June 16, 2009 – Saving time ranks right up there with saving money in today’s fast-paced, multi-tasking world. The Internet may help put all the news that’s fit to print right at your fingertips with the click of your mouse, but it can be frustrating when you can’t figure out exactly where to click that mouse. The State Bar’s redesigned WisBar Web site launched today, and it takes that challenge away.
“Four years might as well be 4,000 when it comes to technology, and that’s how long it has been since the State Bar launched its last Web site redesign,” says State Bar Executive Director George Brown. "Simply said – ‘it was time to get simpler,’ and that’s what we did.”
“The most significant changes appear on the home page,” says Brown. “The home page layout is cleaner, more visually interesting, and easier to read. The new design offers expanded news content, an improved news archive, simplified navigation, and faster access to newly released products and upcoming events, among other changes that improve accessibility.”
Here are the highlights:
More news on the home page – more often. With daily changes to the news content, the left-hand column features 10 news articles at-a-glance, covering topics relevant to the practice of law including:
Key court decisions and orders;
Relevant, timely, in-depth articles on issues affecting the practice of law;
Significant State Bar developments, announcements, and opportunities to engage in bar activities;
Legislative developments; and more.
Quick access to news archives. The new archives are now expanded for easier access to all news stories on the site sorted by category. Whether you are looking for a particular article that is no longer on the home page or an article from a State Bar publication, you now can view all news or sort news by the following categories – State Bar, Legislative, Practice, Court, and Around the State.
Of course, Google™ continues to power WisBar’s search function, performing a comprehensive search throughout the site.
Shortcuts are easy to spot. Frequently used shortcuts – Lawyer Search, forms, pro bono, WisLAP, ethics, and classified ads – are easily located on the top right-hand side of the home page – right next to those recognizable icons for quick access to CaseLaw Express™, WisBar InsideTrack, Wisconsin Lawyer™ magazine, and Rotunda Report.
Short cuts for myStateBar, Lawyer Search, Fastcase, and the Google-powered site search are located on the top of every page. Fastcase is a State Bar member benefit that offers free, unlimited access to a comprehensive 50-state and federal case-law data base that includes state, federal appellate, and bankruptcy courts as well as the U.S. Supreme Court, and much more.
Goodbye drop-down menus. Every page includes a “footer” with an easy-to-navigate site map rather than a drop-down menu. The site map is out of the way, but easy to find if you need it, and includes an overview of all site content areas, which can be seen in a single glance. This simplified navigation eliminates frustrating, hard-to-control drop-down menus that frequently interfere with viewing site content, according to member feedback.
Get a bird’s-eye view of CLE Books, Seminars, and other State Bar products. The lower right side of the page includes an easily scanned calendar of upcoming CLE seminars, and graphic images call your eye to recently released CLE books and other State Bar products.
Bookmarking and sharing. Every page, except the home page, now includes the capabilities to bookmark articles for later reference and share articles with colleagues on your favorite social networking sites, like Twitter and Facebook. Look for the share button on the left-hand side of the page.
Accessible to sight impaired. WisBar now is designed in compliance with Section 508 Accessibility Guidelines for the sight impaired, including improved access for color-blind individuals.
“We hope you like the new Web design,” says Brown. “Our goal is to be the premier source of knowledge for members, law-related professionals, and consumers accessing Wisconsin’s legal system. We believe that this new design brings us one step closer to that goal. Take a moment to peruse your new web site, and please, let us know what you think.”
