Higher Ed Webs

Two steps forward....20 steps back

I came across this post today: From homepage to furniture: a new take on higher ed website design?, on collegewebeditor.com about Ohio University's new website. You should really take a look at it and then read my comments...better yet I'll paste my comments below. I can't believe how heated this has gotten me!

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That homepage looks like an early design from before the web matured. I can’t stand site designs based on metaphors. So sad to see a major university take a step back in site design and information architecture. Even worse, as a direct result of the design they are forced to have a separate text-only version. Today good site design is one that is forward compatible and has a single design that works across all end-user environments. In a time when college and university sites should be moving towards segmentation and personalization Ohio launches a site that potentially only appeals to one of their many user-segments. Last, the design does very little to create a digital identity and online brand for the university. What a let down!

WOW! So much for web standards, accessibility, and user-centered design. Every negative aspect that I can see in this new site (lack of Section 508 compliancy, lack of web standards, etc.) are direct results of a design that is based around what either someone or some committee wanted and not what their end-users desire or find appealing. I may not work for Ohio University but a cross-section of end-users will show that the demographics of any college or university web users is pretty much the same...as are the end-user segments...that's enough for now...I'm getting too worked up again.

Perhaps someone should have given them a copy of Dr. Pam Cox-Otto that I mentioned in my first post to the blog. Here it is again from that post,

So far the only resource that I've found is a book by Pam Cox-Otto, PH.D. Make Your Web Site Work: Research and Guidance for Effective Recruiting published by LRP Publications. This book is a MUST! for any one involved with a university web site. There is much more value in this book than simply recruitment-related data and information. Dr. Cox-Otto has done incredible research with user segments from the traditional high school student to non-traditional adult learners and from business partners to alumni. In her book she shares her results and also provides recommendations on how to address the needs of these various and varied user groups.

I tell you what...take a look and tell me what you think. The design is clever and novel at best but how unfortunate for such a reputable institute of higher education.

Read more...

posted by Paul N. @ 6:02 PM