ABOUT THE PROJECT:
In 2011 Ohio University made the decision to transition to an entirely new Student Information System through a $19 million bond. The Rufus Initiative was a major undertaking for the university that involved setting up a new system that would impact everyone on campus and require thousands of people to be trained in using the new system.
The new system would allow students to check their e-Bill, class holds, register for classes, check the status of their FAFSA and more. The main face of the Rufus Initiative was My OHIO, a personalized portal-style website. Through “myOhio” students could access all other aspects of OU’s website –a one stop shop. Students using the myOhio portal would no longer have to log into multiple, different sites to get their information. They could register for classes, pay bills, check on a hold, check their DARS, access their email and visit Blackboard courses all through one portal. According to Sean O’Malley, “the whole idea behind a portal is that it’s personalized, customized content.”
MY ROLE:
I worked as the single Instructional Designer for this project in the Office of Information Technology and I reported directly to the program director, Shelley Ruff and often worked with Sean O’Malley, communications and change management lead. As the instructional designer for the team, I was responsible for designing the training for administrative staff, faculty advisors and students. I developed all training materials and multimedia content to be used during face-to-face training sessions for technical staff and administrators. I developed all promotional materials such as posters, mailings, displays, signage, interactive forms, etc.
TOOLS USED:
Apple Motion, Final Cut Pro, Adobe After Effects, Adobe InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator.
SAMPLE VIDEOS:
This video is a spoof of a fictional research project called the “Dharma Initiative” from the television series “Lost.” You can watch the original version of the Dharma Initiative that inspired our version on YouTube.
Overview of the Project: