Why a creative retainer works better than ad-hoc feature requests
Evolve is our take on the traditional retainer. Evolve subscriptions redefine ongoing working relationships with SMILE, all at a no-brainer price-point.
Research
Exploring the hidden costs of attending a university open day
Based on previous research, we gathered to discuss the costs of attending a university open day in further detail and invite you to put forward your thoughts on the matter as well!
How does the cost of virtual events stack up against real-world events?
Universities have long made use of online events in some form. But a scramble to replace real-world events has seen a spike in new institutions jumping on board. Was this only a response to COVID-19 or should we expect to see virtual events stick around? Will they become a more permanent feature? Will universities see the benefit as a long-term addition to their recruitment activities? We examine one of the reasons why online events offer a long-term addition - cost.
What is graduation going to look like in 2020?
As social distancing in the UK continues, there are pressing questions about certain parts of University life. One of those being graduation. We here at SMILE, gathered on a Zoom call to discuss the current situation and what institutes can do as an alternative and if we can help with that.
Identifying Site and Menu Architecture Using GatherContent
At SMILE, we use GatherContent to manage our own website's copy and media content. We have learned that the ability to easily arrange and view our content in this way has highlighted how this system can be further used as a powerful tool to identify or improve site map and menu architecture. Here, we share some of our key learnings.
Online vs Real World Open Days
COVID-19 has left universities with no option but to turn to virtual events as a replacement for their real-world events. But they’re not a like-for-like replacement. This post looks at some of the key considerations for those looking to run virtual events.
Virtual Open Days
With COVID-19 forcing the majority of the world into quarantine and lockdown, the education sector has been left unable to carry out their scheduled events. Open Days are just one example of those affected events.
User insight driving design choices
Since 2014 SMILE have been working with the University of Birmingham, a Russell Group institution, on delivering their online event platform.
The Responsive Media Grid
How do you deal with an image (or video) in a shape-changing, responsive container? It's a common problem, and I've designed a system to help tackle it.
What students want from universities in 2017
"Large amounts of useless information", "Not enough important images", "All look the same", "Not entirely honest". These are all quotes from a group of students when asked what university websites are currently like. Students know what they want to see on websites, and what is currently being shown, is not it.