[Ger-Poland-Volhynia] Suggestions for website

[Jerry Frank]

As some of you may have heard, we are planning an upgrade for the SGGEE website in 2009.  This will primarily be a cosmetic upgrade so don't worry about not being able to find your favourite things.  Menu reorganization will be kept to a minimum.

However, if we are going to make changes, we might as well also consider possible improvements to the site.  Sometimes those like me who run a site get too focused on existing situations so we forget about possible improvements.  So, this is a call for everyone to be heard.

Please send me your ideas for improvement but try to limit it to no more than the TWO most important ones.  Please send your suggestions to webmaster at sggee.org - DO NOT send them to this mailing list as we do not need to discuss them.  By sending to that address, you can know that the website committee is looking at your ideas, not just me as webmaster.

All ideas will receive serious consideration but we cannot guarantee that an idea will be implemented.  Obviously if several similar suggestions come in, they will get more consideration.  An idea may not be practical from a design point of view or it may result in conflict with some other important process.  But we will seriously look at all ideas.  Your ideas can range from a pointer to another site design or feature that you like to menu ideas to colour suggestions, etc. etc.

In thinking about this, please keep in mind the following:
1.  The site layout and design has to be relatively simple.  We will not incorporate any flash pages, or similar artistic devices.  Certainly ideas about static artwork and graphics to make the site more attractive will be considered within the limits of our design capabilities.
2.  We are ultimately a provider of information on our site (with over 1000 pages of information) so that should be taken into consideration relative to the complexity of your ideas.
3.  Except for the Mailing List and Bulletin Board, our site does not focus on social interaction.  You may want to offer thoughts on the Bulletin Board.  As it stands right now, it may not be included in the new design.
4.  Please note that our next version will have a "full screen" design (in contrast to the current centered fixed width design) so you do not have to include that as a suggestion.  
5.  For those of you that understand web design principals, frames will NOT be considered for our design.
6.  Ideas about added content are always welcome but they are not the focus of this request.  Content can be added at any time.  We are primarily looking for ideas affecting the upcoming redesign.

So let your creative juices and suggestions flow.  If the volume of ideas becomes too high, I may not be able to respond personally to every idea but I will try to at least let you know if something specific stands in the way of implementing it.

Jerry Frank, SGGEE Webmaster
webmaster at sggee.org