Building a Scalable Content Governance Framework

Content Governance · Information Architecture · Content Operations

The Challenge

Academic program information was distributed across dozens of independently managed webpages, resulting in inconsistent content, varied page structures, and an uneven experience for prospective students. The website redesign required a governance framework that would standardize program pages while allowing departments to maintain their own content.

My Role

During the website redesign, I developed the governance framework that defined how every degree program page should be structured, written, and maintained. I collaborated with admissions, academic departments, and digital teams to establish content standards, metadata requirements, and editorial guidance that supported both prospective students and internal content owners.

The Approach

To create a consistent experience, I developed governance that standardized page structure, content hierarchy, metadata, and editorial style across every degree program page. The framework balanced user needs with departmental flexibility by providing clear guidance while allowing academic administrators to independently manage their own content.

I also established an annual content review schedule to prevent significant program-page changes during the admissions cycle, helping ensure applicants received consistent information throughout the recruitment process.

The Impact

The governance framework established a scalable content management model that empowered departments to confidently maintain their own program pages without ongoing communications or IT support. Standardized content improved consistency across the website, strengthened the user experience for prospective students, and established sustainable processes that extended well beyond the initial website launch.