About a year after Northwestern launched its redesigned Web site emblazoned with purple and gold, administrators say the design is helping provide continuity and a brand identity for NU on the Web.
Guidelines for official Web sites include specifications such as making the page short enough so as to not require scrolling, as well as the use of the NU logo and standardized elements at the top and bottom of the screen.
Officials said there is no deadline for all NU sites to adopt the standard format, but they would like to see widespread consistency as soon as possible.
“Before (the redesign) a lot of pages weren’t fresh or designed clearly or cleanly,” said Scott Drey, coordinator for marketing and promotions for Norris University Center. “Now you can see there’s a definite tie — everything feels like it’s all a part of NU.”
Since the relaunch of NU’s main page last fall, many sites have adopted the new design elements, although it is currently not required, said Staci Roberts, who heads the redesign project and is director of Web communications.
The Office of Student Affairs is the most recent to apply the new standards to its site, Roberts said. Other updated sites include the Office of the President, University Relations, Norris University Center and the course information Web site.
Coordinating Web site design throughout NU helps identify all groups with the NU name, Drey said, but common design elements aren’t a roadblock to developing an original site.
“Brand identity doesn’t really restrict you from setting the core of the Web site,” Drey said. “I don’t think they’re trying to say, ‘Hey, this is how we want all Web sites to be.’ There’s a freedom to design.”
Roberts said Web communications can help offices and departments create effective sites and incorporate the standard design components.
“We want people to come to us,” she said.
As a strategy, she offers incentives for organizations that comply.
“If an organization is using standards, we will promote them and their site relaunch on the main page,” Roberts said.
Several offices are taking Roberts up on her offer.
She said Web communications is helping redesign sites for Human Resources, the Center for Talent Development and the Northwestern Observer.
Even so, there are hundreds of department pages still using their own format.
“We’ve got our work cut out for us,” Roberts said.
She said Web communications is focusing on helping official NU pages make the transition and is not yet helping student groups redesign their sites.
“At this point we’re not offering advising to (student) groups, but we can give them code and templates for their pages,” Roberts said.
Associated Student Government is one organization that adopted the new look.
“It’s the new NU web standard,” said Adam Russell, ASG’s technology director. “Rather than going and inventing our own site, it made sense to adopt that design.”
Russell said it’s easy to use the Web templates, and student groups planning a Web site redesign should consider following the standard format.
“I know the university would like to see some student groups do this,” he said.
