The Home Page Redesign Committee Meeting

We have our first one coming up this Friday! It should be fun!

Wine and Espresso Meet Their Future Boss

Last week I was offered a new job at my university. It's job I want, but financially it's dicey because I'd have to give up teaching and some other sources of income. My wife and I have spent a lot of time going back and forth about the pros and cons of taking (or turning down) the job. I have to have a decision by Monday morning.

Last night we decided to take a break from all the intense discussions and go out to a nice dinner and have a nice bottle of wine to go with it (2005 Sea Smoke Southing Pinot Noir - 4.75 stars - yummy!). We had a great meal and topped it off with a couple of cups of espresso.

From there, we headed over to a local bookstore to browse a bit before heading home. There I happened to run into the person who would be my new boss if I accepted the position. The following "conversation" ensued...

My apologies, "Larry". I didn't mean to talk your ear off.

We Know What We're Doing - Don't We?

OK, I freely admit that I'm just being mean here.

The problem isn't with administrators, it's with people who don't understand the Web as a communication medium; people who don't understand it's strengths, weaknesses, limitations, needs, or the expectations of users.

The problem is with people who think the home page should try to be all things to all people. Instead, it ends up being nothing to no one. To be effective, a university home page needs to be focused around a specific, clearly crafted message. Users should be able to come away from looking at the home page being able to articulate (in some manner) that message.

I really wanted the tree to collapse under the weight of all the ornaments, but since I can't draw and am relying completely on the Microsoft Office clip art library (no lie!) for props, I had the tree burst into flames instead.

Thanks again to the propeller-hatted admin for the idea for this cartoon.