Reshaping the Oregon State University Digital Footprint

By Michael McDonald on Jan. 13, 2025
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As Oregon State University prepares to deliver on the ambitious vision of Prosperity Widely Shared, the time has come to architect our digital content strategy for the future. This transformation involves rethinking our approach to web content management and building more agile, focused digital environments. 

Shifting our Digital Content Strategy

Historically, OSU has relied heavily on large, monolithic websites built around departmental structures. These sites attempt to serve all audiences and functions by housing all content (and all types of content) under one roof. This broad scope often makes the sites difficult to navigate for users and unwieldy to manage for web teams. The centralized use of Drupal for all digital content further entrenched this one-size-fits-all approach. 

Today, we are moving toward a more intentional strategy in two parts:

First: Using the right tools for the right content. This does not mean we're moving away from Drupal - in fact, we're investing more than ever into the platform to deliver rich and accessible experiences to our end users and helpful tools to teams managing web content. However, we are focusing Drupal on serving a more specific set of public-facing use-cases while leveraging other platforms that are more suitable for other needs — such as SharePoint for internal audiences.  

OSU has a portfolio of digital content platforms – each purpose-built to effectively deliver a specific variety of content. Instead of creating web pages for your department’s events on your Drupal website, consider using the OSU Events Calendar and embedding a feed of events on your website. Don’t upload videos as files to your Drupal site or Box, instead host them in OSU MediaSpace and embed them as needed. Need to gather feedback from stakeholders? Use one of our forms platforms like Microsoft Forms to easily and securely manage submissions with your team instead of a Drupal webform. 

Second: Smaller sites that are more focused on user needs and not org charts. This means breaking up some large sites into smaller, purpose-driven web experiences tailored to specific needs, services, and audiences. By doing so, we aim to prioritize user needs over organizational charts, fostering cross-unit collaboration and delivering more cohesive university capabilities. That's not to say that department websites shouldn't exist, but they should be one in an ecosystem of other web properties. 

What this looks like in practice will change depending on the organization and website. We fully acknowledge that the needs of an academic college website will differ from those of an administrative unit delivering internal services. However, we would strongly urge all members of the OSU community to consider approaching their digital content strategy with leaner and more focused web properties based on user needs. 

Demonstrating the Strategy in Action 

On Friday, January 10, OSU made several updates to its IT web properties in alignment with this new strategy. These updates serve as examples of how specialized, distributed sites can better meet user needs while maintaining a unified university presence. 

  • The UIT site has been overhauled for the newest version of Drupal and replaces the existing site. It has been repurposed to serve public-facing reference information about UIT as an organization. Who works there, what the departments are, the missions and vision of the unit, etc. 

  • The legacy is.oregonstate.edu site has been fully retired as it reflects past organizational structures. It is replaced by the new UIT site and other sites listed below. 

  • The Technology site has been refreshed with updated branding, a new service catalog, upgraded help resources and more. This site serves as the front door to accessing all technology services at OSU, regardless of the unit or department delivering those services. 

  • Two all-new sites are now available: The Data site and the Security site. Just like the Technology site, these sites are the front door for all data and security needs at OSU. 

  • All of these sites were launched with companion SharePoint sites. These SharePoint sites house information and resources that are intended for the OSU audience – current students, faculty, staff, researchers, etc. These SharePoint sites can be accessed via visually highlighted links in the site menus. 

Looking Ahead 

This shift represents more than just a technological change; it’s a cultural transformation. By creating purpose-driven digital spaces, OSU is setting the stage for a more connected, accessible, and secure university. As we continue to refine and expand this new approach, now is the time for all units to reflect on their digital content strategies. Together, we can reshape OSU’s digital footprint to better serve our community and advance the university’s mission.