Visitors to the Lawrence University Internet homepage will find a dramatically different appearance, while the content has remained virtually the same. The facelift was one of the changes the school made over the summer months.While users should be able to find everything as in the past, at least one major feature was added. Lawrence computer users will now be able to access their school email accounts through the new webmail feature, allowing easier access from Internet connections anywhere.
The webmail can be accessed at https://mailhub.lawrence.edu.
One of the primary reasons for the change was the need for a more easily navigable and updated website. The former site, created over four years ago, increasingly required changes in order to remain accessible to the user.
The new site should be easier to adjust and update. Virtually all of the information found on the past website is accessible on the new page, although the design and layout have been altered.
NetCasters, Inc. oversaw the redesign. NetCasters promised to “implement easy to use and consistent navigation tools that support the goals of our target audiences,” and to “make information easy to find by using search engines, site maps, and intuitive navigation structures.”
NetCasters’ “Lawrence Web Site Redesign Creative Brief” pledged “to create a fresher, more current look and feel that engages LU’s various constituencies and meshes with other elements of the university’s graphic identity.”
The revision in graphic design was meant to appear more artistic and user-friendly, merging attractiveness with efficiency.
NetCasters’ communication strategy is to “reflect Lawrence’s stature as a prestigious, nationally-ranked Liberal Arts College. This will be an intrinsic element of the newly designed site, while not resorting to flashiness or trendy imagery.”
Not only will current members of the Lawrence community be able to access the information they desire more easily, but alumni and prospective students will as well.