UCSF Website Launches Redesigned Experience

UC San Francisco’s digital front door has a new look and feel.

The University’s primary website, UCSF.edu, unveiled its redesign Friday, the first complete overhaul since 2015. The site is the online gateway for internal and external visitors to learn about all aspects of the University, drawing more than 2 million visitors each year.

In redesigning the website, the University is continuing to evolve with online user needs, creating a new digital experience that’s increasingly mobile-friendly, searchable and visually engaging. A large part of the redesign focused on the UCSF News Center – one of the key areas of the website where readers can read  stories about UCSF’s latest innovations and initiatives. Drawing from the best of digital media, the reimagined News Center gives visitors more ways to browse and read stories about UCSF’s research, education and patient care.

“UCSF.edu is our first impression to millions of visitors, whether they’re students interested in applying to one of our schools, community members who want to see how we impact their lives, or peers looking for collaboration opportunities. We’re deeply invested in this platform to help make UCSF accessible to everyone,” said Barbara J. French, vice chancellor for Strategic Communications and University Relations, which spearheaded the redesign project in partnership with UCSF Information Technology.

“The new UCSF.edu will better enable us to reach and engage our local and global audiences with a powerful story about UCSF’s mission and values,” French said.

Since initially launching in fall of 1995, the UCSF website has undergone multiple makeovers to stay current with institutional and user needs. The latest update included user surveys, in-depth interviews and testing to shape the visual and informational design of the site.

Some new features include:

• A new look and feel that showcases stunning imagery of our people and work;
• Improved search functionality that puts search front-and-center to the user experience;
• Improved readability across the site for both desktop and mobile users;
• The ability to browse news articles in new ways, such as by topic, to help visitors find what they’re most interested in.

Following the launch, users will be invited to provide feedback as the team continues to optimize and enhance the experience.