The Whyalla City Council website has been given a makeover, with the new-look site launching today 😍
The refresh is aimed at creating a more user-friendly, simplified, accessible website that helps improve customers’ experience.
Users will notice the main difference is the homepage, which has a more modern look and now features an icon box with the most visited pages on the site, as well as an upgraded search bar – both making it simpler to find what you’re looking for.
The entire site also incorporates simplified dropdown boxes with less ‘clutter’; and a new accessibility tool including features such as a screen reader, increased text size, dictionary and a dyslexia-friendly setting.
Mayor Phill Stone encouraged residents to check out the site and provide feedback on what they liked and what they want to see further improved, as the project will be a continual work in progress.
“We’ve acknowledged that our website has needed attention for some time, so it’s great to be able to launch this much more accessible, easy-to-use version to the community,” Mayor Stone said.
“The main focus of the change was to make everything easier to locate and access, as residents have regularly commented that they’ve had difficulties finding specific pages and information.”
Mayor stone said making the website more accessible to those with challenges such as vision impairment, dyslexia, ADHD or learning difficulties was also a priority.
“We hope the accessibility widget – which is now available on every page of the website – helps address some of those issues and provides a more enjoyable experience for all users,” he said.
The accessibility tool is available by clicking on the accessibility icon:
Other changes implemented include:
- Having to click on the title of each dropdown menu to see the contents (preventing accidentally opening a nearby dropdown by moving your mouse over it)
- Updating the main search bar to be able to sort by ‘newest’
- Having more ‘Latest News’ articles available on the homepage
- Improving the look of the ‘Events Calendar’
- Adding Council social account links at the top of the page
Changes continuing to be developed over the coming months include:
- Adding a social media feed
- Consistency in the look of pages across the site
- Ensuring pages have up-to-date information
- Improving the functionality of pages such as the agendas and minutes page
So be sure to click around in the new-look site and let us know what you think and how it can be further improved. Click here to provide feedback, or email communications@whyalla.sa.gov.au, or call 8640 3444.
Our special thanks to the Local Government Association’s IT Systems Administrator Simon McMahon for all his effort, ideas and guidance throughout the project and ensuring its successful implementation.