Digital Wave

✨ Today, we’re shining the spotlight on Gillian Hyam, our Senior Web Developer!

Gill has been a cornerstone of the Digital Wave team for almost 20 years. As a senior web developer, she focuses on building cohesive design systems, ensuring that every website we launch is operational, user-friendly, and responsive across devices.

Beyond her technical skills, Gill is a natural collaborator who bridges the gaps between our designers, other backend developers, and content strategists to keep our workflows running smoothly.

When she isn't coding, she’s a singer, photographer, and a busy mom to three daughters and three dogs.

Gill, thank you for two decades of dedication, incredible work, and thoughtful collaboration. We are so grateful to have you on the team! 💙

Every decision comes with trade-offs.

Our recent blog explores how competing priorities — from security and analytics to design and usability — shape the decisions organizations make when building and managing their digital ecosystems.

The key isn't trying to have it all; it's understanding what matters most and making intentional choices that support your goals.

👉 Read the full blog to learn how prioritizing effectively leads to better outcomes: https://www.digitalwave.com/2026/06/the-complicated-compromises-of-success/

The Complicated Compromises of Success - Digital Wave Stuck between conflicting website requests? Learn how to navigate website project trade-offs and align competing priorities with your broader business goals.

Happy Father's Day to all the dads, step-dads, bonus dads, dog and cat dads, uncles, grandfathers, and all fatherly figures out there!

The toys are back in theaters today! 🤠🚀

In Toy Story 5, the gang is figuring out how to stay relevant in a high-tech world. Higher ed and healthcare are feeling that same pressure. If your digital experience feels like an "old toy," your audience will lose interest.

We’ve spent 30+ years partnering with dozens of organizations to modernize their digital presence. We turn "administrative silos" into human-first solutions, like:

✅ Simplifying the complex: Making tuition costs or patient billing transparent and easy to find.
✅ Clarifying the path: Turning confusing program goals or care instructions into clear, actionable steps.

Don't get left in the toy box. Let’s make sure your digital experience is ready for the future. 🏁

A content governance plan isn't a PDF you write once and hide away in a Google Drive folder. It’s a living framework. As user behaviors shift and technology evolves, your digital strategy must adapt accordingly.

Over a decade ago, Digital Wave partnered with Randolph-Macon College (RMC) to conquer a 20,000-page mountain of content debt, shrinking it to a lean, student-first 1,500 pages. But the real victory isn’t that they started the work—it’s that they never stopped.

Content debt has a way of creeping back. When RMC noticed their page count ticking upward years later, they didn't wait for an expensive, site-wide crisis redesign. Instead, they iterated on their governance model, shifting from decentralized authoring to a proactive, centralized workflow. Because they treated content strategy as a continuous evolution rather than a "set-and-forget" task, RMC has spent a decade scaling its digital sophistication instead of clearing out old clutter.

If you treat your website's launch day as the finish line, you're inviting content hoarding back into your digital house. Winning the long game requires a commitment to continuous iteration.

📖 See how RMC built a content engine that has thrived for over a decade: https://www.digitalwave.com/2026/06/paying-off-your-content-debt-how-randolph-macon-college-reclaimed-its-website/

Paying Off Your Content Debt: How Randolph-Macon College Reclaimed Its Website - Digital Wave Content governance is a process, not a project. See how Randolph-Macon College defeated content debt by building a website strategy meant to evolve.

Gen Z is tech-savvy and optimistic, but they're also cost-sensitive, skeptical about college ROI, and facing a difficult job market, according to the 9 Tips to Attract Gen Z report by Hanover Research.

As this generation rethinks traditional pathways, institutions must adapt to keep pace with their evolving needs. Here’s how:
1️⃣ Highlight fast-track programs for efficient completion.
2️⃣ Adapt teaching models to Gen Z learning styles.
3️⃣ Offer 360° support (academic, financial, and personal).
4️⃣ Provide tech training for campus-specific software.
5️⃣ Prove the ROI by linking every academic page to career outcomes.
6️⃣ Be transparent about tuition and financial aid packages.
7️⃣ Reduce friction in the admissions and enrollment process.
8️⃣ Use short, authentic videos for social media marketing.
9️⃣ Increase accessibility to faculty via multiple digital channels.

At Digital Wave, we partner with you to turn these high-level tips into digital realities.

Don’t wait for Gen Z to graduate before you update your site. Let’s build a foundation that meets them where they are. 🏁

Read the full article here: https://www.hanoverresearch.com/confirmation-nine-tips-to-attract-gen-z-students/?submissionGuid=f985ea76-0bdd-439c-a7d9-50c7dc1b12ac

According to the 2026 Trends in Higher Education report by Hanover Research, 60% of students who left school say they’d likely return if they just had a clear map of how to finish. 📉

It’s a wake-up call: Many support models are still built for administrative efficiency rather than student ease.

We’ve spent years partnering with dozens of institutions to flip that script. Whether it’s making tuition transparent or simplifying financial aid, we prioritize the student’s journey. When the path to graduation is clear and accessible, students stay the course.

Let us help your students sustain their momentum all the way to graduation. 🏁

👉 Check out the full report here: https://www.hanoverresearch.com/reports-and-briefs/higher-education/2026-trends-in-higher-education/

Your stakeholders want the ultra-modern design filled with complex animations. ✨

It's impressive, but your users need to find information. If your navigation is a puzzle, they’ll head for the exit.

Let’s build a digital foundation that works for them, and looks good doing it. 🏎️

Pitching a shiny homepage redesign to leadership is easy. Pitching a project to clean up thousands of outdated web pages is much harder.

But a new design won't fix a broken foundation. Ignoring content hoarding burns your team's capacity, frustrates prospective students, and tanks your site search accuracy.

We created a step-by-step framework to help you get leadership buy-in for the digital infrastructure work that actually matters — complete with an executive pitch template you can adapt for your institution today.

Read the full article here: https://www.digitalwave.com/2026/06/tackling-content-hoarding-higher-ed/

What is your biggest hurdle when trying to build consensus with leadership for foundational web projects?

Tackling Content Hoarding: How to Get Buy-In to Clean Up Your Digital Foundation - Digital Wave Stop treating symptoms. Learn how to sell the value of a digital foundation to leadership and fix your Higher Ed content debt for good.

Did you know Hurricane Season begins June 1st?

Preparing your website for the fall semester is a lot like prepping for a storm. You don't want to be boarding up windows while the wind is already howling.

Before the fall rush begins, take the time to:
🧹 Clear the debris: Audit and remove outdated content.
🛠️ Patch the leaks: Fix broken links and unclear navigation.
🏗️ Prepare for the rush: Ensure your site can handle the traffic surge.

We can help! Message us to get started. 🚀