web2010 KIS

Improving the design and technology of EPFL websites

The project’s goals:

To transform the web epfl.ch domain (around 1500 sites and 2 million pages) into a communications tool that meets the institution’s demands and image.

• A website that is open to external users.
• More current events.
• An easier browsing experience.
• More coherence.

Web2010 is articulated in four main themes:

• Presentation of information (Graphics, image coherence, readability…)

The project proposes new image graphics, aimed at valorising the site’s content and the school’s image. The new image graphics have been conceived by the Zurich based agency R.O.S.A. Special attention has been paid to the choice of fonts, the readability of different elements, texts and titles, icons and colours.

• Organization of information (Ergonomic, browsing, page layout of elements…)

Finding it difficult to sort your way through a web domain with over 1000 independent sites? The new image graphics make easy browsing for internet users the focus of its priorities, defining a common banner allowing the institution’s main orientations and links to be available on each page, with fixed elements placed in a constant and coherent manner (logo, search engine), and identical internal browsing for all sites.

• Revision of content (Intranet versus internet, translation,  obsolete content …)

Passing your site onto the new charter is an opportunity to rid yourself of obsolete information, sorting out pages in relation to their target (internal or external?), reread content in French and English. The new page layout naturally asks this question: who are we targeting? What’s the message? Is it easily accessible?

• Technology update (Homepage, CMS Jahia, actu tool, accessibility,  statistics…).

CMS Jahia is a tool designed to facilitate content integration (CMS) for EPFL. It ensures page layout, acquires image graphics, favours the addition of dynamic content (publications, news, flux, portraits, course syllabuses…). The actu tool allows you to divulge your unit’s news both internally (to the epfl homepage) and externally (RSS flux and social networks). Accessibility standards (pages used by the visually impaired) are respected and tested on all applications developed.

• Keynote 5th July, Rolex Forum