GEM Website Redevelopment Brief

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Edwina Campbell
6 years ago
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GEM Website Redevelopment Brief GEM wishes to recruit a website designer or web design company to redevelop our website, www.gem.org.

1 GEM Website Redevelopment Brief GEM wishes to recruit a website designer or web design company to redevelop our website, in an accessible and lively format so as to reflect GEM s evolving remit and activities. The redeveloped website will better support our members, partners and stakeholders in a range of ways. These include: a) a new signposting resource to aggregate and showcase training and continuing professional development (CPD) listings and; b) improved functionality for our resource bank, jobs listings and freelancer/supplier listings. This work is part of GEM s Learning and Sharing Centre (LSC) project funded by Arts Council England. Running until March 2018, the LSC will deliver new courses, online resources, sharing events, a digital signpost to training opportunities, a redevelopment of the GEM website, and a new GEM business model to ensure its sustainability. Further background information on GEM is provided as an appendix to this brief, on page 4. The redevelopment of the website is a phased project. This brief invites expressions of interest by Wednesday 11 October at The scoping phase needs to be completed by the end of November 2017 with the first version of the new website going live in January 2018, and the work completed by the end of March Overall objectives: 1. A clear, fresh and contemporary look and feel that will communicate GEM s mission as the voice for heritage learning to our target audiences and fully reflect our membership and brand. 2. To meet our target audience needs and the needs of the LSC project effectively and usefully. 3. A fully accessible, fully responsive, thoroughly search-optimised, reliable and secure website built in an open source platform, preferably WordPress. 4. To support and enhance our online revenue-generating activities such as job and freelancer listings, membership, advertising, e-newsletters and sales of training courses and publications. 5. To integrate and develop our online presence across channels including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube with the web content. 6. To ensure the website is easy for GEM staff and volunteers without technical skills to add, update, edit and tag content. After the initial build the website will be maintained by a team of volunteers led by a member of GEM staff. 7. To ensure the website works seamlessly with a range of third-party services and software such as Google Analytics, events ticketing systems, payment services, social sharing widgets, social media feeds, downloads hosting services, e-newsletter sign-ups etc. GEM Page 1 of 5 September 2017

2 We are also very interested in exploring options around creating a password-protected members-only area of the website, allowing GEM to control access to certain resources, and for groups (such as trustees, area convenors, etc) to network and share information. Content management Please note that a simple, flexible, open source content management system and functionality supporting effective searching and browsing is essential to this redevelopment. Aggregation, surfacing and display of several content types is core to the LSC and website mission. Experience of working with data sets of this type will be useful. The content will include: Job adverts Freelancer/supplier profiles Event listings (e.g. workshops, seminars, conferences and training courses) requiring date & location-based functionality Downloadable resources such as digital versions of print publications, reports and course materials ours and external links. Articles with the usual functionality ability to display high quality imagery, embed video, tag by subject etc. Approach and process Phase one scoping to begin in October and be complete by end November We expect the first phase in the website redevelopment process to be a detailed scoping exercise, working with the new editor/producer and a small working group of GEM s staff, trustees and members. This phase will focus on defining audience needs, content priorities and project methodology. It will also explore the potential of integrating third-party / open source solutions where available, such as plug-ins and APIs. This first, short phase will result in a detailed brief with final costings, which will then form the basis of the full contract for the build. Phase two the build to begin in December 2017, with the first version of the new site going live no later than January The build will be defined fully in phase one but we would like it to be an iterative development process that allows the working group to focus on creating, uploading and testing content as soon as possible, whilst the contractors work on structure, templates and design concurrently. We believe this interaction and collaboration will save time and wasted work from both parties in the long run. Producer/editor Alongside this website redevelopment brief we are advertising for a short-term contractor to oversee the process, the relationship with the website contractor and the input of the working group (see below), and to edit and write new content. This appointment will align with that of the website contractors. Design We won t be changing the GEM logo at this time but the new website will of course need a refreshed look and feel with new graphical assets and styling. We are open to working with either a company that can offer the design as part of their service or in partnership with a separate designer. GEM Page 2 of 5 September 2017

3 Working group The working group (of GEM staff, trustees and members) will support the redevelopment project wherever possible facilitating audience input; sourcing imagery; culling, creating and re-purposing content; user testing and anything else that s helpful. The working group will be led by GEM s deputy chair of trustees, Anra Kennedy, who has significant experience in digital production and will provide strategic support to this process. How to apply Applicants are invited to submit a short expression of interest by to: recruit@gem.org.uk. Expressions of interest must be received by Wednesday 11 October at and should include the following information: A brief response to our plan, including your proposed method of working and how you would help us meet our objectives for the website (this section to be max 1 page of A4) within an overall project budget of up to 10K. An estimated cost breakdown, including daily/hourly rates, for phase one only of the process set out above. Brief background to your company and details of the staff who would be involved in the project. Examples of previous related work (can be provided as links to work you have completed) and two referees. Selection process The selection panel will review all the expressions of interest received and evaluate them against the brief to produce a shortlist. Shortlisted tenderers will probably be invited to respond to questions from the selection panel by or telephone. The selection panel may invite the preferred tenderer(s) to an interview either in GEM s offices in Kent or another central location. Once due diligence checks have been carried out and references checked, GEM will commission the chosen company for both phases of the work with a break clause in the agreement following phase one to ensure both parties are happy to proceed to phase two. GEM Page 3 of 5 September 2017

4 APPENDIX Organisational background GEM s mission is to be the voice for heritage learning, and to champion excellence in museum, heritage and cultural learning to improve the education, health and well-being of the public. GEM is working towards establishing itself as the Centre of Excellence for Museum Learning, leading the field of museum learning to be more resilient, productive and communicative. The current ACEfunded Learning and Sharing Centre project is a major step forward and the redevelopment of the GEM website, in particular the provision of the training and resources signposting, is a significant part of the progression GEM is making through the LSC. GEM will achieve this by focusing its resources, and the energy, enthusiasm and commitment of its staff and volunteers, on implementing key strategic objectives: a) work to establish GEM as the voice for heritage learning; b) ensure the success of the LSC in supporting GEM to become the Centre of Excellence for Museum Learning; c) raise GEM s profile as the organisation that champions heritage learning and its benefits; d) increase GEM s capacity to deliver by finding new sources of funding and developing new income streams; e) increase the consumption of GEM s publications and encourage more debate about heritage learning; f) update the website to reflect GEM s new vibrant contemporary image, and improve its functionality to provide additional benefits to members; g) grow and extend GEM s membership to organisations and individuals working across the broader heritage sector, and to users and supporters; h) inspire and support the work of heritage learning practitioners through networking, mentoring, learning together and pioneering innovation in CPD. GEM membership is open to all those interested in heritage learning: current members include employers, employees, volunteers and freelancers working in museums, galleries, country houses, heritage sites, outdoor interpretation centres, science centres, schools and universities. GEM s membership is international in reach, though 90% of members are based in the UK. Most material is produced in English only, although some resources developed as part our Cymal-funded Building a Learning Legacy project have been translated into Welsh. Currently there are about 2,000 individual and institutional GEM members. GEM s regular activities are: supporting heritage organisations and education practitioners in developing and sharing best practice in heritage learning through; o opportunities for training & CPD local events (organised through area convenors) training days annual conference GEM Page 4 of 5 September 2017

5 o publications print: twice yearly Case Studies, annual GEM Journal online: monthly enews sent by o networking celebration and sharing events GEM JISCmail Twitter Facebook LinkedIn o supporting freelancers freelance network web listing o advertising and sharing news of sector-specific jobs developing innovative learning projects that contribute to sustainable development in heritage education e.g. Sounding Out Your Heritage and Learning Outside the Classroom; working in partnership with other organisations to contribute to important government agendas and the cultural economy; advocating for heritage education nationally and within the sector. GEM has its own offices and a small staff consisting of an administrator, a communications officer and an education officer. Recently, GEM has appointed a part-time director working two days a week. The role of CEO is currently being undertaken on a voluntary basis by the GEM chair, Dr John Stevenson, who is also the LSC project director. GEM is heavily reliant on volunteers such as its trustees and area convenors, who function semi-independently, organising local events for members. The communications officer is responsible for updating the website and managing GEM s social media. Further information about GEM, and the website redevelopment can be found in the brief for the Website Producer & Editor. GEM Page 5 of 5 September 2017

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