May 8, 2008

San Mateo debuts new design

City keeps its Web site simple with in-house work

By Will Oremus / Daily News Staff Writer

The city of San Mateo's new Web site hasn't made much of a splash so far.

But officials say that may be a good thing.

Designed with extensive public input, the new site features drop-down menus, a state-of-the-art search function, and a bright green-and-blue color scheme. Residents can do more city business online, such as reporting fire hazards and reserving picnic spots.

But perhaps more important than what the site does are two things it doesn't do: confuse users, and dent the city's budget. Though jazzier and more high-tech, the site has a basic layout similar to its predecessor. And it was designed in-house for just $27,700 - a far cry from the $225,000 Palo Alto spent on a redesign last year that drew an angry outcry from residents.

That's why San Mateo's full-time Web specialist, Jennifer Forsythe, isn't overly concerned that she hasn't been flooded with feedback since the site launched Monday. Just 62 people have filled out a survey about their reaction to the redesign, and perhaps 20 more have responded to an e-mail about the changes.

"I go back and forth about it a little," said Forsythe, who did much of the design work herself. "One day I'll think, 'Oh no, nobody's looking at it. But then the next day I think, 'Thank God,' because a thousand e-mails would be too much."

It would also likely indicate dissatisfaction, Forsythe said.

"When you get feedback that's unsolicited, it tends to be more negative than positive ... But most of what we've gotten has been really positive," Forsythe said. "People are excited about the fresh look and feel of it."

The one aspect that has sparked differing opinions is the lively color scheme.

"Some people really love it, and others don't necessarily hate it, but they're not big fans," Forsythe said.

The site was launched without fanfare to give the city a chance to work out any major kinks before publicizing it widely next week. As it turns out, there haven't been any notable problems.

Of several people involved in city government who were contacted for this article, none had negative comments about the site, and many hadn't even noticed it was up yet.

Linda Asbury, president of the San Mateo Area Chamber of Commerce, said she was pleasantly surprised when she turned on her computer Monday.

"I think it's beautiful and easy to use," she said. "I'm not a techie, but even I could figure it out pretty easily. I think it's a huge improvement."



E-mail Will Oremus at woremus@dailynewsgroup.com.





ON THE WEB

Check out the city of San Mateo's new Web site at http://www.cityofsanmateo.org