The project team that has developed Metropolitan State University of Denver’s revamped Faculty and Staff Hub is taking more time to incorporate employee feedback into the new site and has pushed the launch date to March 28.
Initially set to launch Friday, the new hub provides employees with updated features and access to University resources they rely on in their day-to-day work.
A beta version of the new site has been live for weeks as developers sought feedback from faculty and staff members.
“We’re grateful for that feedback, which is helping us to shape and refine the site to enhance usability,” said Michelle Britt, director of Digital Marketing and Content Strategy. “While some issues and concerns that users identified will take time to analyze and address, others can be addressed quickly, and that’s what we’re doing now.”
For example, Britt said, the Quick Links menu at the top of the page now more prominently features links to the Outlook email app and Canvas, the University’s online learning platform.
Access to many of the most frequently used tools and platforms is available through the Quick Links menu, while additional tools can be found in Employee Essentials and Academic Resources.
University Communications and Marketing, which is developing the site, is also reviewing and correcting broken or misdirected links that users reported. Britt encouraged employees who haven’t done so to review the site and report any issues through the feedback button at the top of the page.
“All links from the old site have been incorporated into the new one, and we are committed to ensuring they are easy to find,” Britt said.
UCM set out to develop a new hub following a 2022 internal communications audit that indicated, based on employee focus groups, a need for easier and more centralized access to employee information and resources.
The new site includes:
- Search and filters: Search functionality and filters are in place on each subpage, enabling users to locate links and resources quickly by topic and/or keyword.
- Site organization: Scrolling is reduced through site organization, which categorizes links in three main sections based on purpose and audience (Quick Links, Academic Resources and Employee Essentials).
- Dynamic content: Alongside the materials needed to complete common tasks, employees will now benefit from more dynamic content updates that highlight need-to-know information at MSU Denver, including top Early Bird articles, event postings, announcements, resources and opportunities to engage with colleagues.
- Enhanced accessibility and user experience: To comply with best practices in digital design and legal requirements, the new site better reflects current accessibility standards to deliver an enhanced experience to every user.
What’s next?
The new site will replace the legacy platform March 28. The project team will post a video tour to familiarize users with the site structure and will continue to collect feedback following the launch.
