Welcome to the APA digital team’s request page.

The digital team builds website content tailored to our audiences, within the constraints of our platform and with best practices in mind. We’ll work with you to understand and consider your objectives when we determine the final design.

We help you shape content into our brand voice, build goal-oriented pages using best practices, and present your information in a way that ensures consistency, clarity and usability.

APA’s digital team includes:

• Kelsy McCraw, Deputy Director, Digital Communications – [email protected]
• Chris Tang, Digital Content Specialist – [email protected]
• Ryan Vanderbilt, Membership & Marketing Officer, Integrated Marketing – [email protected]

How to Submit a Request

1. Email your request to [email protected]
2. Describe the request
   • For an update, include the URL of the page.
   • In a few short sentences, provide instructions on what needs to be updated, and include any special instructions that will clarify your request.
   • This would include instructions like “content should not go live until a certain date,” or “content should come down by a certain date.”
   • Follow the instructions below on describing your request based on the type of request, including how to submit an urgent/emergency request.
   • Provide any relevant timelines your team is working with that your request is related to.
   • Be on the lookout for any follow up or questions from our team via your ticket request.

Types of Requests

Please submit content that is in final form. As part of that process, review all content for spelling, punctuation, grammar, and accuracy before submitting your request, and ensure all content has been reviewed and is ready for public consumption.

Making edits after initial design and coding significantly increases the length of time to complete all requests, so our goal is to ensure content is final and design is set before we code a page.

The digital team will review your content and make edits or suggestions based on our responsibilities shepherding brand voice, APA Style Guidelines (and our APA brand-specific style guidelines), grammar, clarity, marketing and web industry best practices, technical limitations or requirements, accessibility, and/or user experience.

Editing existing content

Extensive changes to existing content

• If the request is to make extensive edits to existing content on the site, track the changes in a Word document or use Adobe PDF Comments.
• This keeps the guesswork out of where changes should be made.

Short, simple changes to existing content

• If the request is to make just a few small edits, indicate where the update should be made.
• Example: “Fourth paragraph, third sentence.”

Updating existing images or files (can also be as part of content requests)

• Please provide the existing URL for the existing file
  • Ex) https://www.psychiatry.org/getmedia/3ac9a443-4590-47e6-ad9b-0b2d1cff4d53/APA-Borderline-Personality-Disorder-Practice-Guideline-Under-Copyediting.pdf)
• Please provide the URL of the page the file is featured on, as well as where on the page the file is hyperlinked
  • Ex) file is hyperlinked on Clinical Practice Guidelines page, top of the page under the header "Practice Guidelines for Treating Bipolar...", text hyperlinked is "Practice Guideline Under Copyediting (.pdf)
• All images and files need to be "accessible" as defined in the American Disabilities Act. Please refer to General Counsel's all-staff email from Colleen Coyle on Feb 25, 2021, subject line: "Digital accessibility for APA/APAF - guidance documents added to Intranet." This information can also be found under the Communications tab on the Intranet.
  • If you need help or have questions about making files accessible, please reach out to someone on the digital team.
  • Requesting help making a file accessible would be considered a separate request to adding the finished document to the website, and expectations of turnaround time should reflect that.
  • If you submit a file that is not accessible, the digital team will request you take the time to make the necessary updates/will help you with the necessary updates, but this will extend the turnaround time for the overall request.
  • The digital team will advise on how to make images accessible.

Adding new images or files (can also be as part of content requests)

• Attach any content that you are requesting to be added (files, images, etc.).
• Please provide the URL of the page you want the file to be featured on
• All images and files need to be "accessible" as defined in the American Disabilities Act. Please refer to General Counsel's all-staff email from Colleen Coyle on Feb 25, 2021, subject line: "Digital accessibility for APA/APAF - guidance documents added to Intranet." This information can also be found under the Communications tab on the Intranet.
  • If you need help or have questions about making files accessible, please reach out to someone on the digital team.
  • Requesting help making a file accessible would be considered a separate request to adding the finished document to the website, and expectations of turnaround time should reflect that.
  • If you submit a file that is not accessible, the digital team will request you take the time to make the necessary updates/will help you with the necessary updates, but this will extend the turnaround time for the overall request.
  • The digital team will advise on how to make images accessible.

Creating new content

• Provide a quick background for the content and its purpose
• Send any draft content materials with your request
• Indicate where you believe the new content should appear on the website and/or the intended audience
• If the request may involve a new section or multiple new pages, please request a meeting with the communications and marketing teams to ensure content will be written in a way consistent with how it will be laid out on the website.
  • Examples of existing content and website projects can be provided by the communications team to provide additional guidance on the content layout.

Adding new images or files (can also be as part of your new content request)

• Please attach any files or images to your request with a brief description of the file and its intended use.
• All images and files need to be "accessible" as defined in the American Disabilities Act. Please refer to General Counsel's all-staff email from Colleen Coyle on Feb 25, 2021, subject line: "Digital accessibility for APA/APAF - guidance documents added to Intranet." This information can also be found under the Communications tab on the Intranet.
  • If you need help or have questions about making files accessible, please reach out to someone on the digital team.
  • Requesting help making a file accessible would be considered a separate request to adding the finished document to the website, and expectations of turnaround time should reflect that.
  • If you submit a file that is not accessible, the digital team will request you take the time to make the necessary updates/will help you with the necessary updates, but this will extend the turnaround time for the overall request.
  • The digital team will advise on how to make images accessible

Timeline for Requests

Standard requests

• Every effort will be made to complete routine requests within three business days.
• Depending on bandwidth, the team may or may not be able to process your request within 3 business days. You will be notified if this is the case.
• As we look at the overall queue, we will do our best to prioritize work based on the information we are provided:
  • Please provide ANY relevant timeline information you are working with so the team knows how best to prioritize work. (For example, you need the request processed for a report you have due on a certain date, or for an upcoming meeting or conference.)
• If more information is required to process your request than what is provided, our team will follow up with comments, questions and suggestions. Your timely response to this follow up is required to keep your request moving forward.

Major projects and complex requests

• Some requests will take longer depending on complexity, novelty, or if they require special programming; if this is the case, you will be notified.
  • For example, a request that may take longer could include building a new section of the website or laying out multiple pages of new content.
  • Some requests may require assistance and work from multiple APA departments and vendors.
• If you have such a project, email Kelsy McCraw ([email protected]) and Ryan Vanderbilt ([email protected]) to share objectives.

Emergency requests

• Emergency situations or requests that require an immediate response will receive top priority. For example:
  • Unforeseen, late-breaking changes in information that have significant impact or meaning for our leadership, members, the public, and/or APA
  • Errors in critical content or functionality problems.
  • Removing expired content.
• Please provide the desired deadline and use the word "Urgent" in your request subject.
• If you have an emergency request, email Kelsy McCraw ([email protected]) and Ryan Vanderbilt ([email protected]) in addition to submitting your ticket to ensure we are aware of your deadline.
• Every effort will be made to adhere to your desired deadline, as we juggle multiple competing priorities within the business. The digital team will advise you of the expected turnaround time at submission.

Status updates on request

• Add a comment to the ticket for your project by replying to one of the generated emails.
• Your comment will appear on the ticket and can be viewed by the entire team working on the request.

Working together to finalize content

• We strive to limit edits to content after publication and ask that you review your content and limit revisions to one round during the review process.
• This may require you to work closely with your team prior to submitting requests, but is necessary to ensure quality support.
• Platform, design and best practices often dictate the form of the content and are considered by the digital team when shaping final content.