Working with a Vendor Partner

During the planning stage of a project, information relevant to the scope and execution of the project is gathered and stakeholders are aligned.

Possible deliverables:

• Project brief
• Project plan

During the strategy stage, existing materials, resources and research are gathered to inform the project. Additional research work may be completed to fill in gaps and answer outstanding questions.

Possible deliverables:

• Personas
• Information architecture 
• Site maps
• User flows
• Journey maps
• Experience brief (strategy)
• Experience plan (technical)

During the requirements stage, anything required for the website is documented. This could include things like analytics needs, goals and key performance indicators, content or feature requirements, and needs for system integrations.

Possible deliverables:

• Measurement plan
• Prioritized requirements
• Minimum viable product, or MVP, requirements
• Initial high-level content strategy

During the design stage, the website plan starts to take shape. Tools like site maps, navigation concepts and wireframes show what page layouts could look like. User testing might inform decisions. 

Possible deliverables:

• Wireframes for main user flows
• Site map
• Navigation structure
• Branding alignment concepts
• Usability testing

During the templates and components stage, page templates are created to streamline site creation. Components may be mapped to content and any necessary components are identified and detailed. 

Possible deliverables:

• Wireframes to specifications
• Roadmap for new components
• Prototyping
• Content strategy
• Analytics tagging plan

During the specifications stage, any necessary development work is detailed and content plans are finalized.

Possible deliverables:

• Infrastructure plan
• High fidelity prototypes
• Style guide
• Content migration plan
• Specifications and user story requirements for development

In the build stage, the website is assembled. 

Possible deliverables:

• Templates
• Components
• Authoring environment
• User story refinements for development work
• Training

Yes! University Communications and Marketing has an agency of record, RDA, that assists MSU with Sitecore projects. University Communications and Marketing can coordinate work between units and RDA and facilitate the contracts needed for Procurement’s processes. Units interested in a project estimate can contact Katie Kelly. Any work done by RDA will be at the department’s expense.

University Communications and Marketing has a digital experience program manager who will serve as the unit’s point of contact within University Communications and Marketing. This role will advocate on behalf of the unit in discussions with RDA and will represent university-wide experience needs and priorities in cross-campus planning efforts. 

RDA will create a statement of work, or SOW, for each phase of a unit website project. Units approve an SOW and sign a memorandum of understanding, or MOU. RDA then bills University Communications and Marketing directly, and University Communications and Marketing will charge the unit. This makes the billing process more efficient by eliminating the need for requests for proposals or RFPs and new purchase orders. 

Throughout a website project, the program manager and other University Communications and Marketing staff will participate in meetings and workshops, as needed, along with unit representatives and RDA staff. RDA staff will lead the unit through the project with the unit having full involvement and approval workflows throughout. Depending on the terms of the SOW, either RDA or the unit will be responsible for content migration.