The new HQ web site has been functioning for over a month now and it is time we gave it a review. Some of the earliest OP-ED posts on this blog were rants about the shortcomings of the old site and the lack of current information. To be fair we should give the new one an honest look.
There are three major questions to be answered about any web site.
- First - "How does it look"? A web site is a visual representation of the entity it represents. Ideally it conveys the spirit, the goals, the core of the organization.
- Second - "How does it feel"? Can you navigate the site easily and intuitively? Are you guided by instructions and/or visual cues to get to the information you need?
- Third - "What is the content like"? A web site that looks great but has no content is a waste of time. A site with outstanding content but poor design will run people off before they find the good stuff.
A web site that does all of these things well is a valuable asset to the organization it serves. A site that does not do any of them well is little more than a questionable expense on the income statement. So, how does the new site stack up?
Site "Look":
First off, the site looks and feels much better than the old site. Period. No question. There are actually recognizable symbols of the fraternity prominently displayed. The menus are quantum leaps above the older ones. There has always been a wealth of information on the site, but until now you had to know exactly what you wanted and have a guide to tell you where it was. The new layout makes finding things at least 2 "clicks" easier. But is it the best it can be? Let's take a look...
Really neat feature:
The chapter lookup is outstanding. You start with a U.S. map divided into districts. Click on the district you are interested in to get the list of chapters. Click on a chapter and you see a page of vital stats. You also see links to the chapter web site, the alumni web site, the school web site, and the email addresses of the Chapter pres., the AB pres., the RD, and the DG. Very easy to find lots of information.
Nitpicks - I'd like to see a more colorful and dynamic looking site. On a higher resolution screen there is a bunch of wasted space. It feels as if in order to cater to the least sophisticated computer they restricted the site to a 800X600 format. Most screens today - even laptops - are quite comfortable at 1024 X 768 or even higher resolution.
The colors red and gray(?) predominate. The little purple that is used is only for accents and there is no gold on any of the main pages.The red and gray color pallet is "calm and professional" - not to say soporific. Would it hurt to make things just a little more exciting? When you link to the Foundation site the contrast in style is rather jarring - but you certainly know you went to another place!
Missing Information:
With all the changes and obvious effort that has gone into making the site better, there is one conspicuous absence. The members of the NBD do not have any visible contact information. If they do not want to show a personal email address it seems like they could at least have a "sigep.net" address.
Site "Feel":
One of the first things I noticed was that if you are only using the drop-down menus across the top to find things you will miss a bunch. Case in point - try to find the list of Regional Directors. The Side Menu (a separate set of items from the top) does not have them since they are not Undergrads, Alumni Volunteers, or Parents (at least not to admit). The top menu has an "About Sig EP" item with a 'who to call' listing only HQ staffers. But if you click on it anyway thinking it's at least close you will see a much longer list of selections in the opened frame. There, in the middle of the second line of items, is the RD list. From there you can see all the RDs with pictures and email addresses. Good list - hard to find. Several of the top menu items have those little gems that you don't see until you click into them. Some helpful information is available as long as you know you are going to have to drill for it.
Members Only: The member area is where the real meat is. You can update your directory information, search the directory for lost buddies, and do most of the tedious paperwork that HQ requires. Chapters can make payments and register new members, and so on. I found it a bit odd that the Balanced Man Scholarship information is 'under lock and key' but I suppose it is a 'competitive advanage' as the page says. Many of the forms and documents are available there. (No, not the Ritual!) Some can be accessed by anyone, others require login with an ID and password. The method for setting up initially is quite well thought out too.
Overall impressions:
As I said earlier, the site is a major step forward in navigation ability. It is less exciting visually than I would like, though it is much more consistant from page to page. It no longer looks like it has been picked over by successive generations of web consultants who each wanted to try "the latest thing".
So, a guarded but sincere "well done" from this curmudgeon. There is still lots of room for improvement, but all-in-all the site is much better than its unlamented predecessor. Lets hope that this site, like the fraternity it repesents, is a work in progress, continually striving to be more and better.
