Central IT
UW-Extension Web Site Redesign
In August 2009, project manager Jill Nebeker was brought on board to oversee the redesign of www.uwex.edu. Using interviews with the Extension Web team and application developers, University Relations, and contacts in the division programs, she developed a project plan, which will guide the redesign process.
The approach to the redesign is a task-based one: identify what users want to accomplish on the site and provide clear direction for them to successfully complete those tasks. Common "Contact Us" requests and results of a Web site user survey will make up the task list. All users (including Extension employees) are encouraged to complete the Web site user survey.
During this year-long project, the redesign will follow these steps:
- Information and requirements gathering — completed, September 2009
- Project Plan — completed, September 2009
- Site Architecture — completed, October 2009
- Wireframes and page specifications — underway October 2009
- Design — underway November 2009
- HTML/CSS programming — begins December 2009
- Application and Content development — early 2010
- Testing and debugging — June 2010
- Launch and monitoring — late July 2010
The goal of the redesign is a contemporary and professional site that tells the story of "What is Extension" and allows users to easily find the information they are looking for. Best practices in site design, content development, and usability will be utilized.
Questions or comments? Please e-mail us at uw-extension_website_redesign@lists.uwex.edu