Hello, Web Managers,
Web-downloadable documents currently stored in Blackboard Organization spaces will be migrated to WebDocs, the new web document management solution for George Mason websites.
WebDocs, a joint project of the ITS WAS and OUB Web Teams, will store and manage web- downloadable documents that meet both WCAG 2.1 accessibility standards and content purpose criteria.
WebDocs features include:
- Continued Editing Access – Content editors will be able to update migrated files in the future, and new versions will retain the same URL.
- Adding New Files – Editors can upload new documents to WebDocs.
- Automatic URL Redirection – Existing Blackboard document links on SiteMasonry CMS pages will automatically resolve to the new WebDocs location—no manual updates required.
Webpages Versus Downloadable Documents
In most cases, content should be published as a webpage rather than contained in a PDF, Word document, or PowerPoint file.
There are a few situations when a downloadable web document is appropriate:
- Forms that require print-only submissions: Documents that must be printed, signed, or submitted in hard copy.
- Reports or policy documents: Official publications that need to retain formatting for compliance, archival, or print distribution.
Industry best practices discourage the use of downloadable documents whenever possible.
Content locked within a document is harder to access, navigate, and find compared to webpage content, creating several challenges:
Difficult to access: PDFs and other formats often lack proper tagging, making them inaccessible to screen readers and assistive technologies.
- Disruptive to read: Downloadable files interrupt browsing flow, requiring extra steps to open and navigate.
- Not mobile-friendly: PDFs and other documents do not resize well, forcing users to zoom and scroll.
- Obscured from analytics: Analytics are less available for documents than web pages. For example, when a web user finds a PDF using Google search, that web user’s click to the PDF isn’t recorded in George Mason’s analytics.
- Lower search visibility: Search engines prioritize webpage content over document content, making PDFs harder to find.
Prepare to Move to WebDocs
For each document in your Blackboard Org space, take one of the following actions based on its content and purpose:
- Delete: Remove outdated, redundant, or irrelevant documents.
- Relocate: Use the Solutions Matrix for Bb Orgs Transition to determine where a document should be moved, based on its purpose and content.
- Convert to Web Content: If the information is evergreen or frequently referenced, incorporate the content into webpage instead of keeping it in a downloadable file.
- Confirm Accessibility Compliance: The Assistive Technology Initiative office can confirm that documents for public download meet WCAG 2.1 digital accessibility criteria. Documents left in Blackboard Org spaces for migration must meet digital accessibility standards.
Transition Timeline
- Now–April 2025: Review files stored in BB Org spaces.
- Delete outdated or unused documents.
- Move documents that are not printable forms, policies, or reports.
- Confirm the web downloadable documents (printable forms, policies, or reports) meet WCAG 2.1 accessibility standards.
- May–June 2025: Migration process begins. If you have finished your cleanup early, let us know!
- July 2025: Blackboard file storage is decommissioned.
Have Questions?
Have questions about the move to WebDocs? Finished your cleanup early? Let us know!