Sneak peek at new home page
Check it out! Here's a screenshot of a mockup of the top of the new UW home page, coming to a Web browser near you in 2010. Double click for a larger view.
Note the light tan horizontal bar at the very top. That's the standard utility navigation. It has some of the most popular links on the UW site, all within easy reach. Below the "University of Washington" is a gray bar with user-based navigation. We'll talk more about that a little later.
The five "feature stories" -- the black boxes -- will be interactive. You will be able to click on any one of them and it will come front and center.
In the coming weeks and months we'll share more info about how the page is going to work and highlight new features and enhancements.
UW home page insight coming soon…
In the coming weeks and months, we will be sharing more detailed information on changes to the UW home page when the redesign is launched in 2010 (exact date TBD). Starting on New Year's Day, we'll give you a sneak peek at the new page. Other issues to be addressed in subsequent posts will include:
- What will become of my favorite home page links?
- How will navigation change?
- What new features will be added?
Change can be exciting, but it can be unsettling too until you learn your way around the new page. Through this blog, we'll attempt to give you a heads up on some of the enhancements that are planned to improve your browsing experience in 2010. Happy New Year everyone!
Meet the “Patch and Band”
This screenshot of the new home page banner shows a bold new W "patch" hanging off of a light tan "band" that features links to some of the most popular destinations on the UW Web. If you're a UW designer, you can learn more about the new brand guidelines on our secure Web page > (Net ID required).
Here's a look at the new banner with a gold patch:
Anyone who wants a patch and band or header/footer for their UW Web page can get them already coded using our Header Footer Wizard .
What’s popular on the UW home page
Our regularly changing stories/features are always popular, but some of the permanent links are consistent winners day in and day out. Here's a quick rundown of five of the most popular:
- MyUW
- Directories
- Admissions
- Colleges/Schools/Programs
- Employment
When the newly designed home page launches in 2010, rest assured that those links will still be on the home page. Several will move, and we'll tell you where before launch!
Resource links posted
Direct links are now available (right column under Resources) to:
- Header-Footer Wizard
- UW Marketing Toolkits
- Web Color Palette
- UW Brand Guidelines
- Signature Logo Art Pack
More links will be added as other resources become available, including a Web Styleguide.
Redesign highlights
The redesign of the UW home page is part of a multiyear Reputation Building Initiative. The goal of RBI is "to reach our many audiences and enhance their appreciation for the UW's essential value in the state, region and beyond."
The new home page will give us better and more powerful ways to showcase the many amazing things that happen at the UW and will make it easier for people to find their way around the vast UW Web. Highlights of our new home page, coming in 2010, include:
- More modern, interactive design
- New user-based navigation; the most relevant links for user groups (for example: future students, faculty and staff) will be easier to find
- Standardized top-of-the-page navigation will be made available for use throughout the UW Web (search, directories, maps, MyUW, UW home, etc. )
- Social networking links will be easier to find and use
New home page coming in 2010…
UW 2009
The UW's home page will get a makeover in the New Year. Over the next few months, we will post redesign updates and info on this blog to keep the UW community apprised of the changes that are in the offing. Among the planned enhancements: better on-page navigation, more "top stories" to choose from, the ability to "share" and much more. So check back often for updates. Better yet, subscribe to our RSS feed. In the meantime, check out the next post for a Flashback of UW home pages over the years!
Flashback: The UW Web 1996-2009
Click on the images below to see how the University of Washington home page has changed over the years:
1996
2000
2001
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2009
Mobile app is now on the BlackBerry
The UW on Nov. 4 became the first university in the nation to launch a mobile app for BlackBerries. It's modeled after our iPhone app, which launched earlier. Both offer course catalogs, campus directories, maps, news, photos and sports scores in a format optimized for mobile devices. From your mobile phones, go to your app store to download the UW app. For a sneak peek via browser:
BlackBerry: http://uw.edu/mobile/blackberry/
iPhone: http://uw.edu/mobile/
Header/footer wizard
We are pleased to announce the launch of an online tool that helps you create a customizable header/footer for your UW Web pages that adheres to University of Washington brand guidelines. These page elements provide standardized UW graphics and global navigation in a variety of colors and customizable layouts.
As you move through each step, the tool generates code based on your selections and provides instructions for implementation on your UW Web site. Check it out and tell your friends!
Our mission
We manage the UW home page and other top-level pages and sites, created the UW Alert banner and interactive campus map, and made the design for the UW's new iPhone app. Next up? A Web redesign. Follow our progress on this blog!
The Web Team includes:
• Gina Hills - Manager
• Chris Heiland - Developer
• Jeff Hendrickson - Editor
• Kilian Frey - Designer
• Tim Chang-Miller - Producer
Contact Us
Follow the UW on
Twitter and Facebook
