Extreme makeover: Vol State edition
Lauren Day
Issue date: 11/5/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
Volunteer State Community College's website, www.volstate.edu, is being redesigned.
According to Director of Public Relations, Kenyatta Lovett, the last website redesign took place in December 2005.
"The website should be redesigned about every two years. We would like to get the website up to speed and make it cutting edge," said Lovett.
Eric Melcher, coordinator of communications and public relations, is the chair of the marketing committee for the website redesign.
Melcher said the marketing committee includes students, staff and faculty.
"Right now we're looking at other colleges' websites for different ideas," added Melcher. "We'd like to see Vol State have a cleaner site that is easy to approach.
The main page should really reach out to the public."
Melcher said the new website should be "streamlined" so it will be more helpful for users.
"Ultimately, it's all about what the students need from the site. Functionality for students and staff is very important to us," said Melcher.
Melcher said the marketing committee will be forming focus groups of students, faculty and staff in order to find out what different groups of users like and dislike about the current site, and also which features they would like to see added to the redesigned site.
Derek Pennycuff, Vol State's webmaster, will be redesigning the website.
"… I am getting help in the decision making process," said Pennycuff.
Pennycuff is working with the marketing committee and will be working with the focus groups.
"It's very important for us to have a focus group of online students since they use the site most frequently," said Pennycuff. "That will be difficult since they're rarely on campus. We may have to go mobile to get their input….The first phase of research with the focus groups will be to decide what works and doesn't work with the current site. The next phase will be after some changes have been made."
Pennycuff said that the he wants to address issues without causing more problems.
"We're trying to figure out what the site users need. The website has too much stuff on it," said Pennycuff. "The site needs to be user friendly so that it can make everybody's job easier. When you come to the site, you've got something in mind that needs to be accomplished. We need to figure out how to make it easier to accomplish things."
Pennycuff said he expects to have the site redesigned by late summer 2008.
"This is going to be a slow process so don't expect immediate results," said Pennycuff. "I am open to any ideas that the [site users] may have. We may even start a blog to get feedback."
According to Director of Public Relations, Kenyatta Lovett, the last website redesign took place in December 2005.
"The website should be redesigned about every two years. We would like to get the website up to speed and make it cutting edge," said Lovett.
Eric Melcher, coordinator of communications and public relations, is the chair of the marketing committee for the website redesign.
Melcher said the marketing committee includes students, staff and faculty.
"Right now we're looking at other colleges' websites for different ideas," added Melcher. "We'd like to see Vol State have a cleaner site that is easy to approach.
The main page should really reach out to the public."
Melcher said the new website should be "streamlined" so it will be more helpful for users.
"Ultimately, it's all about what the students need from the site. Functionality for students and staff is very important to us," said Melcher.
Melcher said the marketing committee will be forming focus groups of students, faculty and staff in order to find out what different groups of users like and dislike about the current site, and also which features they would like to see added to the redesigned site.
Derek Pennycuff, Vol State's webmaster, will be redesigning the website.
"… I am getting help in the decision making process," said Pennycuff.
Pennycuff is working with the marketing committee and will be working with the focus groups.
"It's very important for us to have a focus group of online students since they use the site most frequently," said Pennycuff. "That will be difficult since they're rarely on campus. We may have to go mobile to get their input….The first phase of research with the focus groups will be to decide what works and doesn't work with the current site. The next phase will be after some changes have been made."
Pennycuff said that the he wants to address issues without causing more problems.
"We're trying to figure out what the site users need. The website has too much stuff on it," said Pennycuff. "The site needs to be user friendly so that it can make everybody's job easier. When you come to the site, you've got something in mind that needs to be accomplished. We need to figure out how to make it easier to accomplish things."
Pennycuff said he expects to have the site redesigned by late summer 2008.
"This is going to be a slow process so don't expect immediate results," said Pennycuff. "I am open to any ideas that the [site users] may have. We may even start a blog to get feedback."
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