New website brings good looks and accessibility
Lee’s new website is up and running (if you haven’t already, go check it out!). Though it’s still under construction, the site has come a long way from Lee’s first website launch in 1997.
Work on the new site began in May 2011, and has been steadily progressing since. The site went live on Aug. 6, 2012, debuting a completely new look and new features.
But while accessibility and looks are important, all of the new features have one purpose: to drive people to Lee.
“One of the things we want to do is build more of that [Lee] experience online,” said Nate Tucker, director of Information Systems.
Along with that new look come new features, making the site much more accessible. For example, Lee’s old website had around 6000 different pages, with information scattered all over the place. This new website has condensed that information, organizing it into just over 200 pages.
“With 6000 pages, we were constantly in update mode. There was never a time when we could just innovate,” Tucker said.
Now the new website is easily modifiable, so there will be room for updates on a regular basis. In fact, the site is designed so that it can be given a fresh look and feel every 18-24 months.
The website has also been set up so that individual departments and offices can update their own information, ensuring accuracy and reliable information on the website. Public Information is taking a back seat, and most of their releases have been added in to Portico.
Another feature that has been updated is the online catalog, which now looks like the rest of the new site. But the site doesn’t stop there. It also houses new social media integration features, which will allow visitors to become even more engaged through all sorts of social networks.
The usual turnaround time for a web project this size normally takes about 18-24 months, Tucker said. But Lee’s IT department used companies outside of Lee to turn that into 15-16 months.
Tucker hopes that by December 2012, all of the changes will be complete and the old website will no longer exist. However, if for some reason you need to access something on the old site prior to that date, you can visit here.
Be looking for new additions to the website over the next few months!
