Statistical Value Conveyed

Paramount for site visitors, statistics aid in reinforcing content and value with factual evidence. The BU Stats plug-in for CDS, provides a way to conveniently add, manage and display of a variety of statistics (some animated) in flexible ways using a WordPress post type.

BU Stats can be used to inform and showcase the benefit of a value proposition in the context of a landing page, and present data from a project or initiative in the context of a default page template.

The documentation here is an overview of the plugin with contextual demonstration within the CDS theme. Additional, specific documentation for the plugin itself can be found here.

 

A modified screengrab demonstrating Statistics in a BU Landing Page curated section (left) and in context with content on a Default Page Template (right).
A modified screengrab demonstrating Statistics in a BU Landing Page curated section (left) and in a Default Page Template using a shortcode (right).

 

Each post-type-based statistic consists of input fields such as:

  • Post Title — A field for entering a clear, summarizing title near the top for the Statistic post. This Post Title will help in referencing and sourcing among All Statistics in the WordPress Admin.
    Statistic Type     — The type of statistic to be rendered. See “Stat Types” below.
  • Theme — The theme a statistic should take the general appearance of. See “Stat Themes” below.
  • Title — An input field for rendering text before the statistic Value and to provide a title. This field is commonly seen as optional and dependent on the presentation of a stat.
  • Value — Depending on the Statistic Type chosen, this field will render a few input fields and/or drop-downs. A fantastic feature of this statistic part is that the primary value can be prefixed† or suffixed* with a variety of select symbols, abbreviated numerical values, and even units of measure.
  • Description — A brief summary of the statistical value can be conveyed in this description field.
  • Image — An appropriate, representative background image that won't steal the focus of the Stat value can be included from the Media Library with this field.

 

An example screen shot demonstrating a single Statistic post type and the fields available for input.
An example screen shot of the WordPress Admin demonstrating a single Statistic post type and the fields available for input. In this example, a ”Number” Statistic Type is observed. Note the Prefix and Suffix values — options for these drop-downs are listed below.

†Prefixed symbols include: “+  –  $  #  =  TOP”
†Suffixed symbols include: “%  %+  +  –  $  #  K  K+  M  M+  B  B+  st  nd  rd  th  ft  in  mm  cm  m  km  yd  mi  sq ft  lb  oz  mg  g  kg  T  ml  gal”

 

A screengrab demonstrates an example of two statistics using a background: The statistic on the left uses a light theme while the one on the right uses a dark theme.
An example of two statistics using a background: The statistic on the left uses a light theme, while the one on the right uses a dark theme.

 

Stat Types

An example demonstrating different statistic types available, using the Default Theme(see Stat Themes below).

The types of statistics available (as referenced in the image above) include:

  • Number (ex: “#1, rank among colleges”)
  • Animated Percentage (ex: “80%, average success rate” [with an animated circle demonstrating the percentage])
  • Text (ex: “Fifteen, Average class size to know your professors better.”)
  • Dual Value (ex: “Top 95 of 100% programs for learning.”)

 

Stat Themes

Statistic posts come with a dropdown selection for designating a theme for a stat. Presently, there are two options available and each theme adjusts the colors and contrast, depending on which is chosen:

  • Default Theme, for standard text to offset lighter backgrounds.
  • Dark Theme, for lighter text to offset darker backgrounds.

An example of statistic types using the Default and Dark Themes.

 

Managing BU Stats in The Admin

Activating The Plug-In / Accessing, Adding & Managing Statistic Posts

  1. From the WordPress Admin dashboard for the theme, click on the Plugins section in the sidebar to the left.

  2. On the Plugins page: Scroll till you come across BU Stats in the listing.

  3. Click on Activate. The page should refresh confirming that the BU Stats plugin is activated.

  4. To access a dedicated area for managing posts of the plugin: click on the newly created "Statistics" section in the sidebar to the left. (Note: this link only works once plugin is activated.)

  5. All created Statistic posts are available for quick adding, editing and removing from this Statistics section.

 

Add a Stat In The Admin

  1. To create a new statistic post, simply click on "Add New".
  2. Upon adding a new statistic: enter in a clear title (for admin reference) and begin by selecting the desired Statistic Type(as referenced at top of this article).

 

Edit a Stat While Previewing a Page

 

While logged in to your WordPress theme and previewing or visiting a page — a small link (“Edit Stat”) will render in the top right corner of each statistic. Clicking this navigates to an admin view of the post for editing the statistic information.

 

Adding BU Stats to Site Pages

BU Landing Pages

A screenshot demonstrates the admin and public facing output of the BU Stats plugin for a BU Landing Page Template.
A screenshot demonstrates the admin and public facing output of the BU Stats plugin for a BU Landing Page Template. The two column area highlighted with a magenta stroke specifically controls the selection of what statistic posts output.

 

Upon activating it's plugin, a re-order-able BU Stats section becomes accessible from any BU Landing Page Template — for which different stats can be attached on a per page basis. Gathering statistics in a section such as this is helpful for reinforcing the value a Landing Page discusses.

This new BU Landing Page section provides fields for:

  • Section Title,
  • Section Description,
  • 2-column space for Statistics post selection (Available Statistics in the left column, Attached Statistics in the right column).
  • (unadvised to add and also optional) View All Statistics field for entering a link, if a page has been created for showing an archive statistics (not recommended for this theme at this time).
  • (optional) Statistics Space [CSS] Class(es) — for entering in any CSS classes with custom styles, such as spark for BU Spark!

 

Default, Content Pages

A screenshot demonstrates the admin and public facing output of the BU Stats plugin for a BU Landing Page Template. The two column area highlighted with a magenta stroke specifically controls the selection of what statistic posts output.
The admin and public-facing output of the BU Stats plugin for a default content page template. The shortcode highlighted around a magenta stroke specifically controls what statistic posts output.

 

On more traditional default content page template, a shortcode is used to add Statistic posts of the BU Stats plugin and is helpful in reinforcing value and facts of the organization and of any projects featured.

[bu_stat ids="80,2312,2313" align="center" theme="default"]

The shortcode consists of [bu_stat and three other parameters which are enclosed by a ] These parameters (and their options) include:

  • ids=(a comma-separated(no spaces) list of id number(s) of Statistic post(s) that have been added to the site(see above) from the admin°.)
  • align=(for alignment of the Statistic post(s) included on a page: "left" "center" and "right" are available for use)
  • theme=(at this time, input either "default" or "dark")

 

° Post id numbers are usually found at the end of a URL of a post, typically viewed from within the admin of your theme. For example: a post id of 80 would serve up a statistic post from an [example]URL such https://www.bu.edu/cds-faculty/wp-admin/post.php?post=80&action=edit. Content that's a part of that Statistic Post will be rendered in a shortcode when its id number of 80 is input.

 

BU Spark! Stats

An example showcasing BU Statistics when BU Spark! is designated either with a class on a BU Landing Page template (left) or if a default page template has been checked as BU Spark!

For the BU Spark! organization special styles can be applied to groups of stats when the spark class is included, either in the Statistics Space Class(es) of the BU Stats section of a BU Landing Page OR if a default content page template is designated BU Spark! using the departments taxonomy.