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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The reviews are in, and critics and Web surfers alike are calling Indiana University's new gateway Web page -- officially launched March 1 -- "dynamic," "incredibly user-friendly" and "a home run."
While these might sound like blurbs for a new blockbuster movie or book, they were some of the actual comments from high school students, school counselors, parents and other people from outside IU, even from outside the United States, who were asked to provide feedback about how fast IU's new site appears on the screen and whether the information it offers is useful.
"The IU Web site is a great introduction to the IU system. It looks and feels vibrant and allows quick access to the key information that students and parents need," said Mark Rothschild, whose Chicago-area company, FastWEB, has been called the premier one-stop financial aid and career Internet site for college-bound students and their parents.
Last fall, IU's Office of Public Affairs and Government Relations joined forces with University Information Technology Services to create a unique new team of Web information architects, writers, graphic designers and survey researchers. Several faculty members also were consulted.
Their efforts resulted in a complete redesign of IU's main home page, as well as nearly 20 other new Web pages devoted to resources available on all eight IU campuses, application information, available majors and programs, and other information identified as important in surveys.
Illustrating why IU's approach is unique, Rothschild observed, "For too many schools, their Web site serves as a collection of links, rather than creating a cohesive whole. Schools fall into one of two traps with their Web sites: One, it's just a front page with a collection of links to individual departments, with no cohesive strategy or consistent user experience, or, two, they just simply make it a brochure on-line."
In April 1998, IU Web servers were accessed more than 2.8 million times, and about one-third of these "virtual visits" came from outside the IU community.
The look and feel of the new Web pages will be comfortably familiar to those who have seen the university's promotional literature and commercials, noted Christopher Simpson, IU vice president for public affairs and government relations.
"Because the new Web page is an invaluable communications tool, we felt that it is essential that it be user-friendly, comprehensive, informative and fun. We believe we have met these objectives, while visually aligning the page to the university's current marketing efforts," Simpson said. "The Web page dovetails both in appearance and key messages with our other communications venues, including publications, posters, billboards and television commercials.
"With the Web page as an integral piece, we believe the effort to better tell IU's wonderful success story has become truly integrated," Simpson added.
Michael McRobbie, IU vice president for information technology and chief information officer, said, "The IU Web site was developed through a close partnership between the Office of Communications and Marketing and University Information Technology Services. UITS Web developers and usability experts focused their efforts on the technological aspects that could best deliver the image and information as defined by the content experts in the OCM. The project team worked to ensure that best practices in Web design were incorporated in the development of the new site."
Cynthia Schultz served as team leader and project manager. Julie Jensen managed usability testing of the Web pages and assisted with all aspects of the project, including conceptualizing sites and organizing information into formats for Web pages.
IU's site, under development and testing since last fall, replaces an existing gateway page for IU and its eight campuses. Its new features include quicker access to IU libraries and a new search engine powered by InfoSeek and developed by UITS' Web Tech Services. Greater ease in finding e-mail addresses, computing help and other university-wide tools are other key features. Future plans for the site include implementing a new events calendar about cultural, athletic and academic events at all eight IU campuses.
Setting the project apart from other similar redesign endeavors were the level of collaboration by people from various areas of the university and the amount of usability research that was conducted, which isn't always part of the design process. UITS and PAGR assigned staff to specific roles on a team with stated goals "to establish and sustain a Web presence that illustrates IU's position as a technological leader."
For example, IU is home to the Abilene Network Operations Center, the most advanced research and educational computing network in the United States, which began nationwide operations on Feb. 24. IU also is the lead institution in initiating and establishing another computing network, TransPAC, which will connect more than 50 educational institutions in North America and the Asian Pacific region.
In order to design the new main IU site, a rapid prototyping model was developed, and adjustments to prototype pages were made, based on findings and recommendations from usability tests and expert evaluations. The resulting IU gateway page was tested by prospective students from across the United States, including those in Florida, California and New Jersey, as well as by people abroad in Germany, Malaysia and India.
Attention was given to assure a diverse audience of usability testers by grade level, familiarity with IU, and language. The new pages also comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the design recognizes the needs of color-blind and visually impaired users.
IU's new gateway Web site can be seen at http://www.indiana.edu
(George Vlahakis, 812-855-0846, gvlahaki@indiana.edu)