Web site redesign has potential, requires internal coordination

March 27, 2006 —

The redesigned version of the SVSU Web site was officially launched on Wednesday, March 15 - at least the front page of it. Many visitors were surprised by the dramatic makeover and, as with all changes, there have been initial complaints. In general, regular visitors to the Web site have concentrated most of their feedback on what is missing from the front page rather than acknowledge the enormous task the University is undertaking.

What most fail to recognize is the crucial role the old Web site failed to perform: promotion. The Web site - especially the front page - is often the first impression that prospective students have of SVSU. It is surprising the old design lasted as long as it did, considering its aesthetics did not reflect any of the modern design found on campus. The old site's cutout of the bell tower was certainly an inadequate - if not cheesy - attempt at capturing the beauty of campus.

The new Web site, however modern it looks, is much more than just a redesign. The new navigation bar reflects an effort to realign the University's online content. One of the largest challenges that Web sites face is delivering content to impatient visitors. Surveys have revealed that users stay on Web pages for mere seconds before clicking on links to other pages. When frustrated, visitors actually opt to leave sites immediately rather than persist in searching for what they were looking for. There is no way to know how many people have lost interest in SVSU because they were lost on the Web site. In the past, the site did not provide obvious links for user groups such as parents, community members, and alumni. Presumably dedicated users found what they were looking for by using the Google search box embedded on the Web site.

The new site has not mastered organization, though. Efforts are still needed to improve some aspects of the site's structure. Although useful, the lengthy lists of links that appear on pages like "current students" are especially daunting to visitors. In this case, less is more.

Unfortunately, changing only the front page has created a new challenge for visitors. The harsh transition between the front page and old Web pages is uncomfortable at best. Potential students researching academic programs are in for a shock when they click the link on the front page. These pages need immediate attention.

Of course, the question begs to be asked: why did the University only update the front page? Obviously, the University has plans to update the rest of the Web site, but considering how many hundreds - if not thousands - of pages this entails, it is understandable that the University didn't want to waste the efforts of its Web team. The feedback that this week and a half has provided is probably more valuable than the hours they endured in meetings prototyping the Web site.

One piece of feedback they also should consider is the need for more frequently updated student news and club Web pages. The site is the driving force behind all news that is SVSU, yet so many events are not mentioned. Understandably, these changes require the cooperation of the various organizations.

It is also possible is that the redesign has reached a roadblock. A successful realignment requires coordination between many groups within the University. Assuming some of these departments aren't sure how to format content for the Web, the reasoning for publishing the front page so early could have been to provide a clear template. Now that the design is readily available, the groups responsible for pages further down in the hierarchy should have a clearer idea of what changes they need to make.

And despite a few complaints, the new design is pretty good. Aesthetically, it looks as sophisticated as other university Web sites. By publishing a taste of changes to come, the University has put pressure on itself to finish the job. The only way for this redesign to fail is if it ends as quickly as it began.