Project
The Institute Office of Communications created MIT Now as a central resource for information on evolving Covid-19 policies and guidance as we began the 2020-21 academic year. MIT Now replaced the Covid-19 Info Center site, which provided updates through the first several months of the pandemic.
Methodology
Due to a tight timeline, we partnered with content experts from across MIT to develop the copy while the design was in process. We initially proposed a topic-based navigation, but from speaking with content owners, we learned that our audiences – particularly students – wanted easy access to content that was personally relevant to them. Based on this feedback, we created an audience-based navigation and placed main topics in the utility nav. As restrictions eased and the campus began to return to normal, we streamlined the nav to include just latest updates and policies.
Results
We worked with Opus Design to produce a modular site that accommodates different types of content. The feature boxes on the homepage give a snapshot of key updates. The audience pages, which were included during the height of the pandemic, had sections at the top for recent updates and quick links, enabling people to find important information at a glance. The site has served as a trusted source for the community, enabling them to quickly find timely updates and resources throughout the pandemic.