Navigating Excellence:
A Comprehensive Evaluation of UP's Web Ecology Across CUs

This study begins by analyzing the hierarchical organization of UP’s web presence, evaluating the clarity and coherence of its structure, from the university system level to the CUs and individual departments. Here, we will map the link hierarchy and navigation paths to determine how well users can move between the UP system, its constituent universities, and specific colleges and departments. Our aim is to determine if the digital infrastructure adequately reflects UP’s complex organizational structure.

Consistency in branding and content style is essential for maintaining a unified institutional identity. In this study, we will investigate whether UP’s various CUs and departments adhere to the university’s branding guidelines, such as the correct use of logos, colors, and typography. Our research includes a manual review of content and the use of language tools to check for consistency in language and tone. This will ensure that UP's digital identity is cohesive across its many campuses and departments.

The UX and usability analysis involves evaluating how easily users can navigate UP’s websites to find relevant information. Through task-based testing, participants will be asked to locate specific information, such as applying to UP, finding faculty members, or accessing research materials. We will employ free and open source software to monitor user interactions and identify potential issues in website navigation. Surveys and interviews with UP’s key user groups—students, faculty, and applicants—will provide qualitative insights into their experiences and satisfaction with the website.

SEO is critical to ensuring that UP’s various campuses and departments are easily discoverable through search engines. In this study, we will use computational tools to evaluate the visibility of the institution’s websites, keyword optimization, and traffic distribution across constituent universities and colleges. Our findings will help UP improve its search rankings, optimize content, and enhance the overall searchability of the institution’s web presence.

Given the growing importance of mobile access and inclusivity, this study will evaluate the mobile responsiveness and accessibility of UP’s websites. We will use computational tools to assess how well the sites perform on mobile devices. We will check for accessibility compliance in accordance with WCAG 2.1 guidelines. Our results will ensure that UP’s websites are accessible to all users, including those with disabilities.

Website performance and security are essential for a positive user experience. This section of our study will examine the load times and security of UP’s websites using free and open source software. We will also conduct a security audit to ensure proper implementation of SSL certificates, HTTPS, and other security measures, ensuring UP’s web presence is fast, reliable, and secure.