Currently we’re reassessing the Sustainable Waterloo Region website and wondering if we provide people with the experience they’re looking for when they visit. Over the last few weeks, as we got this project off the ground, we’ve chosen not to take the standard redesign approach. Instead we’re taking the website update from the angle of a realignment.
There are arguments that websites need continuous improvement to avoid appearing obsolete and becoming outdated by current trends. It’s part of the you need to stay current and competitive line of thinking. And it has its merits.
Aesthetics are part of our current website reassessment for sure. But looking at the entire project, it’s just one part of a larger objective.
What’s of real interest to us is realigning our website to better support Sustainable Waterloo Region’s vision as well as the public interest in the organization moving forward. We want to effectively show where we’re going and how people can be involved.
There are the internal factors we’re considering. Like can the website better support our social media efforts? Is the website extensible enough to accommodate the launch of new initiatives comparable to the Regional Carbon Initiative? Are we telling our story successfully? Can we better communicate the impact of our members and the growing sustainability community at large?
But there are the external factors we need to consider too. Like you.
Based on Sustainable Waterloo Region team’s experience and casual conversations over the past month, we’ve made an educated guess on who you are, why you’re coming to the website, and what you want to know about us. I think we’ve done a decent job on our assumptions. But to be honest, I think you know yourself better than we do.
It’s your ideas that will help us choose the right direction for the website. Really. And if you’re typically resistant to filling out online surveys like I am, just think of it as easy way that you can help Sustainable Waterloo Region move forward on a significant project.
So without further delay, we’d appreciate your direct input on these five questions:
- What are your suggestions for improving our website?
- Why are you interested in Sustainable Waterloo Region?
- Why do you visit the Sustainable Waterloo Region website? What specific information are you looking for?
- What questions do you have about Sustainable Waterloo Region that we don’t currently answer on the website?
- How would you like to be involved with Sustainable Waterloo Region?
That’s it. Your answers will help us better align our website to the interests of our visitor — you. You can click here to answer these questions, or feel free leave your comments below.
Looking forward to your responses!
Deb
Well, since I wasn’t able to come to the team meeting:
I would say one of my favourite things about the website is that it’s very plain and simple. Every time somewhere has a good website along these lines (thinking of my school, for example) they decide it’s time for a “fresher” look and complete web re-vamp, and it ends up looking silly and being less effective at getting people to the information they want.
Because we don’t have a “Search” button for our site, perhaps the sidebar could have a “Can’t Find What You’re Looking For?” option. You could do a lot with that, maybe just a box where they write what they were hoping to find. Then if something kept coming up, we’d know that part has to be changed.
Another suggestion to find out what people are looking for when they come to the site (maybe you’ve already done this): check user stats and see what people are clicking to the most. Then create as easy a path as possible to those links.
So, while I know you guys will do a good job, a simple site which is easy to use is a breath of fresh air on the Internet today.
Thanks Deb & Team!