Website Redesign Project
We are redesigning the FIU Libraries website! Our current website is several years old so we think it is time for an upgrade! In addition it does not accurately reflect the growth in new library technologies or the increase in the number and variety of library resources. Our primary goals are to make it more user-friendly and add new features. BUT we also want the design to reflect user feedback and usability studies-- THAT'S YOU!
What's New?
Library Website Designs:
Library Website Redesign Town Hall Meeting
Key Points - March 25, 2008 11:00AM – 12:15PM
Download Key Points from meeting
March 25, 2008
We are progressing through Phase I of our plan. We have:
* Conducted & compiled the results of the online survey
* Carried out 3 focus groups with our students
* Administrated a town hall meeting with library employees.
Each of these activities produced information for us to begin Phase II - the initial design of the library website.
Please keep checking back to this website for future updates. We will be looking for feedback and participants to participate in usability testing in our design phase.
Stay tuned!
History of our Library on the Web
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2006 - Present
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What's the Plan?
Six Phase Plan:
Phase I: Discovery
This phase of the project will include a usability study and a needs assessment study for individual library departments. This may also include focus groups and surveys. Its purpose is to identify the needs of users and departments. The goal of Phase I is to:
- Identify common qualities of the top 10 university Library websites
- Determine needs of individual library departments and users.
- Develop a findings report to summarize and identify needs.
Phase II: Design
This phase will incorporate all information gathered in the discovery phase into a professionally designed website. This phase will go through several revisions until the design is approved by the website committee. Designer deliverables must include but are not limited to:
- Full PSD(s) (Photoshop Files), HTML, and CSS designs of several pages, sections and situations of the website.
- A web design standards guide to maintain esthetic quality throughout the site for years to come. This guide will identify which fonts, colors (Color Palette) and other design specifications should be used on the website for different situations and sections.
- An Official Logo. (If it is determined that we need one for branding purposes.)
Phase III: Development
In this phase developers will implement a Content Management System (CMS) and apply it to the design. Developers will also develop any portal modules (functions) that are needed to meet the project’s mission. Such as a search module that searches all library resources and collections and gives categorized results.
Phase IV: Migration
In this phase the FIU Library web team and department web editors will migrate all existing pages and resources into the new library website in compliance with new design and development standards.
Phase V: Alpha
This is the testing and revisions phase in which the library website committee and departments will have a chance to test the new website and submit revisions to the development and migration of the site.
Phase VI: Beta Launch
In this phase the website is launched allowing visitors the option of using the old website. This will allow for minor revisions and input from our users. After a couple of months, this option will be removed leaving only the new website online.
How Can you Get Involved?
We value the comments and feedback of the entire FIU community. Throughout each step of the redesign, we want to hear from students, faculty and staff regarding the library website.
In the first phase of the redesign, we are interested in suggestions, feedback, and general comments on the current library website and what you would like to see in a new library website-- you can share those below.
Later we will be looking for volunteers to user-test the site. Continue to check back here for more information.
Links to Websites we Like
Duke University Libraries - http://library.duke.edu/
University of Washington Libraries - http://www.lib.washington.edu/
Northwestern University Libraries - http://www.library.northwestern.edu/
Bowdoin Library - http://library.bowdoin.edu/
Virginia Tech Libraries - http://www.lib.vt.edu/
Please tell us which one you like best below.