I got the tip about AU web redesign launch yesterday in an email from Maralee Csellar, Acting Director for Media Relations at American University.

As explained in the top news story available on the homepage, New Site Launches, Will Change AU Communications, the whole redesign process started in the summer of 2006 took more than 2 years.

The project required well over 25,000 hours work by more than 125 AU staff members in 20 departments across the university before coming to fruition on March 30

Interesting features of this redesigned website include:

• AUpedia, a wiki directly integrated in the website and available right from the homepage
• An amazing virtual tour section including a virtual map integrated with “My 5 Faves” videos as well as several other videos including close captions and the whole shebang – probably an example to follow if you’re working in virtual tours although I can’t imagine how much such a beautiful thing costs.
  
• The section AU by the numbers at the bottom of the homepage – it’s easy to implement and quite powerful.
  

What do you think?