The University of Alabama launched its newly redesigned website on Dec. 21.

The new design is more compatible on all screen sizes and is highly visual and more focused on user navigation.

“The new UA.edu utilizes responsive web design, which optimizes the site to function well on all screen sizes for mobile, tablet, laptop and desktop devices,” said Andy Rainey, director of Web Communications for UA. “It is a highly visual site that closely integrates video and social media. The new UA.edu is also a very user-focused site in terms of its content and navigation, and it really emphasizes helping users effectively search and find any resources they seek.”

Due to the evolution of web design technology in the last few years and an increasing trend in mobile browsing, the University’s Office of Web Communications saw this as an opportunity to ensure a positive experience for visitors to the site who are using smartphones and tablets. While the home page always focused on user experience and guiding the audience to the information they were seeking, the Office of Web Communications saw opportunities to enhance the architecture of the site.

“Our home page always focused on user experience and on guiding the audience toward the resources that interest them the most, but certainly we saw opportunities to really streamline and enhance the site’s architecture with this redesign,” Rainey said. “There was a strong emphasis on enhancing ‘seek and find’ resources throughout this process.”

Rainey believes the new UA.edu will help tell the University’s story in a “richer and more impactful way to all audiences.”

“We believe the new responsive design will increase mobile usage of UA.edu and will significantly enhance our ability to effectively communicate with prospective students, current students and all audiences,” Rainey said.