Aberdeenshire Council’s current website design is now four years old, give or take a few months here and there. As local government website designs go it still scrubs up pretty well I guess, we did win an award after all, but it feels like now is the right time for a refresh.
What we’re looking for is something that’s fresh and contemporary but that can stand the test of time. At the same time as updating the look and feel there’s an opportunity to improve other aspects of the user experience along the way.
Reading Room were commisioned to develop a design concept for the site. Here’s a first look at the proposed design applied to the home page – what are your first impressions?
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Love it!
Very clean and fresh + really draws the eye in; style will definitely appeal to the younger generation while simplicity of design and layout will work well for more mature users.
Looking forward working my content into this…
First impressions are that its a much simpler, cleaner and “softer” interface when compared to the old site.
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There’s a lot of information presented, but not enough to overwhelm the user – I just hope that the page isn’t too wide for those using smaller screens (the image itself just fits on 1280×1024). Has there been any thought to mobile-type devices that have a limited screen area (eg. someone might want to check the bus timetables on their mobile while walking to the bus stop?).
I’d also like to think that the site will be fully cross-platform (and I don’t mean just Windows & Mac
What might be a nice feature is for some forums where folks can interact across the Aberdeenshire area – might help to build a sense of “belonging” to some of the more out-lying areas of Aberdeenshire.
Overall though, a design like that is definitely a move in the right direction.
Thanks for the feedback folks!
To answer a couple of the questions…
The site will be tested across a wide selection of platforms and we are designing it to be viewable across the board. From Opera to Firefox, Chrome to Safari and from Wii to iPhone. We are however looking into developing some cut down versions for mobile devices in the future, allowing easier access to our current and future online services.
We are primarily designing for 1024×768 as our web stats show that this will suit the majority of our users, however the site will scale, making a positive user experience for all…fingers crossed.
Love the idea of adding a sense of belonging to the site. We’ve toyed with adding a forum / blog before and it could be a great addition. We’ll keep you posted – excuse the pun!
very clean – but maybe too much on one page. Looks good on a big Mac screen with high resolution.
I think that the font colours (pink and sort of orange) are bad – some people will find them difficult to read and a not so good monitor may struggle. The clarity of type face on the old one is better
Typeface works well when white on background colour but is a bit “fuzzy” when in colour. Possible use of more “muted” colours could be considered, otherwise very fresh, bright and modern. Likely to encourage younger users. Doesn’t look like “typical” Council website. Very user friendly – but then Aberdeenshire Council website has always been that little bit more innovative than other Council websites.
Looks great, much better than the old Aberdeenshire Council Website.
I think it looks great, though I’d probably try to shave away a couple of elements to keep things as simple as possible. I’d cut the Jobs panel, and perhaps move the Quick Links and the Flickr/Library images into the same area of the screen, thus grouping ‘popular’ links together.
With regard to mobile devices, I’d say you have to design for the most popular screen size (i.e. 1024×768) and leave it up to the mobile devices themselves to adapt (as the iPhone and other touch-screen devices have, with their easy zooming and panning of web pages).
Tested it on my teenagers tonight. – as follows
Likes -
A-Z & left menu on home page – they both thought it would help them find things better than old home page as they had to find the correct tab and often gave up. Schools closure was one’s favourite page and it’s always on the home page when it’s needed anyway.
Do it online – ‘not that I need it just now but is it new – what else is in there’
Dislikes -
Quick links are down too low – ‘If I wanted a quick link I’d want it nearer the top’.
Local Info – ‘should be further down as I wouldn’t use it as often as the quick links’. Can they be swopped?’
Orange and pink is horrid combination. Aqua ok
Comments -
Looks like BBC
Can we change the quick links to reflect our personal interests? – I use bus timetables and library catalogue most – will they be on home page the whole time
My comments
Guess that moving what was contained in the tabs (A-Z, do it online etc) to the home page is making the site easier to use and more visible. I certainly like it.
I’m interested to see what the other pages will look like.
Page looks just a little white for me. Why are Quick links and Do -it-online headed in orange and others in blue?
The new look website looks fresh and bright, it makes the old homepage look dated. The menus are easy to read and it’s good that this is on the homepage now. There is a lot of information on the homepage but it’s clearly laid out. Looking forward to using the end result.
Website looks good. Got a nice clean feeling to it and easy to read.
I agree with Alison, pink and orange not quite the colours I’d expect. Will there be the option to adjust theme colours, just like the text size option? (just for those who are colour sensitive?)
I also agree that quick links should maybe be in a more prominent place on the main page. Will the sections be movable on the page? (i.e like igoogle / bbc main page?)
Should the page footer show the Aberdeen City and Shire logo?
I am all for multi-browser compatibility and glad this is being tested however, I must admit I do hate it when I use my iphone and get a cut-down version of a web page just because I am using my mobile to browse (I understand this is to save download time on 3g or edge, screen size issues etc but considering those with an iphones or ipod touch will browser mainy via wireless network and I presume other newer phones / handheld devices will allow the same). Will there be the option for those with mobile devices to view the full page if they choose too should a scaled down version for mobile devices be introduced? For example, when I view google on my iphone it is automatically directed to the google mobile but I can get to full google if I choose too/want more features.
Thanks for the useful feedback from everyone. There are some interesting discussion points for our next team meeting here.
I’m part of the team that works on the Aberdeenshire Council website.
Many of the comments so far have described the design as clean, bright, fresh, softer. I think these are very positive words to describe the first impressions of a website.
A few people mention the low positioning of the quicklinks. I would agree that it needs to be higher up. The design is quite flexible so we can easily move content around. User testing will be carried out throughout the project. Some applications will allow you to add or reduce the number of items displayed.
The site does display well on the iPhone / iPod Touch with a full view of the site. Other mobile devices show the website by flowing the content in a linear way.
I particularly liked one comment from Alison’s child:
Keep the comments coming we’re all finding them interesting and useful.
I think it is good but the menu bar was a bit small and the quick links should be more prominet.
Chris.
1. I like the vision being at the top. Not sure the pink adds anything and ideally should be thought of in the context that the statement is presented elsewhere, where we never use pink. Typeface should also align to other uses? Kate Bond/colleagues to advise? There should be a clickable link from the vision to the full text.
2. Kim says”Should the page footer show the Aberdeen City and Shire logo?”. I’d say no, adds confusion, although it’s been added to the current version to show commitment etc. (But strangly although logo is omitted the Aberdeen City and Shire “skyline” is there without explanation). Always a temptation to add more and more badges/alignmentrs/motherhood and apple pie symbols.
3. A B C D E etc across top plus the list at the left-hand side of the page makes it look much more focussed on council services than the current version. Most of the items in the list also look more geared towards our organisational structures (e.g. legal services – does that mean they can get a lawyer through our site?!) than towards public need .
4. I like the slightly lesser prominence on news as it allows more space for other stuff
5. Overall effect a bit wordy perhaps. Fewer words and 1 or 2 more images helpful perhaps?
6. “Flickr”/”Library Catalogue” links at bottom left there all the time or would vary? Would prefer “variation” e.g. why have only one interactive service (library) here always when there are others to feature? Also not sure what Flickr adds.
Hope these thoghts helpful.
Roger
PS A geographer? Couldn’t find City Chambers? Shame on you, Edinbugger!
Thanks for the feedback Roger.
We are looking at making the vision a link but I suspect users will expect it to go back to the home page. We’ll be testing this with users very soon. The pink idea came from the design team and I personally think it works well but there have been reservations expressed by others. Clearly we will need to see what Corporate Comms. feel about the impact on the overall Council “brand”.
The City Shire branding was included as a results of an earlier decision that it has to be reflected on the home page. Comms. have led on deciding what this meant and the use in the footer is a compromise between a requirement for it be there but not detracting from our own brand.
The idea behind the the A to Z list and the Navigation links on the home page and all subsequent pages is that users will be able to access this more quickly and easily as two of the primary ways to get to content. We haven’t changed the navigation structure, so Legal Services is still there as it currently is under Site Directory. I agree that this term in particular may not be as user-focussed as it could be but the current redesign is not looking at this at the moment. I think this is something we could revisit following further user testing post-launch.
Finally, the Flickr and Library Catalogue “adverts” are just examples and these would be rotated all the time to promote other interactive services and parts of the site. The Flickr idea came from the design company and is only that at the moment.
Not a question of visual design but the search facility is still very poor. As an example, searching for “strategic priorities” (on the site I think since last November) throws up only “strategic plan” (although it then takes you to the strategic priorities page) which has been superseded since November and is no longer on the site. Searching “single outcome agreement” returns only a press release and lots of committee minutes, not the document itself.
Chris – re. the City and Shire branding, interesting to see how this is is used by different relevant sites.
1. Ours – home page link takes you to another page in our site.
2. City – home page link takes you direct to the City and Shire web site home page.
4. Chamber of Commerce – home page link takes you (confusingly) to the now presumably out of date ACSEF web site home page.
5. Scottish Enterprise – all reference has disappeared meantime presumably because of their reorganisation.
How the various links are visualised also varies in each case.
It sounds as if those responsible for the branding need to try and get some consistency in how it’s done.
well, for once (mark with a red cross), I’m going to side with Chris on the pink: I think it works really well in contrast with the blue / white and attracts the eye to the main elements that I think residents would want to find (eg go buttons, local info etc).
I’m even quite happy with the orange – though actually Kim’s idea of themes (a bit like you get on yahoo mail) appeals – that way, you’d get the best of both worlds: colours that work for each user, emphasising legibility for some and looks for others…and this might even mean that a wider range of visual impairments could be catered for.
Aurelie – I’m not against any colour (in this case the pink) inherently I was just making a general point about consistency of use of an identity. You don’t, for example, see the Shell logo reproduced in green and blue, it’s always yellow and red. That protects what I understand the professionals call the integrity of the idnetity. I’m happy to rely on the judgement of our corporate communications team on this one advised by those expert in web site design.
Roger
PS – no red crosses, but give yourself a pink one!
The website looks very modern and attractive, visually quite simple so easy to get around. I also like the idea of having more photos and making it more visually appealing.
The overall feel is much more up to date and in line with other websites, this can only be a good thing. I personally like the idea of blogs and forums and generally having it more interactive. Not sure how easy this would be to monitor though.
Very good!
The new website design looks excellent! – but …
Just wondering why you have a selection box to define people – if I wish to describe myself as a student for example then technically I can’t use the website – I know it’s a good idea in terms of searching for information but I’d guess that people would not wish to be categorised into groups