After successfully beta testing a new Web design this spring, Kent State University will be moving forward with the redesign transition this summer.
This redesign, spearheaded by branding agency 160over90, will work to align Kent State’s online presence with the university’s new brand.
The initiative will encompass all of Kent State’s websites, not just its institutional site www.kent.edu. It will include a redesign of websites for Regional Campuses, individual colleges, academic departments and the university administration.
“We are working on a strategy that will allow webmasters to work on the new website and the current website separately, so that they can manage and maintain their Web presence appropriately,” says Sameer Jaleel, director of systems development for Kent State’s Division of Information Services.
160over90 is working alongside a Kent State team, a joint effort by the Division of Information Services and University Communications and Marketing.
The branding agency is primarily developing and revising Web concepts, while gathering research and feedback from the Kent State team. The team is presenting 160over90’s work to stakeholders and bringing the concepts to functionality with Kent State’s Web assets.
University community website owners and contributors also are a part of the transition process, reviewing and approving changes while giving feedback to the Kent State team.
Stakeholder presentations are scheduled to begin in late April. Kent State cabinet members, deans, directors and chairs will be in attendance, among others.
“In addition to an overall new look and feel, we are also excited about the variety of ways in which content can be presented on the new website,” Jaleel says.
With the spring testing complete, the summer plan will begin shortly. During this phase, departmental Web pages will be selected and reworked, performance and stability testing will be administered and there will be a universitywide content freeze for two to three weeks, tentatively scheduled for Aug. 1 through Aug. 22.
On Aug. 21, institutional and departmental websites will be launched with the new branding.
Forthcoming updates will be provided in e-Inside, including design concepts as they are approved.
For more information about Kent State’s Division of Information Services, visit www.kent.edu/is.
