This document covers 3 main areas of activity within iExeter: Banners, messaging/alerts and feature development (tiles).

Currently, the visibility of all banners, messages and tiles is dependent on the campus on which the student studies (either Devon or Cornwall campuses). Whilst work is underway to further develop this personalisation to include college, discipline or year of study, this means that any inclusion will be potential be seen by all students in these broad campus groupings.

Banners

To be included in iExeter a banner must be:

  • Relevant to the majority of students that will see it
  • Not conflict with any existing student communications
  • Have appropriate imagery for the small display area available
  • Have an appropriate function or content to link to from the banner

Banners are generally included for up to 2 weeks and rotate at set intervals, scrolling through up to 4 at a time and they can be used to support multiple elements of a major campaign.

Banners should be requested with as much notice as possible. We try to accommodate all reasonable requests, but giving less than 5 working days’ notice may mean that we can’t include it on time.

All banners are potentially subject to institutional priorities, and this may affect the time or length that a banner is displayed. It is very unlikely that a banner would be removed for this reason, but major problems, campus emergencies or critical updates may take priority.

The banners viewed through iExeter form part of the wider student communications function supported by Communications and Marketing Services. General event listings and job vacancies are not currently supported with banners in iExeter as there are both event and careers section already within the app.

How to request a banner spot

  • Please email digitalteam@exeter.ac.uk with any requests
  • Please include any existing graphics, messages, links and timings in your request, and specify which campus the banner relates to (Streatham and St. Luke's, Penryn, Knowledge Spa or EMS)
  • Banners are 375 by 180 pixels and should be kept as simple as possible, as space for text is limited to 3 or 4 lines of 4/5 words per line
  • The central Design Studio have developed banners as part of wider campaigns, and simpler messages can be done by the iExeter team Page Break

Messaging/alerts

It is possible to send alerts to students using iExeter that will appear as push notifications directly on their device. These are not currently offered as a promotional feature within the platform, instead only used for major University-wide system changes/problems or emergencies.

Once work to increase the personalisation of iExeter for students is completed we may be able to offer tailored messaging, but it is not available yet.

Alerts or messages received through iExeter form part of the wider student communications function supported by the Student Communications Team.

Requests for messages should go to studentcomms@exeter.ac.uk, but it is not currently possible to support campaigns, offers, services updates or events this way.

Tiles/features

The main tiles or features in iExeter provide services or tools to students, many of which offer a personalised or location-based function. These tiles are increasingly linked to automatic systems that have little or no human maintenance or updating, and very few provide content or links through to webpages.

The order of these tiles is based on usage, whilst the development of new or existing features is determined by student feedback and research. New ideas or suggestions are very welcome, but they need to be considered for their relevance, usefulness and appropriateness for either mobile or desktop usage. They may also require resourcing or funding if they cannot be created as part of core developments.

 

This document last updated 01/10/2018