UD launches redesigned home page

The redesign offers visitors an enhanced search area and site map, a new “spotlight on UD” area featuring articles University accomplishments and a cleaner, more contemporary look.

“When people think of a web page getting redesigned, they often think first of the graphics, and the redesign team did spend a lot of time choosing the new photographs that show off the campus,” Joy Lynam, associate director of UD’s Information Technologies--Management Information Services, said. “But, in redesigning the site, our two biggest goals were increased outreach and improved usability, and we really concentrated on making information accessible.”

The makeover, which began in January and involved extensive market research and careful analysis of other home pages, drew on the input and resources from several campus units, including Management Information Services, User Services and the Office of Public Relations.

“When planning the site, we studied hundreds of home pages maintained by commercial enterprises and other universities to learn about current trends,” Lynam said.

“We knew that one change we wanted was to bring all the directory tools together so they were less scattered, and we knew that another feature we wanted was a 'center stage' area that would shine the spotlight on University accomplishments,” Lynam said.

To address these goals, an area in the upper right-hand corner of the redesigned home page lets visitors browse and search for specific information via a one-stop portal, and a new “highlight” area focuses on regularly updated University happenings and bragging rights.

Another notable addition is the “Events" column, which is intended to serve a broad audience of visitors both within and beyond the University community.

“When we added a news feature to the [previous] home page, visits to the site skyrocketed,” Lynam said. “The new events feature, which was added in response to user demand, also will draw more traffic to the site.

“With the redesign, we really cared that we delivered the information, search tools and navigability that visitors require to locate what they want to find,” Lynam said.

Lynam added that engaging users in the search process was another important goal designers of the new site set for themselves. “We wanted to engage visitors and also keep them coming back to the site,” she said. “On a well-designed site, every page should have a next step so that a user can learn more, and this new design addresses that.”

One feature on the new site that has been around since the rollout of the first UD home page in 1998 remains—a feedback window. Using this tool, visitors can submit and ideas on ways they think the site could better serve their needs.

“We offered that feature when we first posted a home page, and we thought it would be short-term,” Lynam said, “but it’s really been a great communication tool. Visitors can tell us what they are looking for and departments can tell us what we need to add.”

Lynam said revamping the home page depended much on the collegial spirit members of the redesign team lent to it. “One person can’t redesign a site,” she said, “and UD’s new home page really benefited from teamwork. Everyone’s contribution to this project was important to its outcome.”

Article by Becca Hutchinson

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