On October 17 the University will launch the updated design for the Millersville University home page. The updated design incorporates feedback from all areas of the University community and reflects an evaluation of website traffic.

The most apparent change will be the maturing of the website’s look and feel. While the framework for the site isn’t changing, there will be adjustments to individual aesthetical treatments and a realignment of the main navigation; all based on user feedback.

Below are some common questions; more will be posted as they are received.

If you have any questions, comments, or feedback, then please email muwebteam@millersville.edu

Why is the site being updated now, after a year and a half?
The current site design is close to three years old. It was in production in 2006, presented to the University in March 2007 and launched in January 2008.

The average life span of a design is about three years. In that time styles/trends change, technology advances, the focus of the University adjusts and the habits/needs of our target audiences shifts, as well.

Most importantly, the website design is changing to address the feedback we've received from our audiences and improve the user experience.

How much does this affect someone who maintains/updates a department’s website?
Not much. The changes will be made by IT and will then cascade throughout any department currently in the CMS

What about departments not in the CMS?
The supporting files for previous designs will still be available; which means, your site will not change.

What are the biggest changes people will notice?
The most apparent change is the "look and feel" of the site (aesthetic changes to the user interface). More white space and padding has been added to give users’ eyes a rest. Reduction in the color pallet will allow content to shine a bit more.

Also, the main navigation has changed based on user feedback. For example, all Admissions-related material were consolidated into one "area"; a few under-developed/under-utilized areas were adjusted; and the verbiage of navigational items was refined. Besides user feedback, we also looked at the website traffic (page visits, amount of time on page, exit/bounce rate, etc.) to help make decisions.

What does the new design look like?

While we don't want to completely spoil the surprise of the new design, below are screen shots of individual elements:

An example of the reworked main navigation and a new feature "breadcrumbs".

An example of how news articles and calendar events will look.

An example of the new search features.

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