Georgetown’s website is getting a facelift as the university plans to premiere its newly reconstructed page on Dec. 3. The new site – the first redesign since 2002 – is currently available to students in a beta format at beta.georgetown.edu.
The aesthetic elements of the website were substantially changed, according to university spokeswoman Julie Bataille. Extensive improvements were made to the “top tier” – the homepage and anything two or three clicks away from it – and the site also incorporates new multimedia content, including a video section.
According to Mohammed El-Khatib (GRD ’11), who helped program the new site, the redesign also made the site more navigable, incorporating a special navigation bar that can be recalled and dismissed to save room on the screen.
“The new site navigation system is impressive in its intuitive interface and ease of use. Users will be able to access all of the crucial shortcuts depending on where they are on the website,” El-Khatib said in an email.
The idea to revamp the university’s website was first introduced during discussions between the board of directors and stakeholders. The Office of Communications was tasked with determining the content and web design, which it molded using input from current and prospective students, faculty and alumni. The university then hired Happy Cog, a web design firm, to aid in the research and design alongside University Information Services personnel. The entire process was recorded on the Office of Communications Website Redesign Blog.
Although the redesign has only affected a portion of the main website, Bataille expects that the separate undergraduate schools will soon make improvements to their respective sites as well.
“Now we have much more flexible tools to help other schools to revamp their websites,” she said.
The website’s renovation is the latest way in which the university is addressing its evolving relationship with the Internet. Georgetown introduced an interactive map page last month, and the university already has an active Facebook page and Twitter account.
Last week, the Office of Communications launched an official Georgetown University YouTube channel, which features videos about campus and academic life.
According to Evan Smith (SFS ’14), the restructured website and YouTube channel are much needed renovations to what he considers to be Georgetown’s sub-par Internet presence.
“It’s pretty appalling that a major research university has such an anachronistic website. The new website is like moving from a horse and buggy to a BMW,” Smith said.
For Jenny Brown (COL ’13), the redesign simply makes navigation easier for students.
“My biggest problem with the old website was how hard it was to find the academic calendar, and that’s really easy now,” Brown said.
According to Bataille, reforming Georgetown’s website was integral in presenting the school in the best possible light.
“The web is how prospective students find information about the university first, before they even come to us,” Bataille said. “It is important that we have a web presence that is up to par with who we are, our identity, the caliber of our school and community.”
Hoya Staff Writers Jonathan Gillis and Mariah Byrne contributed to this report.
