Home page designs posted
The committee and working subcommittees have met at least once a month since beginning the project in April. In addition, the committee has had meetings with many campus constituents (some multiple times) as well as focus groups with each of the target audiences, including current students, faculty and staff, prospective students and alumni. A survey of nearly 1,800 users was also conducted early in the process as well.
As a reminder, this project entails the re-design of the www.ncsu.edu homepage as well as the creation of ~ 100 top-level "core" pages. It does not include the re-design of college, unit or department sites though some guidelines and templates will be created and shared.
Primary goals for the re-designed homepage:
- Embody the NC State brand and convey critical marketing messages
- Create a simplified structure and improved user-centric navigation to improve usability
- Enhance the visual design
- Focus on prospective students
- Create a sense of community and collaboration
To make yourself familiar with the page elements review this earlier post. Please note, these are just flat images and not programmed HTML pages at this point. All designs will be reviewed for compliance with regulatory requirements under ADA and section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.
We encourage you to provide feedback on the visual design, sharing your thoughts and input on your favorites, things you like, dislike, or would like to see included (or omitted) as well as any other thoughts you may have. As mentioned above, the content on these concepts is not final yet. Please use the comments field at the bottom of this post.
Click on each thumbnail image to see a larger version of the design concepts.
Concept 1 - Action:
This design features a large, dynamic image in the main promotional area. The image and related story/content are intended to show the kind of action and activity that happen every day on NC State's campus.
The large image would load randomly (i.e., on one visit you may get a research-related image while the next time you may get a campus life image) but you can also select your interest area by scrolling through the tabs and arrows below. If you selected one of the other areas the whole top area would change to that featured image/headline. For example, you can see that the research "tab" has been selected in this version. It is envisioned that the image/story for each of the categories (academics, research, outreach, campus life, diversity and international) would change every 3-6 weeks.
Other page elements include a news/events area (you can tab between the two) as well as a secondary story, quick facts and campus slide show.
This design features a large, dynamic image in the main promotional area. The image and related story/content are intended to show the kind of action and activity that happen every day on NC State's campus.
The large image would load randomly (i.e., on one visit you may get a research-related image while the next time you may get a campus life image) but you can also select your interest area by scrolling through the tabs and arrows below. If you selected one of the other areas the whole top area would change to that featured image/headline. For example, you can see that the research "tab" has been selected in this version. It is envisioned that the image/story for each of the categories (academics, research, outreach, campus life, diversity and international) would change every 3-6 weeks.
Other page elements include a news/events area (you can tab between the two) as well as a secondary story, quick facts and campus slide show.
Concept 2 - Utility
This design has the same page elements as the "action" concept but is much more utilitarian and content-heavy. Similar to many of the news and information sites visited regularly on the Web (CNN, MSNBC, etc.), this design has a main story/image and related content and links (in the gray box). You may notice that we are showing that the main area could be video in addition to being a static image. The same is true for concept 1. Don't worry, we've heard that if we use video it should not auto-play on page load.
The colored text tabs at the top (by the "Get Involved") would function similar to the tabs in the first design and change the main feature area to related content. Different from the other concepts, the search and quicklinks fields are in the left column with the other navigation in this design.
Concept 3 - Your Story. Your NC State.
Though it looks different from the two previous designs, the elements of this concept are the same as the other two designs. All navigation is the same and the same content is featured (except for the campus slideshow).
The big difference here is in the obvious treatment of the main feature area. Rather than focusing on one primary story and cycling through other themes, here those stories are featured through individual stories and profiles from throughout campus. This could be a feature on a student's unique experience (perhaps a community service effort), faculty research or an accomplished alum among countless others. We are envisioning new stories and content being added regularly and this is indicated through some of the images that have the "new" tag. Similarly, older stories are faded back.
As you'll see in the second of the two jpgs, as you roll over the different images you'll see what the content is related to (research, outreach, campus life, etc.) and you can click on each image to get the full story. That content could be a video (as is shown here) or another page with image/story, link to another site or some form of other media.
We have also built in a method for site visitors to share their own stories and viewpoint (see "Share Your Story"). This idea needs to be further defined but think of a mechanism for users to add to the homepage content or share stories that may be of interest to others.
Other page elements (news/events, secondary story, quick facts) are on the second half of the page.
Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comments area.
117 Comments:
I love how the third concept allows for much more student involvement and interaction in the site. It's more interesting than the other two because it's much more unexpected for a University site.
I definitely prefer the first of the three. It relies more upon images, which stand out more, and there's more space between the elements so it's easier on the eyes. There's also a pleasant dearth of the ugly manila color that mars the other two templates. The other two are also rather crowded.
If you're worried about showing the involvement of the student body, the first template also obliges. It puts a picture of students in action front and center, then surrounds said picture with articles.
If I had to pick a second favorite, it would be the second template. (Perhaps it's not coincidence that I like them in the order in which I saw them. Unfortunately, I've no choice but to operate on the assumption that's not the case.) The second still presents the information in a relatively eye-friendly format. It doesn't grab my eyes like the bold simplicity of the first, though.
The third template, though it's all about the students, is just crowded. I also have to wonder why on God's green Earth there's an option to download NCSU videos to an iPod. Then again, I also find myself wondering why the iPod's popular, so maybe that's just me.
In the end, something that could be cleared up in all three is what is meant by "Diversity", "Student Life", etc. Perhaps a popup element in the page that fades in? This assumes the user has JavaScript enabled, of course, but you can't do much in today's Web world without JavaScript, anyway. Just ask Google.
3 (THREE!) will set us apart from other schools and it will do so for all the right reasons. It is super smart, clean, easy to read and focuses on the stories that make us a great university. It also just looks better than the others. I think it would encourage a student to come here far more than the others. No choice—3 (THREE!) will do us proud. Go pack! Go new home page #3!
of the three, I would have to go with the first design. the second would be my second choice, but overwhelmingly i prefer number one. . . the third design leaves much too much dead space, and fails grab my attention.
Design 1 is the best. Just don't let it get too "busy" or graphics heavy... my only concern is how long will it take to load the site with that huge graphic? Design 2 isn't bad either. Design 3 is ugly... don't even consider this one.
I hope you guys are using CSS and XHTML so that all of the code validates. It should look good in compliant browsers like Firefox and Safari.
Also make sure you're using text for text (and not graphics for text elements). The only exception would be the NC State logo. But headers and headlines should be text.
By the way, I like the idea of "Your Story, Your NC State" just not the design of the #3 version. Maybe this idea could be incorporated into a 2nd-level page on the site, using the #1 design?
I like the first design best. It conveys a sense of energy but doesn't look like every other university web page. It's more colorful than the second design but still conveys the feeling that we're a major research university which I don't think the last design does (the last design is an interesting concept that perhaps could be incorporated at the bottom of the first design).
I like the third concept the best. It is really geared toward students, while making the other links easy to locate. You might want to consider using less photos here, to have more impact. Looks crowded with so many photos to choose from. Maybe highlight 3-5 at a time, changing them periodically.
If you notice, schools that have better graphics on their websites are often lower-ranked schools.
Take a look at Stanford, Harvard, MIT. It's about simplicity and content.
I favor #2.
While all of the designs are great, I think #2 looks cleaner and more professional, plus it seems a bit easier to navigate. I vote for #2
I like-a da Number 3!!!! . It makes me very excite!!!
I prefer the first concept of the three. Although the third concept is decent, it certainly does not grab the attention of the viewer. Without question, the first concept is rich in color and in style.
My vote is for design #1. The simplicity and graphics make it more attractive. It seems to be easier to navigate because it is not as wordy as the other designs.
The first one is best. Keep it simple
My preference is Design #1, the design looks pretty cool, an attractive first glance to people looking a NC State.
Design #3 is commendableas well, I like the interative feature. But I still would got with #1.
I like the third design. It makes the person that is looking at the site feel involved in the university. "Your" says it all, that is what got my attention because as a student it is mine. But also it is the story of so many alumni and so many future students. This design makes the school look busy and allows the opinion that students here do more than go to class, eat in dining halls, study all night in dorms, and sleep. It shows that we as a student body are active. I would be far less likely to even bring up the NCSU homepage if it looked like either of the first two designs, and I wouldn't be too pleased with the thought of anyone else viewing our website either.
i like #1
Concept 1 is definetly the way to go. Less clutter, easy on the eyes, and not too much content definetly make this the most professional and aesthetically pleasing design.
Number 3 best choice by far!!!
Possibly could add little more red background instead of the pale beige/manila color!!
Angie
I like one and two the best.
Number 1 is strongest visually, and a perfect example of how well chosen and placed images can capture attention and bring a message to life. I also think it is the most user friendly. The boldly color blocked menus help the viewer to simplify organizing the content so as not to be overwhelmed. This means a visitor can quickly identify groups of related topics, then easily focus on a limited amount of information of interest.
I like the new Apply to NCState button. That was difficult to find when applying online.
The simplicity (uncluttered look) and boldness (easy to spot links) of concept 1 make it a winner. Periodic changing of the main picture is also a plus.
Design #1 is my choice. Of the three it's the one that caught my attention and the one I wanted to click on and enlarge to view the details. Too much white on the third one and didn't grab my interest to obsever further. We are trying to grab student's attention. We should do so with #1!
I definitely prefer the first concept: action over the other two. Action gives a first time visitor a powerful impression of NC State and seems more modern than the other two, as well as, Action seems the most user friendly.
I like the first design. Although I really like the concept of the third design, it is a bit busy and doesn't really have one focal point to draw attention to. Maybe this concept of "stories" could be incorporated into the first design through a separate page? The design looks clean and easy to navigate. I get frustrated with webpages that aren't easy to navigate. No one wants to have to hunt to find a certain link. This site is appealing to the eye and looks very functional.
Design 2 is way too wordy. I don't like news pages like that because I feel they are hard to nagivate with so much copy.
First design is my favorite. It is appealing to the eye and looks easy to navigate.
The second design is too wordy. It doesn't make NCSU look like a fun, vibrant place to be.
I like the concept of the third design, but I don't like it as the homepage because it doesn't have a main focal point. Maybe you could incorporate this "stories" idea into a separate page in the first design.
On first impression, I think Concept 2 is better than the others. I like the ample white space, which makes this design less "cluttery." The main, vertical navigation on the left is not particularly effective. The horizontal navigation across the top seems to jump out as the "main" naivation. The selections highlight themes.
That said, I like most of what I see. We just need to be careful and ensure that we do not ruin a good thing. I participated in a formal usability comparision between the big three Triangle universities last year. Of the three, the NCSU site was by far the best. It stood out because it was better categorized, with a much more effective navigational hierarchy. Also, it conveyed the message that people actually "do things" at NC State. I think it is crucial to maintain that general theme...i.e. "Innovation in Action."
I like the first one
My reflex reaction to the three choices says Design 1 - 'Action'. However, Design 2 looks more like what I would expect from a university home page. My problem with Design 2 is that the main navigation area on the left (in fact, the whole left side) does not stand out as much as it should for it being a primary navigation area.
For a worthy alternative to Design 1, I would suggest replacing the Main Feature Area (page element #4) of Design 3 with Design 2's.
While "Your Story. Your NC State" may be nice for students *at* NC State, as a prospective student researching a university I don't know if I would really find current student's stories more relevant than learning about research highlights, new developments, and other feature stories about the school. Design's #1 and #2 get this message across more.
To me as a current student, I am honestly more interested in seeing how the second tier page will look. The 'For Students' page (http://www.ncsu.edu/students.html) may look boring now but boy do I find it functional. Anything I need to find I can immediately get a link to it.
Great to see these designs up. I'm excited.
I definitely like number one the best. I do not like number two at all. It seems that links are not in a logical order or where they are expected. Since, a lot of people like three maybe incorporate the stories into the slideshow at the bottom of number one. I don't think the third concept would appeal to visitors to the site that aren't students. And there are a considerable number of visitors that aren't students. The download to iPod is useless in my opinion. Also, people like to recognize faces, so make sure the pictures even the small ones next to the 'experience diversity' and 'get a student life' are updated frequently. Overall, good work!
I like the first option the most. It's the most colorful and eye-catching. My only suggestion would be to make all of the Diversity/Research/etc links show at the same time instead of having them scroll. Maybe make the "Apply to NC State" button smaller or move it elsewhere on the page so those links stretch all the way across the bottom of the picture.
Design 1 is the best one. It really grabs your attention and it just looks interesting.
I prefer #2. Its sleek, minimalistic, and makes good use of white space. #1 is just too bold, the main picture is distracting. #3 is nice in concept but not practicality. The 'your story' is a good idea but I would not want so many on the home page. Maybe add 1-2 'your stories' to #2, and link to a 'your story' page with all the other stories.
Concept 1 is the strongest.
The first design seems to be the most clean and concise looking one. As long as it is easy for visitors to find things they are looking for then that one should win.
Can parents find info on their kids, or at least phone numbers? Future students can find the admissions homepage?
I see nothing different on these choices that helps NC Businesses. The terms Partners and Outreach have no real meaning. The front page should invite in NC Businesses, not turn them away with such an "Academic" site.
I like #1 the best, followed by #3.
I like #1 the best, followed by #2. #3 didn't grab me at all. The first 2 allow for an easy to follow scan of the page, in my opinion, before choosing a particular area of interst.
Version 1 is the clear winner.
A university webpage is used primarily by 2 sets of people: those who work/attend the university and those interested in working/attending the university.
Design 2 incorporates images that are helpful in attracting new students and employees AND it is utilitarian for the current students and workers.
Flashy designs look great at first glance, but they aren't practical. University websites should be centered around information, news, and academia.
first one very nice
I would love to see the first of the three get chosen. Everything is large enough to get noticed and is still organized. I like it!
Well, finally I come to this conclusion that I liked the Concept-1 at my first glance. Since, it was really eye catching. The use of colors is impressive. I like the icon of 'Apply Now' which was not there when I was seeking admission to NC State. Information displayed is easy to comprehend. The third one makes no sense to me at all about stories. Why?? Stories should be put in a side column if needed to be displayed. I will definitely go with the first one.
number 2 has a clean and easy to navigate look...best choice
I like the first concept (action). I think it's much more visually "grabbing" than the others and I think it conveys what NCSU is all about better than the others.
It is hard to balance the usefulness of the site to students and faculty accessing it for information with the eye-catching element desired to make it attractive to prospective students and the public. I think its clear that the first design is the best compromise between these two things. It is colorful and has a large space for pictures and/or ads, but still seems to have information readily accessible.
Number 3 by far! It is much more clean and personal. Plus it has the option for students, faculty, and staff to be a part of the page's ongoing upkeep.
I like the simplicity and overall design of the first webpage, but I really like the idea of the "my nc state" that was presented in number three. Like others have said, it would be nice to incorporate the two.
The first one is definitely the way to go. The way it is layed out draws the viewer in, enticing them to really take a look. The second one is too bland, it's a website, big deal- make it special. The third; even though it does have more than one picture- it looks horrible. A viewer's eyes wouldn't know where to go. The layout isn't strong enough to make someone ok with spending awhile on the site to find out more about our school, if anything it sets them up for the headache they're about to endure. Go with number one, it's clean cut, eye catching and looks like it belongs to an upstanding university but it has the NC State touch to it.
The first design is the best, becaus it has something on the website to draw people in. I like the idea of the stories on the third one, you should merge that with the changing graphics on the first design. The emphasis on student life benefits potential, incoming and current students, not just alumni and researchers like the old site
Numbers one and two. Keep it simple, not so busy
I like the layout of 1 and 3 and the tabs on the left of 3. However I keep noticing the belltower in the header. I know that the belltower is very nice and is an important part of our campus but it is not something that is really connected to student life. I have been to the belltower maybe 5 times in my 2.5 years here. Something like one of our state logos or running wolves or something that is more connected to student life may be more appeasing.
All of them are way too busy. That being said, the first of the three is better, but it still is too busy. I hope we do not go for eye candy instead of function. People get frustrated very quickly if it is too hard to find the information needed.
i like the first design. it aligns directly with the Chancellor's "Innovation in Action" theme that he's had going since his installation. It gives a very personalized 1-on-1 interaction feeling to it. i also like that the color pops out at you...drawing you in almost.
the other two are ok. but as already mentioned, they tend to be a little busy with everything going on. i like the concept of having one focal point to draw you in and other elements to keep you reading. but be careful of the business of all of them.
I am in favor of design #2.
I like that the links that are utility (which I value) utility are at the top of the page. However, I would like to see some of the prominent links point to useful things for State students (maybe people within the network can get a different page than those outside?)
I think #1 is too bold and gaudy (displeasing to the eye) and it requires the user to search harder to find useful information. #3 simply does not focus on anything of any importance in the daily routine of a student.
I prefer the Action and Your Story templates. They're the most different from what we currently have, and I believe different from what I've seen of other schools. I agree with "kevin" who posted at 12:51 AM. His ideas for the fading menus are good, and would both useful and visually appealing. They're certainly a far cry from the hideously utilitarian lists of links we currently have.
The third is by far the best, followed by the second with the first a distant last place (it is among other things too fundamentally similar to the current homepage). The third is both an attractive recruiting tool and the only design that allows for multiple faces to represent the university as it first impression. It not only gives a sense of the range and scale of the school, but also there is something personalizing in the "your story" concept. The other two make NC State seem to distant, emphasizing it as an institution. The third gives a sense of institutional character, but does so with a further emphasis on the uniqueness of the NC State experience and of the student body. Its says be yourself, and be a student here!
I like the Option # 3 best. The first thing I noticed was "Your Story, Your NC State"
I would know is
WHY one chose NCSU, what are some of the best experiences being an NCSU student.
WHAT NCSU can give me and what can I give to NCSU.
WHERE, can i look for an opportunity to excel myself at something, what resources do I have available.
These are the most important Questions I'd like an NCSU student to give me, so I can make the right decision, and enjoy it while I'm HERE.
I can't believe all these people are saying 1 and 3. #2 is the best! it provides ease of use, easy to navigate and the picture is not too big and in the way, like in #1. there's more white space so it's just easy to see and use.
Based on the examples given, the best choice for the homepage is design 2. It is simple, conveys plenty of information, and can be easily updated to add new content Based on potential, design 3 would be the best choice for a homepage. The idea of students contributing the website sounds good, but then a lot of bad ideas sound good on paper. I think a hands-on example will be required before a final dicision can be made.
You're next course of action should be to create functioning examples of designs 2 and 3, and then let the student body decide between the two.
a) There's a lot going on here; I feel like I'm looking at Yahoo. The photo dominates the page even though it's in the background & the graphics seem rather garish.
b) Well organized and straight-forward. I like the softer color scheme, although I would prefer the banner have a light-on-dark color scheme.
c) The best looking of the three--quite similar to Cornell's site actually. I'm not sold on the "Your State" concept; it sounds gimmicky and doesn't seem to communicate much information.
Personally, I'd like to see the look of (c) combined with the functionality of (b).
I like the first one among the three, but also like the idea of the pop up video that you have in the last image. Perhaps a combination of the two would look good ?
The first one really stands out in my opinion, as it hits you the moment the page loads -- you are immediately interested in the large main photograph and the stories behind it.
I like the way the content around the main story has been organized as well.
i like the third concept it is more personal and more attractive visually. It is a lot better because it is not ordinary
Design 3 seems more like a marketing piece for the Undergraduate Admissions office and less like a portal to a complex institution with multiple roles. I would vote for either of the first two designs.
Concept number 1 is my favorite of the 3 concepts.
I like the first one the best. The third one is worst, and the second one is too cluttered.
All three are very solid designs. I would like to see the full name of the university written out prominently since we recruit students and interact with scholars from all over the world. You have to hunt to find NC written out anywhere, and that seems a bit provincial for a world-class institution. It's the WORLD Wide Web, after all.
I also think that the content that feeds these pages performs the double duty of marketing and history. The content should be about the most important things that happen here. It's easier to justify resources for the web site's continuing development if it documents our history while also recruiting new students, hustling support, etc.
For this reason, I would go for #3 since it is trying to tell the NC State story. Also, I see a lot of university web sites that are starting to look like #1 (kinda what's fashionable these days on the web). #3 is more unique.
All three look incredibly BUSY to me. I don't know where I am supposed to look first.
Stop trying to cram so much on the front page and focus on simplifying the designs a little more. Give clear direction into the site, giving the parts that people are going to click on greater weight and visibility.
Don't try to please everyone equally and serve the students first. They are your primary client.
I like the third template the best. It's simple, clean and has its focus on the students. The first one is a bit too colorful to the eyes. The second template is not as beautiful as the third one.
#2 is the best
Look at other top notch University web sites that have been a success and you will instantly notice its all about being simple and effective
Busy (and blocky) pages distract attention away from the main goal of the website (to inform, provide resources, etc). Image mouse-overs, blocky image navs, and large main image homepages were retired years ago for anything attempting to look professional. #1 and #3 are old school, blocky designs that distract.
Do you want it to look like a 5 star restaurant menu, or a McDonald's happy meal menu? "But the McDonald's menu looks cool!" - Scream some of the NCSU students...
Keep it simple sir. Like a previous comment, I think the Stanford page represents a simplicity that works well. The slide show of NCSU/Raleigh/NC environs should work, also like the Stanford page, to illustrate the assets of the region (unfortunately the photogenic Pacific coast isn't here, but we have other geographic assets to show off that will help with student & faculty recruiting). Less can be presented graphically and in text, by having the slide show and links to all the info you may want to have available. But up front, it should be clean, crisp and "academic". By this perspective, version #2 appears to be the simplest and have the most straight-forward functionality. You can always tweak the text and font colors, but move toward less text and graphics to the extent they are needed or are critical images for links. Version #3 tries too hard for "eye candy" and is cluttered for the prospective student or one trying to find the important functionality. Version #1 looks too much like a commercial site.
What to do with the clock tower? A connection to tradition is good, but the tower has been overused and an alternative, traditional campus shot would be refreshing. In the banner, you might consider how to simply present the tradition (oak-lined greenways, Georgian buildings, if they can be found) transitioning into a "technology rich envrionment". But as a home page - simple, clean and functional!
#1 is the best because each of the menus stand out, so it is easier to nvigate through. #2 is too bland and dosn't catch peoples attention. I like the idea behind #3 but how often will it be updated. Is there going to be a new clip every week. If you can incorporate the #3's idea into the #1's design, I think it will work better.
I like #1 (action) the best. It has the flash of a portal site (which is what you're looking for), but still gives easy access to every kind of information that anyone could want.
The fact that you have different tabs on the main page for different areas of interest within the university is a great way to offer customization to each and every user.
Great job with the designs!
I like the first design the best. The second and third choice seem boring.
As a faculty member, I strongly prefer the third choice. It is a very clean, sophisticated, and professional design that I would be proud for my colleagues to see. The pictures give an excellent range of the fields of study and action at NC State -- ranging from humanities, to engineering, to vet medicine, to design, to media etc -- and of the diversity of our members. The page also rightly puts students and their educational experience at the center of NC State. The webpage also gives off a "warm" feeling: that of pride and ownership in the university. All together, it is a very impressive and smart design.
The second design is a nice, functional, professional-looking university webpage. While I think it would serve us well, it has nothing special to distinguish NC State from other universities.
I like the first design the least. It is flashy and too busy visualy, and the focus in on images to the exlcusion of substance. We are a major research university, and our entry webpage should communicate as much. While the design might be good for a student life page, I don't think it makes a good portal page for the university as a whole.
i like the third concept, as many people are saying, because it is more unique and it would make us stand out more. i also agree that maybe "north carolina state university" could be more prominent on the webpage
use design 1 or 2...design 3 doesnt seem professional to me at all...perhaps use it as a second page???
Design 3 is the one I like the best. It's all about a University and it's students. I don't like the other ones as much because they fell (as the current site does) as if they are just selling the University to people who aren't here yet. Look at all the students and gauge what they want to see.
I like the personal feel of design number three, your story your nc state, but the design of number one os more catching, the bigger picture really pulls you in as long as it is a highly engaging picture.
I prefer version two.
Concept 1 looks unintelligent -- it's so obviously a big fat advertisement that it doesn't look like it belongs to a university at all. Also, people who are already students, faculty, or staff at NCSU are surely going to be using the home page more than anyone, and we don't want to have to go through all that content aimed at prospective students every time we just need to navigate to registration and records or the personnel office or the library catalog.
My favorite is Concept 2, because it looks smarter and more useful.
Concept 3 isn't bad, though -- I know that usability studies have shown that those individualized stories do tend to attract and interest people. And it is more interesting-looking than Concept 2. But I like the tabs on Concept 2, because they make navigating easy. If those were incorporated into Concept 3 I'd vote for that.
Number 1 is easiest on the eyes. I stare at a computer screen all day at work and number 1 hurts my head the least.
My vote would be 1, 2, 3 from best to worst. It is important to keep the site clean, simple, and easy to download.
they are much better than the current homepage.
Definitely the FIRST one! It's professional, stylish and full marks for being web-savvy. It definitely gets rid of the cluttered and hard-to-navigate old website. I understand that the 1st one may be conventional going by today's standards, but that doesn't make it any less attractive or useful. The utility and design have been balanced very well. The tabs on the left hand side in the 1st one are very appealing as compared to the 2nd one which are dull, and mind it, they are the key links to navigate through!
All in all, its gotta be #1!!!
III
I think the second concept is ultimately the best. NCSU is one of the largest universities in the state, and maximizing the amount of content on our homepage will allow more visitors to the site to access information about the wealth of activities going on here. The homepage serves a function, and that function shouldn't be shortchanged because more graphics may look better to some people. Which is worse? People who can find what they need but don't happen upon sleek graphics, or people who are frustrated that they can't locate a specific piece of information while staring at something colorful?
While it may seem like a good idea to go with what's more eye-catching, you can't ignore the fact that the Web presence of NCSU is rather large. To sacrifice usability for style would make the page little more than something that's nice to look at, instead of what its purpose is: to be a portal to easily access content for a variety of purposes, whether you're a prospective student, a current student, a visitor from the community, a member of another university, and so on. Possibly the most important consideration is the amount of collaboration with industry that NCSU partakes in. We should have a site that exudes professionalism--having a student-centered concept (such as design 3) may discourage some businesses from seeking to collaborate with the university.
We must also consider accessibility: the first and third template rely more on visual elements, which may be lost to someone needing disabled access or who has an outdated version of a browser.
Another concern that I haven't seen in other posts is that of longevity. Design 2 will probably have the longest half-life of the three concepts, and since it relies more on content than on graphics, it arguably is the most adaptable to future changes.
Lastly, the purpose of this site is to represent the university. The second template, while being the most sensible, is also the most professional. As an institution of higher learning, the aesthetic that we choose should reflect the character of this university, and I feel that design 2 does that.
For me the 3rd Home page format appears the best choice.
You guys should look at how we do it here at UGA. The homepage is very simple and includes several rotating sections that highlight work here at the university.
The navigational content is easy to find on the drop-down menus across the top (or the selection menu near the middle)... the center sections of the homepage change frequently to highlight current events, research, etc... and there are search functions for the website and phonebook located conveniently at the bottom.
It's not perfect by any means, but it is simple.
http://uga.edu
Georgia Tech's website is also nice and simple too: http://gatech.edu
To the people who are saying to keep the site bare like Harvard's site, my response is that you must be joking. Harvard's site is ugly and looks very unprofessional (it also looks like it was coded and designed by someone who isn't very familiar with HTML or web standards). If I didn't already know that it was a good school, I surely wouldn't get that impression based on their website.
Face it, the homepage of your university is the FIRST thing a prospective student, donor, etc will see. It MUST have a strong visual impact.
The second-tier pages are where you need to keep it simple and direct. This is why most university websites have links for "Students" and links for "Faculty" on their homepages. You go to the homepage, click on your respective link, and then on the second-tier page is where you find exactly what you are looking for.
For these reasons, I still think that design #1 is best.
#3 is butt-ugly and I can't believe that people actually like it! It is absolutely lacking in visual clues and differentiation... you have no idea what to look at on the #3 design... plus those fake tab buttons on the left navigation look extremely amateurish... at least be creative with CSS effects and use regular text.
A general comment: using graphics for textual navigation links is bad form and generally not recommended by anyone who knows anything about proper website design. Don't fall into this trap. To check a good design, turn of graphics in your web browser and see what your site looks like without them. If it looks like complete crap, you should be using text for your links and CSS for your background colors and such.
I like the first design better. Visually it is more appealing and less distracting. The location of links are logical and easy to use. The main picture should be kept up-to-date, but that wouldn't be too difficult.
I would like to see a webmail login on the front page and depending on the magnitude of the site overhaul, possibly switching to outlook instead of squirrel mail for web users.
#1 would make me proud.
Design #1 by far. It has a clean, polished look while being easy to navigate. Number 2 has way to many colors---looks like a kindergarten classroom colorscheme. Looks very choppy visually.
Number 3 is way too much "stuff." I think the idea may be neat, but should not be the homepage. Perhaps it could go under a section for prospective students? The majority of the everyday users of the webpage (current students, faculty, staff) will not be visiting the page for "stories," which is the overwhelming theme of the page. The first page gives the idea of "action" and gets the viewer involved with current NCSU happenings without being overwhelming. Design 3 also looks less polished than #1. Design 3 looks somewhat immature when considering other audience members like faculty, staff, alumni and research partners.
Whichever site is chosen, please put a webmail link up. When I began at NCSU, it took me forever to figure out how to check my email. It wasn't explained to me at orientation (that was 6 years ago--hopefully they're explaining it now), and it was so logical to me to have a link on the homepage, but there wasn't (and isn't) one.
The "Express Yourself" motto on the third page reminds me of the song by Madonna. If that "My NC State" idea is used, you might want to rethink that line. It's a pretty cliche line even apart from the Madonna song.
Number 3 is cleaner and more engaging. I think that anytime one's personal story can begin to be a part of a larger organizational story, you have a better opportunity to welcome people and build relationships. The better academic settings are those that also become community for its students and employees. Number 3 begins that processs while still making information readily available. The images would have to be kept fresh for it to remain welcoming.
I don't think webmail login belongs on the homepage, since probably a vast majority of people who view the homepage do not have a webmail account at NCSU... or at least are not trying to log into their webmail every time they visit the homepage.
Does NCSU not have a separate webpage for mail? Something like http://email.ncsu.edu (which doesn't work) ? I'm just curious... I have no idea, I am only looking at NCSU for grad school.
Here at UGA we have http://email.uga.edu that presents nothing but a standard login form. This makes the load time extremely fast.
The idea to put webmail on the homepage would mean you would have to load the homepage and all of its related graphics, just to log into your email. Bad idea.
Although I'm not a big fan of Squirrelmail (my webhost uses it), it is a lot better than Outlook. Outlook is just a bunch of bloated Microsoft crap, and last time I checked it didn't even work properly in Firefox (which means Mac and Linux users can't use it). I really hope that NCSU does not use outlook for its webmail! Squirrelmail sucks too, but it sucks less.
What NCSU should look into is licensing Gmail... I believe that Google offers internal versions of Gmail that work solely within corporate or academic networks, and is separate from their public webmail version. That would be nice.
And yeah, don't worry, the webmail at UGA sucks too. We have something called Webmail Direct that as far as I know hasn't had a facelift or feature improvement in the last 8 years. So I don't use it and just have all my edu email forwarded to my primary account. Sometimes that's a good solution :)
I prefer the third concept because it is a fitting representation of what I feel NC State is. It offers topics and stories of interest to everyone in a visually appealing and stimulating approach. Although the other two concepts are also good, I think that the first has too many closed-in graphics and text, while the second has too much of a traditional format. The third concept would be a fresh and innovative choice!
I suggest that you find at least one usability expert with ADHD - they exist, I assure you - and ask him or her to evaluate the designs.
Such individuals are naturally very good at finding problems with navigation. (I'm fairly confident that any such expert will say that all three designs are too busy.)
I hope that there will be extensive, systematic empirical study of user interaction with candidate site designs.
Really like the first design. Seems more straight forward and less cluttered.
All in all, I think all 3 of them have way too much going on. I think the second one is way too busy (comparing it to a news site? Hmmm. This is a university, not MSNBC). The site needs to be easy to navigate, especially since so much of the University is web-based. For instance, the buttons for the "directories" is minute on all of three of these. Why so much news? Can't there be a link to the news page for mulitple headlines, etc. When I access the site, I am looking for specific information, not a leisurly read. Also, if prospective students are the focus, are they really interested in reading 6 current news articles, or are they looking for information about departments, faculty, campus facilities, etc.?
The graphics on the first one are pretty good.
I'm not favorably impressed by the third concept. It is hard to find any hierarchy here, and the graphics for the menu on the left are clunky looking.
I prefer Concept #3 as a balance between utility and innovation. However it's success will depend on frequent and interesting updates to the stories.
I would also like to comment on the second tier pages. The present web site is absolutely horrible. The "For Faculty and Staff" page is just 133 links. The categories are of little use and most of the alphabetized names are pointless. For example who would think to look for the bookstore under "N" for NCSU Bookstore or the leave system under "O" for Online Web Leave System. Other than for a few fequently accessed pages that I've bookmarked, like the library, the most effective navigation is to use the search feature. Frequently I don't use the ncsu site at all and just start from a Google search dialog.
Frankly, I am disappointed with all three options. I was hoping for something that would really be a pacesetting design, both visually and functionally, but all of these options look disappointly like hundreds of other university websites.
If NC State wants to position itself as a cutting-edge, first-tier, national leader in techology, it seems like we ought to showcase ourselves with something more elegant, classy, and sophisticated than Generic State U could do. Of course, we need the same basic functions as any university needs, but the way we present NC State should make it stand above. If we want to attract great students and great faculty, we need a web presence with a "wow" factor that is commensurate with our highest aspirations and abilities. These options simply don't do that. To some extent, the generic character of these options can be attributed to NC State's general lack of powerful visual images, iconography, even institutional legends (in the Joseph Campbell sense) that could help enforce its unique "NC State-ness."
The final product of this redesigned web presence will be the institution's single most significant marketing/ branding/ storytelling initiative in memory. What we do with it will define and enforce the institution's image and effectiveness for years to come. I think we need to reach higher and do better with this project. Be ambitious and exciting! You've addressed many left-brain characteristics and requirements(in improved functionality), but the right-brain aspects(visual impact, visceral appeal, intriguing design)still leave quite a bit to be desired. Keep working!
The first is too bold, the second too bland, and the third suffers from schizophrenia.
I'd like to see the bolder header and menu items from design 1 put onto design 2.
1. Second photo is too much, it looks like a magazine, or as one person said, Yahoo. We are an institution of higher learning.
2. Overdoes the white space just a hair. I'd like the #1 menus for the left side, with the larger, more prominent "Apply Now" button. That way, it's easier to see where you want to go. The #1 title bar is nicer with the white on red. Lose the brown for the text under the photo - text and style is great, but stick to the red/white/charcoal theme. The tabs at the top are too big, it makes it look like they will actually take you somewhere, rather than simply changing the main page image. I'd move them below the picture or under the text in the charcoal box to the right.
3. Title is too small, and WAY too many little pictures. People will get lost trying to absorb it all, or overwhelmed. Also, it is of less interest to non-students. I prefer the rotating image and story on designs 1 and 2; these can be done in a "your story" way, particularly on design 2 where there is text space below the image. The "apply now" button is totally lost, and that beige color is hideous.
Overall, Design 2 is my favorite. I would like to see the few changes outlined above imported from Design 1, though.
The term "Admissions" is much more professional than the cutesy "Future Students". Also, who are "Partners"? Is that supposed to mean something to someone?
In the News/Events section, the default should be events. Quite frankly, most news stories are of minimal interest to people not immediately involved. Upcoming Events are more useful for current students and faculty, and more appealing to prospective students.p
My choice would definitely be #2. It is more simplistic than the others and seems to be better organized than the others. The first one, teh image is to large, there is not enough negative space. The links on the left hand side of the third one I really do not like, there are, their appearance seems outdated. Finally the second one is quite nice. It is not too busy while at the same time having the right information. I like how the "Get Involved" links are at the top. My only suggestion to #2 would be that the links on the left hand side might be better with just a slightly larger font and the grey rectangle might look better in red. However I think all designs lack more red, red should be a big theme.
One .edu site I like for inspiration would be http://www.appstate.edu They recently did a total redesign of their site and I think the results are quite nice. Nice, simple and sleak.
All things considered, I would like more options to choose from. None really stand out as being just right for us.
I like number 1(action) the best. Second best would be the number 2 (utility). The least preferred is number 3 (Your story. Your N.C. State). The slogan in number 3 needs work. I think we can do better with a catchy marketing slogan.
Ideally, a combination of both 1 and 2 is desired. There are parts on both features that are attractive (appealing). I agree with many of the commentors that the final product of this web design project will be the institution's single most significant marketing/branding identity inititive, to date. We better get it right and once completed should remain a work in progress!
One commentor pointed out if N.C. State wants to identify itself as a "top" flight science school we better use the latest and greatest high-tech imagry, graphics, design, etc. We want our web site to stand alone, The "Wow" factor should be a desired metric.
Concept #3 seems like a very exciting university. (with a lot going on) I think the beige works well with the red. Nice idea to have an input area. I wish the graphic elements were a little more in line with a grid, like in concepts 1 and 2. That might tie it all together as one page. and less "schizophrenia".
First concept is clearly the best. I'd nuke the third one - way too busy, not enough emphasis on information & links as opposed to graphics. Definitely go for high-contrast, simple & clean lines, emphasis on a (very) few pieces of well-placed information and the main navigation links. An index page shouldn't be dumping grounds for random colours and incongruous bits of information!
Concept 1(Action) is the best! It's the one that has the maximum visual impact. Reflects NC State's brand, as a leader in research and technology. It's a hands-down winner!
Concept 3 is the best one. It is easy to read and not too busy like the first two concepts. It allows the reader to choose the images that best relate to them instead of searching for them and the links are clean and easy to find. Overall this is the best concept for the new hompage.
The First One!
I've visited numerous other universities web sites and NC State definetly has one of the best if not the best website. First Impressions make a lot of difference. Keep it simple, appealing to the eye, and easy to find information. That is all represented by the first one. Sure the other two have a lot of information on them, but its too much. Someone who is not familiar with the site will be lost and will be confused as to which link to chose to go where they intend to. KISS-Keep it Simple Stupid.
Concept 3!
It is more pleasing to the eye and exciting. The only thing I didn't like are the blank spaces in between the pictures. Also, isn't there something else beside the belltower or another picture of the belltower to symbolize NCSU?
FIRST OPTION!!!
I would go with this simple concept that reaches all of us and also makes it elegant. Eventhough the second and third design look better, they are more crowded than the first one.
While the third concept provides an interesting outlook on the university, i'm not entirely sure that it serves the current campus community as effectively as the first two concepts, of which i would prefer the first. It maintains the potential for the dissemination of large amounts of information, while being easier to view, largely due to it's uncluttered feel.
I would say design number one is the most successful one. As for me, I love how they used deep red and grey colors together - classical, yet stylish; old-fashioned, yet new as fashion comes back - associates with school :) Also, action concept is rather appropriate.
WOW! these designs looks Great! I love both!
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