Keywords Web design Information design Interface design Interaction design |
The focus of this project was to overhaul the structure of the NID website in order to support major user groups and to realign the online image of NID. It was done in collaboration with the Web Advisory Committee (WAC) for NID.
In 2010, NID had attempted to redesign its website to make it technically up-to-date. With a restricted timeline, a partial improvement was made by moving the website to a content management system. However, the audience feedback to the design was overwhelmingly negative. People had problems finding basic information, navigation wasn’t easy and the website was confusing.
I realized that while the product goals existed, they existed only as an unspoken understanding among the website’s stakeholders. Thus, different people had different ideas about what the website was supposed to accomplish. By consolidating these objectives and presenting them to the WAC, I was able to refine the objectives for redesigning the website.
The project sought to improve the user interface, site structure and look and feel of the website. It tackled the issues and complaints regarding the design of the old website, which did not reflect the innovative and dynamic nature of NID and represent all its programmes. Problems regarding navigation, text columns and information architecture were also taken care of. Open source technologies were used for the website’s development.
From this experience, I have realized that the ability to improve a product, even after the deadline for a project is over, is an opportunity that is almost unique to the web. |