FCLA Website Redesign

Staff at FCLA have begun work on redesigning our entire website to make it more usable for our customers (like you). Our overall goal is to have a more comprehensive and dynamic website, that SUS staff members can use to find out about FCLA and access our services.

Redesign team includes: Amanda Yesilbas, Chuck Thomas, Claire Dygert, Jean Phillips, Louis Rose, Pam Mydock, Tai Quach and Tennille Herron.

Phases of Work:

Assessment of open source content management systems:
After looking at the available options we chose Drupal, open source content management software. This software has a long standing history of aggressive development and a strong user community. Documentation for the software and support is plentiful. Drupal is being used at many high profile website (such as Florida State University, Yahoo, Sony, MTV and Eluna).

Evaluate Drupal and establish goals of first phase of development:
Drupal is rich and varied. It became clear it was impossible to implement all features at initial launch. Set goals for initial launch and researched Drupal modules needed for essential functionality.

Set up Machine environment:
Install/configure software: Done in development environment.
Completed script to replicate one drupal site to another (test 2 production)
Backup/Recover procedures are in place for development/test/production environment.

Functional Design

Layout: Researched many relevant websites and study the functional layout. Researched usability testing and attended Drupalcon meetings about functionality and usability. Based on findings designed a functional wire frame which to arrange content. Wire Frame Below:

NOTE The menu items are for illustrative purposes only.

NOTE The menu items are for illustrative purposes only.

Defining users: Articualte who the users of the site are an what their information needs will be.

Defining menu vocabulary: This is a long multi step process that requires intense user feedback.
Status: Ongoing
Actions to this date:
Design group creates initial list of menu terms based on research of other sites and local knowledge.
Menu terms taken to larger internal group. List changed and edited to reflect input.
List taken to small test group of representative staff from SUL libraries. List edited from Feedback.
To do: Fine tune final list partially based on resorts of card sort.

Sorting FCLA services into menu categories:
Status: ongoing
Actions to date:
Design group makes initial sort.
Samll user test group makes suggestions for change during calls.
Card sort survey created and distributed internally.Survey modified based on feddback.
Card sort survey distributed to all.
To do: Awaiting results.

Visual Design
Mockups of the visual design are currently being created.

Authentication/Authorization:
to be done.

Migration from existing website, wikis, blogs, etc.:
the website is Phase I, others will come later.

Identifying future needs
A list for phase two functionality is already being compiled.

Last modified 12 June 2008 at 10:50 am by pmydock