AF.mil unveils new design

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Air Force officials launched a re-designed official Web site, AF.mil. The redesigned site features a larger layout, larger photos, new technology and less clutter. It offers users new content types with the inclusion of slideshows, new video capability, blog-like commenting on content and improved search capability (U.S. Air Force illustration)
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AF.mil unveils new design

Posted 5/16/2009 Updated 5/18/2009

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by Staff Sgt. Vanessa Young
Defense Media Activity-San Antonio

5/16/2009 - SAN ANTONIO (AFNS) -- Air Force officials unveil a new look for the service's official Web site, AF.mil. For frequent visitors to AF.mil some of the changes will be obvious at a glance.

The redesigned site features a larger layout, larger photos, new technology and less clutter. It offers users new content types with the inclusion of slideshows, new video capability, blog-like commenting on content and improved search capability.

"We're excited to be rolling out the new design and template for Air Force Public Web," said Larry Clavette, the director of the Air Force Public Affairs Agency and the owner of the Air Force Public Web Program. "The new design packages a lot of features our users asked for. The site itself offers more room to display content. The design is streamlined, it has a neat, clean look and feel. Our main goal here was to make things easier to find and easier to navigate."

The Air Force Public Web Program is a service-wide effort to consolidate all public Web sites to improve security, reduce redundancy, increase performance and standardize site appearance across the 315 sites in the program. AF.mil is the first to roll out with the new design, but the remainder of the Air Force's sites will migrate to the new format before the end of 2009.

The launch is the culmination of almost a year of work that includes research, focus groups and system development, testing and deployment. The whole process began when Air Force officials launched a usability survey in 2007. The research determined users liked the rich content of AF.mil, but commented on the poor navigation.

According to Mike Carabajal, AF.mil webmaster, a main priority of the redesign was to re-evaluate the information on the Web site and 'trim the fat' to keep the design clear of clutter while offering more to users.

The most visible changes of the redesign are the white space and the fewer links and tabs. The new design features only three top navigation links versus the old site's 13 links and displays half the number of sections to make information easier to find.

The site also features new technology that allows users to comment on content posted on the site, embed video capability and a redesigned, customizable photo and art gallery.

"We're excited to unveil the new templates and get user feedback to see how we've met their expectations," said Mr. Clavette. "Web technology and innovation is a never ending pursuit for improvement and capability. The cycle begins anew now for us."

Toward that goal, some AF.mil visitors will have the opportunity to comment on the usability and the new features of the site through a pop-up survey beginning in June.

Comments

6/5/2009 3:43:48 PM ET
You moved the official biographies and didn't redirect from the old locations. This broke every incoming biography link such as all on the links from Wikipedia articles. They were in the form of SLASH bios SLASH bio.aspbioID6617 and are now in the form of SLASH information SLASH bios SLASH bio.aspbioID6617 an unnecessary move but one that could have easily been redirected. Plus you gave up the Google juice for those persons' names.

Phillip Stewart, Schriever AFB Colorado

6/5/2009 3:43:03 PM ET
The default font size is too small. Check any web usability or accessibility guide.I'm having to put my comments in one at a time because the is a problem with your JavaScript validation code.

Phillip Stewart, Schriever AFB Colorado

5/28/2009 11:59:02 AM ET
This is a better layout but the new text is too small to read. It needs a dynamic resize function that the top web sites have. The next item is to improve the weak search funtion. I should not have to go to Google to find something on this web site. Otherwise thanks for the work.

Smith, Brussels Belgium

5/27/2009 4:38:36 AM ET
I miss the old letters page. That was where I went to check out what people were saying and read the articles linked from there.

Michelle, England

5/20/2009 12:23:39 AM ET
Being a USAF Veteran I enjoy receiving AF.mil. I appreciate the opportunity to read about the advances and continual improvement of the Air Force while protecting the United States against all adversaries. I am proud to have been a member of the Air Force as was my brother and nephew. My Air Force experience taught me discipline integrity and honor. I also attended college on the G.I. Bill earning two degrees due to my service. I Crossed into the Blue and could not have made a better decision as the Air Force enabled me have great future and life. Go AIR FORCE

Dr. Charles F Jones, Houston TX

5/19/2009 12:34:39 PM ET
Frankly this is a great site with much potential. It's a work in progress. The old AF Link site had way too many elements/messages competing for limited real estate on the main page. This redesign streamlines the site and brings logic to content placement for today's visitors who rely on information NOW. Will it need some tweaks here and there to improve the Web experience Yes. Will it please everyone every time No.

Joe, Lackland

5/19/2009 10:46:29 AM ET
Hello thanks for all the feedback this is of course an evolving project. Our main goal in the redesign was to clean up the old site. We did remove library however the content is now placed into two areas, news and information. Information is the new library page and you can get to the same content from there the links are just now categorized. As far as the look and feel I can assure you we are taking a look at the font size as well as making the color stand out more. We are committed to making sure that content is easier to get to and there are multiple ways for the end user to get their content not just on AF.mil but via their RSS readers. Please try out the new slideshow features on the photo page, embeddable video code so you can place your video on your website or social networking site and of course the categorized news is all available via RSS feed.

Mike, San Antonio

5/19/2009 6:12:11 AM ET
As a regular viewer particularly as a researcher it is disturbing to see that the organisational structure break down for all the wings etc in the various cammands is no longer listed. It was a valuable tool for assisting researchers seems a step backwards from the old layout which was just as easy to navigate. Don't change things that aren't broken.

Peter Hancock, Adelaide Sth Australia

5/18/2009 9:09:52 PM ET
I don't think this was change for change sake. The old site was a mess and needed to go.

Justin Cook, Las Vegas

5/18/2009 6:04:24 PM ET
I liked the old format better. This one is is too vanilla and plain Jane. What happened to the USAF bios for the Generals Chiefs and SES's My family and I enjoyed looking up and refreshing our memories about the early pioneers in the Air Force. Also what happened to the Library page It was nice to be able to go to one spot to find AFI's publications forms and periodicals etc. And what happened to the Retirees websites and links With over 650000 AF retirees now we need websites and links on all bases to the RAO's. When I tried to access these websites I get a 403 Access Denied for all three sites. Sorry to see the good sections of the old AF.mil website eliminated. Please fix ASAP.

RD, Offutt AFB

5/18/2009 4:52:47 PM ET
Although it is a pretty vanilla layout the information is presented to the user in a logical manner. What happened to the Library page. It was nice to be able to go to one spot to find publications periodicals etc. I looked on the site map and couldn't find this location. When I use my bookmark I get a 403 Access Denied. Sorry to see a good section of the old site eliminated.I'd also recommend removing the links to AF prohibited websites from the article Share feature. Using many of those gives sends the user to the Access Denied page and logs the activity.

Gary Swanson, Scott AFB

5/18/2009 4:23:45 PM ET
Change is a good thing but if you are going to change do it one step at a time. Why do newspaper people do little changes in their publication Because people might be thrown off if you show them entirely different stuff. I am always a firm believer of why fix if it ain't broke. Change is also good if it is done in a good way and with a purpose other than because we just want to. Why change a Web site that in itself is good People have the tendency to get accustomed to things and the way they get their news is one of them. If you are going to change it all the way you are changing the way they get their news and without proper explanation that is a disservice to your readers.

Julius, Edwards AFB

5/18/2009 4:00:50 PM ET
Ok the design is wearing on me. Initially I didn't like the new look ... the banner bothers me the most I think. However now that's I've used the site for 20-30 minutes I think the lack of eye candy takes backseat to the new functionality. Great job

Mark, Illinois

5/18/2009 3:56:24 PM ET
Nice clean design--love it All pertinent info above the fold with easy-to-find search box. Plus the categorized news feeds rock And as John Hasson mentioned it's much easier to navigate from a phone. Thanks for all your work in putting this together for us

Chris, Washington DC

5/18/2009 3:36:53 PM ET
In regards to the comment by Steve W from Maryland about the font size. I am well aware of how to toggle text sizes in IE. The problem is that the View-Text Size does not work as far as this site is concerned. As far as Ctrl mouse scroll it enlarges the whole webpage outside the confines of my screen resolution and not just the text. That setup is not really conducive to effective browsing.

TSgt Tommy Warshaw, Shaw AFB SC

5/18/2009 3:25:19 PM ET
Without the first several words of the story the headlines don't have as much meaning. The redesign is good but stories need to be summarized on the main page.

Ken, Niceville FL

5/18/2009 2:57:04 PM ET
I really liked the previous site better.Maybe this one will grow on me.

Todd Citron, Chino Hills CA

5/18/2009 2:41:16 PM ET
I really liked the old website better probably because I was so use to it. This will take awhile to get use to.

Mika, Georgia

5/18/2009 1:59:48 PM ET
I have to admit I was expecting more from the redesign. The new site is very vanilla. It's obviously less cramped and a bit more organized but it's not all that attractive. As the world's premier Air Force -- and as the unofficial techies of the U.S. Armed Forces -- I would think our No. 1 news and information Web site would be a bit more attractive. Im really looking forward to the new features I just wish the new site was a little easier on the eyes.

Mark, Illinois

5/18/2009 1:35:11 PM ET
I love the new look and features of AF.mil. The photos especially look amazing... they really pop. I always thought the old site had way too much info on the main page and looked chaotic. It was time for a change and you guys did an incredible job

Shannon, San Antonio Texas

5/18/2009 1:27:00 PM ET
Wow great look for the new AF Link 2.0. Couldn't have come at a better time

TacAirlifter, Colorado Springs CO

5/18/2009 1:16:34 PM ET
Wow I'm excited to see the new look to af.mil. It flows across the entire screen and items are much easier to find. The new uncluttered look has few if any distractions to the eye. Great job

Leslie, Eglin AFB Fla.

5/18/2009 1:12:52 PM ET
I definitely recognize the need to change the previous website was getting old and it is important to add a fresh look every once and awhile. However I see this as a step backwards rather than forwards. The graphic design compared to the previous site is uninspired at best. I also do not like the lack of vertical separators between columns this results in a jumbled look. If youre trying to make a website that is easier for a 50 year old MSgt to read thats fine but if you want a serious website that serves as an interaction between the Air Force and the civilian community and also an important recruiting tool for young people... you can do much better.

Brian , Florida

5/18/2009 1:04:09 PM ET
This is a much needed and overdue refresh. Clean and simple. Excellent. To those that are complaining it because you are afraid of change. This new site implements RSS the ability to take advantage of popular social sites blocked on DOD LANs such as Facebook and Twitter and is just easier to download regardless of the connection speed. For those complaining about the font size please learn to use your browser. You can either zoom using the control key and the plus or minus keys or under View in the tool bar select Text Size and choose Larger or Largest.

Steve W, Maryland

5/18/2009 12:51:50 PM ET
The old site is much easier to navigate and is nicer to look at.

Richard, Crystal City Va

5/18/2009 11:49:12 AM ET
Great new look.

Joel Mease, Dyess AFB Texas

5/18/2009 11:21:18 AM ET
Kudos on the new site design which was well overdue. The look and feel of the new design is a proper fit for the most technologically advanced Air Force in the world. The use of space and negative space in the layout provides much more breathing room for readers to navigate through. Overall the usability is greatly improved and there is no longer any tension and clutter associated with the design. Also the focus on media is the biggest improvement. Having a separate larger video window allows the user to keep up with top news stories while still being able to navigate. Also the zoom feature on the photos page is a step in the right direction though the pop out image does hinder navigating from left to right on the photos page. I would also recommend more focus on the most relevant imagery on the main photos page slideshows. The addition large slideshows for week in photos is an awesome addition. At first I was reluctant to the fact there were no thumbnail images provide with the news

Bennie J. Davis III, San Antonio TX

5/18/2009 11:03:37 AM ET
The new site is a vast improvement over the old it's much more visually pleasing and makes better use of space. It looks more professional too. The old site looked like it was slapped together as people thought of things they wanted to add and there was so much going on it was hard to find anything. The new site looks like people actually thought about the best way to present the information.

Susan Aldrich, Madison WI

5/18/2009 10:56:43 AM ET
A step in the right direction.

Doug P. Kuma, Anon Hills

5/18/2009 10:39:35 AM ET
Good start but needs some pizzaz.

lawrence, Maryland

5/18/2009 10:23:18 AM ET
Older website is better. A lot of dead space in the new layout. Please change back.

SSgt, Newington NH

5/18/2009 10:19:33 AM ET
I like the new design. It's less cramped and has a spot in the center of the page for the highlight of the day.The News sections seem a bit confused though. Do you really need separate sections for Top Stories More AF Headlines Commentaries Features AF News and More AF News I know the Air Force likes redundant systems for aircraft but I'm not sure we need that many redundant sections for 'news' on our website.

John, Randolph AFB

5/18/2009 10:19:28 AM ET
Site lookes great. Nice flow not too cluttered.

Alex R., Boston MA

5/18/2009 10:02:56 AM ET
Good design format...clean and pretty easy on the eyes. Access to links is available to visitors and easily accessible. I would consider adding an option to allow visitors to enlarge the text and possibly adding the link for the Site Map to the top as well to prevent scrolling to the bottom to find it. Overall nice job.

Jay Simmons, San AntonioTX

5/18/2009 9:56:09 AM ET
Overall I think it's a breath of fresh air. While it will take a little getting used to I like this format better. Especially being able to comment at the bottom of each article instead of having a separate page just for letters comments.I do agree with others though that the font could stand to be enlarged. Since we're taking advantage of greater width there is certainly plenty of room to bump the font up.

TSgt Tommy Warshaw, Shaw AFB SC

5/18/2009 9:52:35 AM ET
I am a big fan of simplicity in web sites and think the new design is a great improvement. Information is easier to find and access and I like the new organization and placement of links.

J Sampson, San Antonio TX

5/18/2009 9:50:27 AM ET
Seems like we change for the sake of change. Did anyone ask the end user what they would like to see Probably not. I am sure that af.mil spent a lot of money to disappoint so many. However like everything we will muddle through it and figure it out. Thanks for nothing.

Joe, Baghdad Iraq

5/18/2009 9:38:41 AM ET
I like the way that the art archive has been set up now. It's much easier to see the different shields and other graphics much like in the way that many royalty free photo sites are set up. It's overall clean and easy to navigate.

Paul, Texas

5/18/2009 9:18:29 AM ET
Yet another change. Who would have thought the AF would change something that was functional. Change for the sake of change is not progress.

Tony, Georgia

5/18/2009 9:05:04 AM ET
This brings to mind change for change sake. What happened to if it ain't broke don't fix it The old format was much better and easier to navigate. But what is done is done so we will have to learn to live with it. Sorry that nothing remains the same anymore. I do however enjoy the information available and go to the site daily.

MSgt Bob Tichenor USAF Ret, Johnson City TN

5/18/2009 8:33:04 AM ET
Very plain looking website. Not very appealing. Change should be for the better but this change is not for the better it's like going backwards. I like the original site much better. Don't change it just to make a change.

Dave, Oklahoma City OK

5/18/2009 8:22:16 AM ET
Looks good. Don't mind the other people's critiques they only like to bicker and offer no good feedback.

Mark, Tinker AFB

5/18/2009 4:18:42 AM ET
Where did the news photos go I miss seeing the latest news photo posts.

Ben Bloker, Kaiserslautern Germany

5/18/2009 1:21:58 AM ET
The phrase the best product by the lowest bidder comes to mind with the new layout. Two thumbs down.

Jake, Las Vegas NV

5/18/2009 1:20:48 AM ET
Something had to be done about the old website. Is this the answer Perhaps more like a step in a new direction. Much like the Blue-Tiger-Stripe ABU idea this site incorporates a lot of good ideas and new technology into a package that is aestetically... staid disappointing. As the Web is visual in nature and this retro 2nd-generation website wouldn't look out of place in 1994 it needs a little more tastefully applied color -and bigger fonts - to make its looks match the obviously re-tooled coding under the hood. A quick revamping and this may well fit in and look like a 21st century site.

G. Warkentin, Las Vegas NV

5/18/2009 12:45:30 AM ET
Sorry I guess I'm not one for change. I liked the old format better.

Paul W., Dover

5/18/2009 12:29:28 AM ET
Not again I remember suffering through this a few years ago. Why change for the sake of change So frustrating and annoying. Just leave well enough alone already.

Doug, WA

5/17/2009 10:30:38 PM ET
This is not really cool.

Tony, OKC OK

5/17/2009 10:22:24 PM ET
Wow. Very nice. All the service's have great sites but I am partial to this one. Maybe because I used to be in the AF but I also think the Navy's site is too busy and the others don't have a comments feature which I think will bring a lot of people to the site. GREAT WORK

Chris, Minnesota

5/17/2009 8:57:02 PM ET
A little bit plain. Not sure what was wrong with the old page.

TSgt Alan Landers, Moody AFB GA

5/17/2009 8:17:07 PM ET
Well like any new redesign of a frequently visited website most people won't like it at first but overall I am enjoying the new AF.mil. First the expansion of the width of the site brings the site more in line with other popular websites such as YouTube and MySpace taking advantage of the extra space on monitors that is often left unused.The larger photos and the way they are presented makes it a joy to browse the site and enjoy the documentation of the Air Force mission.Sharing is also greatly improved. It is beneficial to spread the Air Force message through such sites as Facebook Twitter etc.Video presentation is still lacking. On the old site we had a 90-something-pixel box to watch video that was always buggy and a nightmare to watch. It's only slightly better now. The quality needs much improvement.Overall the new AF.mil is a greatly improved resource of information on the mission of the U.S. Air Force.

Drew, Fort Walton Beach FL

5/17/2009 7:37:11 PM ET
I don't like it its hard to pin down anything specifically wrong with it but I do know I don't like it. If I had to rank the three major services by their websites alone I'd have to say that the Air Force would be third behind Army. Ah well its better than the Coast Guard's at least though that doesn't take much. Oh forgot the Marines. Yes they have a better website too. Sorry guys just my objective viewpoint.

Benjamin, Homestead Florida

5/17/2009 6:32:30 PM ET
The new uncluttered plain design is much easier on the eyes but I am unable to increase the font using IE browser settings. The font in this story is about 1.5 points too small but if I click on the Print story link the font is bigger. Also I love the full screen video mode and the ability to copy the transcript. Good Job

D Davenport, Oklahoma City OK

5/17/2009 5:20:17 PM ET
This is really cool

Rebecca M, Montana

5/17/2009 5:00:40 PM ET
I don't know how anybody could call this site disappointing. It looks amazing It's very professional and a big improvement over the old version.

Sara Ruley, Texas

5/17/2009 4:38:42 PM ET
i thoroughly enjoyed the new layout of this site. Its very easy to navigate and is similar to other news sites that i enjoy as well.

melissa n, san antonio

5/17/2009 3:47:42 PM ET
Looks much better than the old layout but could still use some polishing. Why gray for the background

Keith D, Jersey

5/17/2009 1:51:59 PM ET
Need to make print bigger.

Morris Herman, Home

5/17/2009 11:57:31 AM ET
Great design and a lot more PDA-friendly than the previous layout.Thank you.

John Hasson, Northborough MA

5/17/2009 10:45:11 AM ET
I wasn't expecting this at all while looking around the site yesterday. I like how everything is centered as oppose to the left with that region of blue on the right but I think it looks too plain now.I'm glad to see a change and there is certainly improvement in a lot of areas but this looks like a site with 90s era quality but exactly what I expected from the tech savvy U.S. Air Force.

C Rollins, Long Island NY

5/17/2009 9:31:13 AM ET
Great layout. Good job.

Carlos Quinones, Muniz ANG Puerto Rico

5/17/2009 7:06:33 AM ET
This new design is kind of dissappointing - this is about as plain as it gets.

SSgt Matt Hecht, NJ

5/17/2009 6:20:17 AM ET
Congratulations The new design looks great.

Bob, Texas

5/17/2009 5:12:48 AM ET
Sorry--do not like the new website. It is plain and does not attract the readers attention. I think we need to relook at what our audiences are drawn to.

Gena David, Hickam AFB Hawaii

5/17/2009 12:31:36 AM ET
I like the new layout This is easier to read and the pictures are bigger. Great job and thanks

Llewellyn Roux, Goleta CA

5/17/2009 12:17:16 AM ET
THIS LOOKS GREAT

R Myers, Lubbock TX

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