Website change policy

This policy covers the process for considering and acting upon web change requests from stakeholders.

IMPORTANT

Please contact the Informatics Communications Team for any question or website update via the webform below.

Website enquiries

The purpose of this policy is to standardise the procedure for dealing with stakeholder requests to change school web content or structure. This policy does not cover updates to front page news items which will continue to be updated by the Comms Team without further approval being required. The policy should not act as a deterrent to receiving change requests, requests should be encouraged to help keep the site remain fresh and up to date.

Definitions

A major web change is defined as any change to an Informatics front page, any structural change, request for new page(s)/sections or large scale edits to existing content.

A minor web change is defined as any small scale web page edit such as fixing a typo or changing the tense of written content.

A stakeholder is any user of Informatics websites.

Input channels

Change requests should be requested by email to infcomms@ed.ac.uk or via a webform website enquiries. This communication channel should be publicised to the Informatics community online and in any email communication regarding the school websites.

Informatics Comms Team consideration

Requests will be considered by the Communications Team to ascertain if the request is reasonable, practical, minor or major.

Any request which is deemed unreasonable or unpractical may be rejected at this stage. The Communications Team will reply to the stakeholder to explain why the request cannot proceed in its current form.

Any minor web change considered reasonable and practical may be actioned by the Comms Team without further approval being required.

Any major web change and deemed reasonable and practical will be taken by the Comms Team to the Web Strategy Group for consideration.

Web Strategy Group consideration

Comms Team approved major change requests will then be (a) brought in front of the Web Strategy Group for consideration at one of the quarterly meetings or (b) sent round Web Strategy members electronically for consideration. Option (b) will be used if the suggestion is of an urgent nature or if the next Web Strategy meeting is more than one month away.

After Web Strategy Group consideration

The Comms team will respond to the change requestor letting them know if the request was approved or not.

Communication of web changes

Minor changes to the website may be carried out without a formal communication to wider stakeholder audience.

When appropriate, major changes to the Informatics site should be communicated to the Informatics community by the Comms team or the relevant department before they are carried out to allow people prior warning of changes which may affect the way they use the site(s).

Applying web changes

Approved Web Changes will be actioned by the Comms Management team once approval is given and the change has been communicated to stakeholders.

Exceptions

In the case of a change request which is defined as major but it is of obvious and central importance to core School business objectives, the normal process should be waived. E.g temporary links to induction week materials, very high profile good news stories that we want to promote.

 

Policy Approved by: Web Strategy Group: 29/09/2014

Last Reviewed: 05/12/2019