Monday 23 February 2015

Website Development in Education and Mobile Apps

Digital communication is the vital medium of every activity in the present era, better known as the space age. This also includes educational institutions right from a playschool at the kindergarten stage to the apex research level leading to doctorate scrolls. Be it the prospectus to share details about various courses and admissions, information about the curriculum and faculties or allied facilities like hostels etc. every aspect is projected digitally. In other words, it is the website that conveys across the message of the academia to the masses.

Thus the need for the responsive web design services by these institutions. However, only a professional group that has expertise in designing and executing a website with the aid of integrated ICT (information and communication technology) can meet the demand. It is an extensive field that calls for versatile approach. On this score, just a handful of companies are capable of rendering an all-inclusive package.

Among such companies is the educational wing of Sterco Digitex, an IT company based in India’s NCR (national capital region) of Delhi. It has branched out into the academic field to offer the following range of services:
  • Analysis for need-based architecture
  • Website Design with all enablers like SEO and SMO including Development
  • Hoisting the website and periodical maintenance
  • Utilisation and updating of High-end Multimedia tools including packages on Flash
  • Slots for corporate presentations including films
  • Customised Instructional and Training Films
  • Identifying and developing exclusive applications in digital academics
  • Concepts to evolve IT-based Distance Learning
  • Software to facilitate integrated management of the college or university
  • Alumni and Placement Portals

Since a good number of these institutions are either privately owned or sponsored, the objectives also include long-term better returns on investment. This could be addressed in right earnest with IT applications.

Digital technology has found wide range of applications in other fields like mobile phones and allied apps systems. This has opened up new avenues for mobile website design services based on technology that calls for high calibre.

Several Indian companies have proved their mettle in conceptualizing and executing these services.

Sunday 21 December 2014

Benefits of the University Management Software

An Introduction

Every enterprise— big corporate houses, universities, need a central software to manage the large database effectively. In the age where technology is taking precedence to simplify our lives, the management of University’s Database has been a goal easily achieved. Raging from HR management system for colleges to placement portal, there is no short of responsibilities for the companies offering university management software.
Following are the utility benefits that are provided by the software in colleges:

Library Management

The store-house of information and center stage of knowledge, Library and its effective management is of pivotal importance for an education institution. The software must take care of:
  • Entries of existing books
  • Unique identification of each book
  • Managing the return and issue of books through bar codes
  • Reminder for subscription expiry and renewals
  • Offering quick search by title, genre, author, keywords, publisher or year of publication
  • Bar code based issue and return function supported by Bar Code if Required
  • To update general catalogue details
Employee Management

The customized software helps addressing several employee-related issues chronologically, from managing employing record to their salaries direction, through payroll management system for colleges provided by customized software. Some of them are listed below:
  • Unique Identification of every employee
  • An ID to Record daily transactions and managerial inputs
  • Designation allocation and probation/permanent status update
  • Application management of new entrants and employee details/documents etc.
  • Salary process and customizable deductions like PF/IT/PT
Hostel Management
 
The software is a ready-database of important information pertaining to hostel helping the hostel staff to be updated with the significant happenings in and around the campus.
  • Building Information
  • Student’s Detail
  • Student In & Out Attendance
  • Bill collection, maintenance and generation of hostel mess and others
  • Maintenance charges & repair record
  • Daily expenses of hostel management
  • Visitor’s record and track record
A full-fledged system is needed to manage the human resource of any institution. The biggest asset for any college is undoubtedly its human resource. From teachers, administration, marketers to students all the valuable assets and hence, need to managed effectively and University management system has it all.

Tuesday 30 September 2014

The Two Rules for Doing Corporate Video Production



Corporate videos are a type of audio-visual aids, showcasing an organization’s core. Such videos are resourceful as well as impactful, thereby, making them an ideal marketing tool. A corporate video is a part of branding communication strategy and has profound effect upon target audience. The production of corporate video, however, is not at all simple. Listed below are a couple of tips that help in creating the best-in-class corporate videos.

Define and refine your audience first

Marketing is the process of positioning as well as communicating a business’ unique value.  It is quite a possibility that your product or service will not appeal all and sundry. Therefore, it is essential that you craft the message (showing business’ unique value) as per the needs of target audience. A visual marketing message has the best impact on target audiences. And the best way to show target audience a well-crafted, visual marketing message is via corporate videos.  The in-depth knowledge of making a corporate video is held by only a leading instructional and training films services company. Thus, it is wise to sign up for such type of services and solutions rendered by corporate video production companies.

Try to make an emotional connection

Our conscious mind always tells us to take rational decision. The subconscious mind, however, does the opposite. It is surprising to note that each and every purchase decision is likely to be taken by our subconscious mind. And, to date, the best way to have an emotional connect with the target audiences is to show them a video message that they can remember. The best visual marketing message is the one that people can relate to. A corporate video presentation should always target to build an emotional connect with the target audiences. 

The two above-named factors help make a corporate video a powerful marketing tool. Thus, resultantly, every business is making a bee line to sign up for reliable corporate video production services.

Wednesday 10 September 2014

ERP Systems Specifically For Educational Institutions



Computers and the Internet technology have become tools for making an entity (human, businesses, etc.) omnipresent. The essence of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) has been visible in our everyday environment. Manufacturing entities were the first to draw benefits from ICTs. One of the biggest boons of ICTs has been Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). The academia, at present, has explored the benefits and comforts that are offered by an ERP.  Continue reading to explore...  

What is an ERP system?

An ERP is a set of software applications that helps in centralizing company-wide information system. An ERP system of an educational institution (university, college, school, nursery, etc.) can help in integrating different departments, divisions, geographical locations into a university-wide, unified information system. University management software, by and large, can integrate different functions of a university such as:-

  • Student information
  • Human resources
  • Financial systems

What can ERP software do for an educational institution?

Such type of software that is designed specifically for educational institutes can:-

  • Integrate as well as facilitate the flow of information across a variety of functions
  • Act as a helper in re-engineering an educational institute’s faulty practices and ailing policies
  • Support metric-based decision making as well as trend analysis
  • Dramatically reduce the overall cost of information management and maintenance  
  • Become a storehouse for critical information
  • Allow a user to input data within a single system that can, further, integrate in other systems
  • Allow a user to easily access data in real-time environment
  • Dramatically cut down on work that does not add value

Problems faced while implementing an ERP for educational institution


ERP offers a systematized informational architecture. All ERP software companies prioritize safety of a user’s information.  The implementation of such a system, however, can become problematic if:-
  • Strategic goals and purpose have not been clearly defined.
  • Educational institution’s management is reluctant and does not show active participation when the system is getting implemented.

Thus, for availing the full benefits of an ERP, it is necessary for solution provider as well as educational intuition to work closely.

Sunday 17 August 2014

Top 3 Tips for an effective web design for educational institutes



Effective web design narrows down on the principle of optimum usability and utility of the website. Apart from being visually captivating, a website should also offer a user-centric approach through its content and design. Assembling the data on one platform to make sure that the user can perceive it effectively should be the whole idea behind designing on web. Below are the basic principles that should be kept in mind to advance an effective web design.   


Consider the end-user’s psyche

Keeping in mind a user-centric approach, it is important to design the website as per the end user’s requirement. For instance, website designing services for colleges should fulfill usability criteria of students, parents, teachers etc. The various programs offered by the institution should be listed meticulously, placement avenues, the scope of the institution etc. all these aspects are eminent to cover to make it user-centric.

Understanding the user’s psychology is important, after all the features designed on the website are meant to be accessed by them; else it would have been non-existent.

Strive for major feature exposure

Web designing is about creative display of your institution. However, extensive use of graphics and animation may leave the content and other important details of the website unnoticed. It is important to know where to use animation and in what degree it should be incorporated to support your website. Depending upon the nature of business, use of animation should be devised in web designing. Leading web developing companies that render website development services for universities focus on making minimal use animation, pop-ups etc. that generally dissuade the institution from voicing its purpose.

 A web design layout for an educational website should be more informative giving details about the programmes offered, employment scope, distance learning avenues etc. Animation here should be used to display the information in the most user-friendly manner. Unnecessary graphics and animation may overshadow the information display. Instead, use of catchy graphics should be made to accentuate the prime offerings of the institute.

Let your visitor breathe
Provision for your visitors’ query and feedback is essential. Assailing the user with information without leaving scope for his inputs does not make a good web layout. Furthermore, leaving your user’s queries unattended is embarrassing. This will leave your web visitor disappointed, adversely affecting your brand name as well.

Keeping in mind these tips can help to design a ‘user specific’ website especially for educational institutes.

Wednesday 23 July 2014

Why periodical website maintenance is necessary?

Maintenance is necessary for proper functioning of a car, lawn and your health too. Likewise, maintenance of websites is important for their proper working. A website gives your business an online personality, and you would want to beautify it to attract more customers. A well-kept website is admired by every visitor. An up-to-date site is a must-have for:-

•    Regularly attracting clients
•    Having envious search engine rankings
•    Offering prospects and existing customers new information about products and services
•    Offering information to a business’s stake holders

High significance of a website’s maintenance task has led many leading Web development companies to offer website AMC service. Like any other businesses, most education institutions avail educational website AMC services.

What all work does website maintenance include?

An unmaintained site creates poor user experience. No latest news, no updated content, broken links can really devastate a visitor’s experience. In totality, an unmaintained site leaves many visitors unimpressed, and you can end up losing a substantial amount of business. That’s a threat to a business’ existence. Therefore, it’s apt to maintain your website periodically. In general, the maintenance activities of a website include:- 

•    Content addition

Your website can always have a lot of new content for interested visitors. The content can be related to –

o    Company news
o    Employee addition
o    Industry news
o    Update content related to products and/or services
o    Create PDFs that offer informative content related to products/services

•    Broken links must be done away with

You want visitors to be satisfied after visiting your site. And one way of offering a quality visiting experience to every visitor is by getting rid of broken links. Every internal link of your site must be checked. Further, each and every outgoing link must be tested a couple of times every year. Warning! A website falls in search engine rankings if it’s strewn with broken links.

Friday 16 May 2014

Simple Ways to Improve a School Website


A school website not only offers information to parents and pupils, but also becomes an effective marketing tool. The internet sites of a school showcase its existence in the binary world. A school website briefs about the institute’s policy as well as learning environment to existing and prospective students. All these are some of the jobs that are performed by a school’s site. The post gives some quick tips to make the best educational website designs.

Register on social media platforms

A robust social presence is the key to success in today’s commercial world. It is advisable to register a school’s name over different social media platforms such as Google+, Twitter, Face book, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Flicker, and the like. Once any social networking account is made, add feeds (from the school’s website) over it. A high-quality Content Management System (CMS) is used to add feeds.

Begin blogging

All top educational web sites’ CMS platforms support a built-in blog feature. The principal should start blogging about the latest policy amendments carried out by the school’s board. The marketing head of the school should blog about the news and events. Any type of school trip must be written about in blogs (it’s preferable to add pictures to a post). Note: a blog need not be insightful; rather it should be interesting and written keeping in mind the target audiences (pupils, teachers and students).

Don’t avoid SEO

SEO is one of the significant tools that help a school internet site to get high rankings on search engine(s). Doing proper SEO for a school website starts by determining top 10 key phrases and keywords that can help bolster the institute’s web presence.

These tips don’t confine to schools only; rather, they are implemented while designing sites for different types of educational institutions. Every other college websites design follows similar tips to make an impactful web presence.