1. the ATUS website
some thoughts

2. Users First
Many contacts are an
emergency (to user)
Official terminology is
not well-known
Who does what?
(Who cares?)
Encourage return visits
for learning
Simple; visual clarity
Easy terms, functional
grouping
Ignore organizational lines –
information first! For all ITS?
Make it compelling,
attractive, useful

3. Provide Good Information
Correct
Useful and well-written
Complete
Easy to Use
Keep it current and updated
(use Drupal reminder tools)
Let users rate usefulness (Drupal
Rating tools)
Let users add their own
questions when we’ve missed
something (user commenting)
Multiple look-up methods:
taxonomy filters, menus/grids,
search

4. a LOT of information
a lot of CATEGORIES of information
TECHNICAL and COMPLEX information
Our data goes OUT OF DATE
Our info is the vehicle, not the destination
Potential Roadblocks

5. Make Large Lists Friendly
A lot of info visible at
once
Not over-whelming
Icons can help
recognition
Subject titles must be
right
UofO: https://it.uoregon.edu/services-grid/all

6. Lists can be too much
The eyes glaze over
Is anyone going to go
to pages 2-10?
UofO: https://it.uoregon.edu/it-faq

7. Rating allows user a voice
Use Drupal Rating or
Five Star module
BUT – someone in ATUS
must evaluate and
react to negative
votes

8. Best of Grids and Lists?
Grid with icons allows
for quick find
List at right allows for
completeness
Stanford: https://itservices.stanford.edu/services

9. Too complicated?
Looks
complicated
Eye focuses at
left, but primary
decision is at
right
OSU: http://oregonstate.edu/is/home?destination=node/308

10. Good Details
OSU: http://oregonstate.edu/is/tss/och

11. Not a good idea
Expiration Dating
on our content is
helpful – but
requires
maintenance so
the user doesn’t
see this!

12. Site opens at “Help Desk”
grid so user sees familiar
functional areas
Some Ideas

13. All articles are tagged in several categories which might
include:
Topic (major functional areas)
Audience (student, faculty, staff, internal)
Expiration date, published/not published, etc
Widgets can then be teasers for such things as:
Top 3 e-learning questions this week
5 things you need to know about classrooms
Canvas articles for students
Some Ideas…

14. Sidebars contain:
Other ways to find stuff
Widgets displaying quick
hints of other information
available
Some Ideas…

15. Top menu contains links to
recognizable major functional areas
Some Ideas…
Canvas Media WebClassrooms Software

16. Examples you like
Ideas you have
Concerns
Clarifications
Your Turn