When the University of Iowa Department of Radiology went in search of a firm to help upgrade the department’s 10-year-old website, its goals were lofty. “We are a leader in research and teaching and clinical practice, and our website helps to inform the world,” says Nichole Jenkins, the department’s librarian and keeper of the website. “People check on it from all over the world.”
The department wanted a site that would proclaim its excellence, but also employ a structure and tools that would make it more streamlined and easier to update. “We wanted good design but also good sound coding that would make it more functional,” Jenkins explains. “With a background in both programming and design, Fuel offered the best of both worlds—technical savvy and really great design.”
The new Fuel-designed website launched in September succeeded on all levels, she says. The stunning front-page image effectively communicates the evolution of radiology from black-and-white images to color and 3D, creating a sense of the department’s leadership and distinction. “The site is also much, much easier to update with the CSS and templates they created. You can update something in one place and it gets updated everywhere, which is a real timesaver.”
The Fuel team was great to work with, she emphasizes. “They were very proficient and patient and timely. Because I’m self-taught in this area, I had a lot of questions, and they were very good at explaining things and helping me to do things myself, which we knew would be important.”
Early reviews of the site have been strongly positive, according to Jenkins. “We’ve had a lot of feedback that it’s very clean and professional and represents us in a way we couldn’t have imagined,” she says. “Everyone says it’s easier to find things and much more aesthetically appealing. The site is establishing a brand for our department with a design that really stands out. Some sites may be perfectly structured and have good design, but you don’t remember them. Fuel created something that is unique and memorable.”
Fuel is a design firm that specializes in brand strategy and identity development. To learn more, please call 319.393.7739 or email John Moes at jemoes@fuel-inc.com.