MyUW - Request a New Widget for the MyUW Portal
Including your digital service in MyUW's widget directory may help users find your application, site, or other resource.
To learn how to request a MyUW widget, jump to: Request a Widget
Who can create a new widget?
Any campus group or employee may request a new MyUW widget.
The purpose must be connected to a University of Wisconsin school or college, organization, or initiative and approved by the MyUW Portal team.
Anatomy of a widget
Title
Widgets have a short title that is meaningful to their audience. It should be 30 characters or fewer.
If you need to use an acronym or know that users refer to your tool/site with a variety of terms, you can include additional search terms as keywords.
Icon
Explore the icon library and learn about using custom icons, such as logos: MyUW - Using icons to customize content.
"Launch" button text and link
At the bottom of every widget, there is a button used to launch full applications, a homepage, or an informational site.
The text should inform users where the button will lead them, such as "Launch full app", "Open website", "View [resource]", or "See more".
Feature (optional)
In addition to the Launch button, features can provide your audience with a more valuable experience directly from the MyUW Homepage.
These features can be links with icons, buttons, a search bar, and more. MyUW also supports dynamic widgets based on a user's role or data as well as entirely custom widgets.
If you have a custom feature in mind or are unsure which will be most effective, the MyUW Portal team can assist in finding and implementing the best solution.
Personal Information
This widget only has a title,
icon, and Launch button.
Employee Resources
This widget has a list of links and
a Launch button linking to an HR site.
Payroll Information
This widget has buttons, one of which
links to a separate relevant tool.
Search the Library Catalog
This widget has a search bar as well
as multiple buttons and a link.
User groups
The MyUW Portal team manually configures widget access and permissions. Widgets can be displayed to groups of users specified by campus affiliation, HRS role, or a Manifest group of any size.
Widgets also have the capability to only be visible to a user when the user has certain data available (ie. via a JSON data feed).
Keywords and description
When users search for your widget in MyUW, they may not use the exact title to describe what they're looking for. Identifying keywords is the best way to ensure users will be able to find your widget.
In order to help them get to the right place, think about the terms that users might search for or use to describe your digital service, including common misspellings.
For example, the Payroll Information app displays buttons to view earnings or tax statements and to update direct deposit or W4 forms. Since the widget's purpose goes beyond "Payroll Information", the keywords should include all of those primary functions.
After searching, users can read through short descriptions to further distinguish widgets from one another. These descriptions should be more descriptive than the title but fewer than 200 characters.
Request a widget
Email help@doit.wisc.edu with the Request Details listed below. Requests will be escalated to MyUW Portal Administrators for review.
Requests must be received at least 10 days before your desired date of publication.
Don't have all the answers yet? It's okay to reach out and let us know you have an upcoming need.
The MyUW team has the final say on what widgets will be created after reviewing the text and customizations to ensure that it will be accessible and align with UW branding.
Considerations
Consider the following questions when submitting your request:
- Who is the target audience?
- How will users engage with the widget?
- Should they land on a homepage, dashboard, or general landing page for a wide range of tasks?
- Will they start by searching for information (search bar), or perhaps only go to 2-4 specific destinations (buttons)?
- What value will this widget provide for its intended audience?
Request Details
Please submit your request to help@doit.wisc.edu with the following information:
- Widget title: Primary label, 30 character limit. Example: Student Orientation
- Audience group(s): The group(s) to whom the widget should be displayed. Example: Incoming students eligible to sign up for SOAR
- URL that the widget will link to: "Launch" link Example: https://soar.wisc.edu
- Launch button text: Displayed at the bottom of the widget Example: Launch SOAR Portal
- Desired icon: From the supported library or customized, per MyUW - Using icons to customize content
- Desired features: Search bar, button(s), or only icon
- MyUW Search keywords: For users searching for your widget in the app directory Example: SOAR, enroll, sign up, register
- MyUW Search description: Displays in search results, 200 character limit.
You can copy/paste the following details into an email to begin the request process. Please send your request to help@doit.wisc.edu at least 10 days before your desired date of publication.