Concerns:

• The NIU website is comprised of a patchwork of sites, all with differing designs, navigation systems and naming conventions. Several do not identity themselves as part of Northern Illinois University or provide a link back to the homepage. Visitors have to muddle their way through these sites to find what they need.
• Often, departments focus on the design of their site, which can change whenever a new student worker or grad assistant is hired to maintain it.
• Departments often end up with a site that only one person knows how to maintain.
• Sites are structured to reflect the department's internal focus.
• More often than not, the site is designed without any attention to accessibility considerations.
• Sites can be plagued by outdated information or a lack of the relevant information that users seek.
• Many charged with maintaining their department's website struggle with posting new information because there is no way to edit the site other than through the HTML coding.

The Solution:

The Web Presence Project team has developed a system of templates that utilizes best-practice design standards to ensure a consistent look and feel throughout the NIU website.

The template system allows departments to:

• empower non-technical staff to write, edit and manage website content
• publish information without impacting the design
• quickly update navigational and design elements on every page of the site
• streamline the online publishing process (authors create and update the content; reviewers approve and publish that material)

Within the template system, there are a variety of content layout options which accommodate the use of photographs, wordmarks and page configurations.

Why Templates?

The NIU website is a powerful branding tool. For many, it is the main – and often the only – channel of communication they have with NIU, and the impression they receive from our site can influence a student’s decision to attend NIU.

Studies have found that users are more comfortable with sites that have a consistent look and feel and provide a sense of stability. Such sites are easily navigable so users can quickly find the information that they need.