Website Platform Consolidation With Drupal
UTS, one of Australia’s leading universities of technology, required a major overhaul of their public website user interface as well as a new CMS to replace their 10-year-old software infrastructure.
Challenge
While the original UTS website stood as the umbrella for over 150 UTS sub-sites (all built and managed separately), UTS required the new site to consolidate all 150 websites into a unified platform with a centralised content management system the internal UTS team could self manage. The major redesign of the UTS public website and visual identity was conducted by DT Digital, while PreviousNext were engaged to replace the old content management system, build out the platform and integrate with multiple third-party systems to source staff and course information.
Solution
PreviousNext worked closely with the UTS web management team to build the platform using an Agile methodology, fostering close communication and a collaborative decision making process. Most of the major development was completed within six months, with the focus shifting to content migration for the last half of 2012. By the completion of the project, PreviousNext had replaced the platform and trained more than 100 UTS content editors to use the new CMS, in addition to providing ongoing support. UTS, who had previously hosted the website internally, successfully transferred their hosting requirements to the Acquia Cloud on PreviousNext’s recommendation.
Outcome
The public portal was launched in March 2013 at http://www.uts.edu.au in time for the start of the new academic year. Future phases of work focused on migrating other UTS sites into the new platform are currently in progress.