Steps to Leaps recently launched a new website to better showcase resources related to well-being and the Steps to Leaps learning pillars. The new website offers users multiple avenues to discover resources with new features, functionality and navigation.
A new or returning user can start their journey in a new way on the Steps to Leaps home page by identifying their need and being redirected to relevant resources. Users can choose from options including Improve My Well-Being; Help My Student; Facilitate a Workshop; See Success Stories; and Discover Research to immediately find content relevant to their interest. For example, a faculty or staff member interested in assisting a student may use the Help My Student link to immediately find resources they can refer students to. A similar option that caters to the unique needs of each user are audience pages for educators and leaders and for individuals looking for self-help. All of these options consider the unique needs of different users.
New, comprehensive pillar pages organize content by Steps to Leaps learning pillars. These pages serve as aone-stop shop for resources related to each respective pillar and include learning modules, Student Spotlights, Well-Being Tips of the Week, research items and student testimonials. As new content is added to the Steps to Leaps website, it is tagged and automatically fed to these pages, ensuring a stream of new and relevant content related to each pillar.
Research is also highlighted in several new ways, including a research page organized by pillar. Each pillar area features research published by members of the Steps to Leaps Research Collaborative with links to pages with citations in APA format for researchers. This page offers an easy starting point for those interested in research being performed by members of the Research Collaborative. Further, each member of the collaborative now has their research associated with their biographies on the website. Research shared in past Steps to Leaps newsletters is also a new part of the website navigation in the research area, making the content accessible to those who do not receive the newsletter.
Ongoing efforts are underway to improve search engine optimization (SEO). Based on conversations with campus partners, other universities have shown interest in sharing Steps to Leaps content and linking back to the Steps to Leaps website due to the uniqueness of the program. Improvements to SEO will help efforts to showcase Steps to Leaps beyond Purdue.
The website is the product of partnerships between the Steps to Leaps Steering Committee and its Communications Sub-Committee who are experts representing different entities from across the university and Student Life Marketing. Comprehensive conversations with various stakeholders informed new layouts and navigation, and qualitative research was conducted via user interviews. Special attention was paid to different user groups, with key research performed by Student Life Marketing interns in conjunction with campus partners helping to consider the needs of different demographics.