You might have already read the excellent article including a short video interview about BU redesign on BU Today, but in case you haven’t heard yet: there’s a newly redesigned homepage in town.
Here are the Before and After screenshots of BU Homepage (you can also look at the really great timeline included in BU Today piece):
BEFORE
AFTER
I asked a few questions to Scott Dasse, Creative Director for New Media at Boston University, about this project, so you can learn even more about what went on behind the scenes.
1) How long did the whole process took and how did you approach this redesign?
The design for the homepage itself was completed over a few weeks last Spring. We wanted to launch an evolution of our 2006 homepage that did a better job of bringing our best content — aggregated from more sources — to the surface. Another goal was to build tools to support a more rapid publishing cycle, so we developed a custom content management system to control an ever growing library of features. We also redesigned our search pages, which now mash up web, map, and directory results into a single results page.
Over the Summer we solicited feedback from the community which prompted some minor changes, most notably the inclusion of daily news headlines. We built the CMS, redesigned the search, and collected content beginning in late November. I consider this a beta launch since we’ll be rolling out new features, such as media archives, in the next few weeks.
2) Why did you decide to incorporate this mega navigation menu to the homepage design but not on the secondary pages?
I know we have a somewhat different approach to design consistency than other institutions. We view our homepage as a unique website and not a single page. The secondary pages, designed in 2006, were not part of this project, though we may incorporate the same navigation when we do address them.
3) Why did you choose to make such a big contrast between the color scheme on the homepage and the secondary pages?
Same answer as above, really. Though when the secondary pages were redesigned on 2006 and launched with the homepage, the colors were also different. There was consistency in the feel of both page designs due to other design elements (typefaces, spacing, logo placement, etc.). In terms of the differences, I suppose we find this contrast interesting and, in a way, reflective of university culture.
4) How comes BU logo isn’t used on the top right as it is often the case in higher education?
This one’s easy: it just doesn’t look good.
Dear readers, what do you think about this new design for BU? Tell us by posting a comment.
I used to see Boston University’s homepage as a great example of a clean yet engaging design, with it’s interactive piece delivering video, audio and slideshows.
This new design looses all of that. I don’t understand. They went from one of the best, and a model that other schools took years to catch up to, to just any other University Website.
Also the mega navigation is unbelievably annoying.
I strongly disagree. While certain innovations from the previous homepage are gone, this new one is simply more visually striking. It now focuses my attention on the feature images, which clearly differentiate this school from others.
I think this design raises the bar once again, though perhaps in a more subtle way than the last version.
And the navigation works well for me.
[…] Boston University has redesigned its homepage | collegewebeditor.com "Q: How comes BU logo isn’t used on the top right as it is often the case in higher education? A: This one’s easy: it just doesn’t look good." Megamenu and media content featured on their homepage (tags: bostonuni collegewebeditor homepage highered webdesign) […]
I LOVE this design. I personally have issues with lists of links hogging up a school’s home page. This “peek-a-boo” interface is a big improvement on its predecessor.
One suggestion — make the headings, “headlines”, “research” etc., into links. I was annoyed when clicking on them didn’t go anywhere.
Very nice. I like the way the main nav, sub nav and audience nav were handled. And the scrolling features is a nice touch. I read the article in BU Today – I don’t see where this communicates “urban, gritty ” or “unapologetic rock star in the city”. Clean, modern, pleasant, but not urban or gritty.