Let the fanfare begin; the new Fletcher website has launched!

In accordance with an  overall re-branding and marketing effort, The Fletcher School is proud to announce the unveiling of the newly designed website on November 7, 2003. The purpose of the redesign is to exhibit the school’s academic, research and community excellence in a cohesive and attractive format, with improved ease of navigation and presentation of information. The launch follows a three-month redesign process, joining the efforts of web designers and writers, marketers and steering committees from all reaches of the Fletcher family.

Changes to the Fletcher website include streamlined navigation, increased coverage of events on campus and profiles of professors, students, and their research. As The Fletcher School’s great appeal lies in its relatively small size and emphasis on the individual, the new website also reflects the distinct personality of the school.

The redesign began with a kickoff meeting at the start of the summer, led by Liz Hincks and Andrea Hurley. Bringing together 15-20 faculty and staff members, students and alumni, the web staff polled the group on key elements they expected and hoped to see in the new site. Boston-based web development firm BigBad, Inc. observed the conversation and compiled the comments into a document intended to clarify the group-initiated architectural and design strategy.

In addition to re-working the site in line with Fletcher’s new visual identity, the group recommended the emphasis of the mission “Preparing Leaders With a Global Perspective” through increased use of student, faculty and event profiles. BigBad helped the steering committee focus on the different needs of their principal audiences:
Prospective Students, who as the primary visiting group need to access information about Fletcher’s academic programs, campus visits and interviews, application details and post-degree employment options;
Alumni, who need to get news on the current faculty, administration and student organizations, as well as the ability to access career and networking resources;
Donors, who seek information on Fletcher’s board, academic curricula and reputation and student accomplishments;
Employers and recruiters, looking to post jobs, interview candidates and learn more about school diversity and student accomplishments;
Researchers, seeking student MALD theses and full-text versions of multilateral treaties and trade agreements; and
Current Students, who seek access to Tufts libraries and to career and recruiting resources.

Aiming to please so many distinct visitors, along with the larger goal of increasing site traffic and applicant numbers, has been a difficult endeavor. Yet all parties agreed that the most challenging projects are the ones most worth tackling! “It’s been a great learning experience,” said Liz Hincks with a smile and a sigh. So what have the Fletcher staff and the BigBad designers come up with?

First and foremost, the website itself will integrate all aspects of Fletcher’s diverse identity: a top educational institution in international affairs, a premier research facility, a rich hiring resource for the private, public and nonprofit sectors, and a gathering point for members of the international community. A strong home page with both links appealing to any visitor as well as unique navigational paths for specific visitor groups prevent unnecessarily cluttering of information and provide clear links to audience-appropriate paths of information. Vertical and lateral navigation menus lead the visitors to the information they seek with ease and a balanced mix of articles, profiles and images contribute to an overall clean and structured site. Featuring notable Fletcher alumni, current students, pertinent research projects, campus events and lectures, and donation opportunities, the redesigned Fletcher site both caters to and benefits from its global audience.

Stephen Bosworth, Dean of The Fletcher School, notes that the new visual identity “reflects the full range of our students’ interests and our graduates’ professions.” MALD student Parker Wertz adds that “the site draws in both casual visitors and Fletcher community members with equal comfort… the events calendar promotes both routine and unique events with increased clarity.” Indeed, the entire Fletcher community looks forward to additional responses to the site and welcomes any questions or comments.