The Oracle

Issue date: 9/18/09 Section: News

Graphic / Matthew Gann

Tech is scheduled to launch an updated and improved version of its University Web site Tuesday.

The Office of Public Affairs, along with Web and Digital Media Director Matthew Gann, have been researching user opinions and designing the new Web site since Fall 2008.

"When people see the new look of the site, they will be proud," said Monica Greppin, associate vice president of communications and marketing. "This new design is more user friendly and similar to other sites that they use every day."

Gann conducted several focus groups and surveys of University students, faculty and staff, and local high school students in preparation for the site's design.

This means that the University site will follow the wants and needs of the people who use it daily.

The graphics and pictures used on the new site are comparably more artistic and modern than those currently used. There is also an increase in interactive features.

Tech's current website layout and design were launched between the Fall 2002 and Spring 2003. The older site design was often subject to complaints about confusing search results and difficult navigability.

"The older system we had been using did not have enough flexibility or cohesiveness in design," Gann said, "Now individual sites for University clubs and

organizations will follow the same design and layout as Tech's main page and will also be easier to edit."

Instead of long lists with small links, like those found in the future or current student's section, there will be icons that direct the user to where they want to go.

Tech will also no longer use Google Syndicated Search. Instead, the new search is based on a Tech customized system with indexes and content maps which speed up the searching process and return more relevant results.

"People want easy searching that retrieves information that is relevant to them," Gann said. "Not only will they get that with the new site, but navigation will be a lot easier as well."

People Finder is another feature of the new search system. Users will be able to type in a small piece of information for the person they are looking for, such as a name or phone number, and they will get quick and accurate results.

The look and feel of the search is similar to that found on popular networking and social websites.

The Office of Public Affairs coordinates and supports University communications. It is the center for campus publications, media relations and web design.

For more information about the site launch, visit http://tntech.edu/website/, or to share your opinion post launch visit www.tntech.edu/web/aboutsite.

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