district that includes Spokane Community College, Spokane Falls Community College and six rural education sites, serving residents in Pend Oreille, Stevens, Whitman, Ferry and parts of Lincoln counties. The colleges serve nearly 30,000 students annually.