Web Services

Give your webforms a signature 51�Թ��style

jaylen.gordon@mcgill.ca — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 18:26:25 +0000

With Microsoft Forms now being used as our platform for webforms, surveys, quizzes, and polls, we wanted to ensure that the 51�Թ��brand remains front and center. Thanks to the help of our talented friends at Graphic Design, you can now do just that! Ditch the generic teal background and choose from one of our four new McGill-branded styles for your forms:

“Read More” about what? Why link context matters

daniel.zhang@mcgill.ca — Thu, 21 Aug 2025 20:14:59 +0000

Clarity is key when creating content for the web, yet vague link phrases such as “read more” or “learn more” remain common across websites and newsletters. While they may seem harmless, they create real barriers for accessibility.

Calling all undergraduate students!

joyce.peralta2@mcgill.ca — Fri, 09 Feb 2024 21:12:35 +0000

We're accepting applications for McGill's 2025/26 Undergraduate Student Usability Panel. Panel members will participate in activities to share feedback about their experiences using McGill's websites and services.

The expected time commitment will be 6-8 hours per semester. Participants will receive a $200 honorarium plus additional perks in exchange for their contributions. Read the full details, including how to apply, below.

How we can make our digital spaces more accessible: Advice from an expert

joyce.peralta2@mcgill.ca — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 15:26:27 +0000

We had the recent pleasure of welcoming Lucy Greco—renowned digital accessibility expert, advocate, and trailblazer—for an engaging session on creating accessible digital content. Co-hosted by the Digital Communications team and McGill’s Equity team, the event offered a valuable opportunity to learn from Lucy’s expertise and explore practical ways to enhance digital accessibility across our platforms.

Accessing site archives post migration

daniel.zhang@mcgill.ca — Wed, 06 Aug 2025 18:37:11 +0000

As part of the transition to the new Web Management System (WMS), we are creating archives of all websites before they are migrated to the new platform.

Why are archives being created?

During the migration process, sites often undergo content revisions and layout changes. To preserve a snapshot of each site prior to migration, we are capturing full archives of all websites in their pre-migration state.

Requesting a site in the new WMS

daniel.zhang@mcgill.ca — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 18:58:05 +0000

Ready to Try the New WMS? Here's How to Get Started

Heard some rave reviews about McGill’s new Web Management System (WMS) and want to experience it for yourself? Good news: new site requests now have the option to be created in the new platform!

The new WMS offers a refreshed, modern editing experience and enhanced flexibility through tools like the Layout Builder. To see these features in action, visit the UX Examples site for live demonstrations and inspiration.

Using the migration status report page

daniel.zhang@mcgill.ca — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 18:45:09 +0000

The migration to the new WMS is a gigantic project that involves hundreds of active websites in our 51�Թ��web space. As the migration progresses, it's important to know the order that the sites will be migrated in.

2025 Web Services conference recording and resources

jaylen.gordon@mcgill.ca — Wed, 11 Jun 2025 14:35:27 +0000

Couldn't make it to our 2025 Web Services conference? No worries! You can still watch our presentation recordings and access the resources we shared.

How to create user-friendly web content (that's AI-friendly, too!)

joyce.peralta2@mcgill.ca — Tue, 10 Jun 2025 19:53:52 +0000

Summary: Read this article to learn to optimize content for human visitors while improving performance in AI-search.

Several strategies for optimizing websites for human visitors also make them more AI-friendly. Follow these best practices to help our audience members find the information they need whether they're navigating our sites or looking for answers using AI.

Use headings that provide clear, concise context

Headings should point people (and AI-search) to where answers can be found.

How you helped build McGill's new Course Catalogue

joyce.peralta2@mcgill.ca — Fri, 30 May 2025 18:41:06 +0000

Summary: McGill's new Course Catalogue was created with input from (literally) hundreds of 51�Թ��students and staff members. Read this article to learn how audience research informed the design and building of this key resource, and find out how to participate in our post-launch evaluation interviews.