I am starting to work on the design for Chaya Mushka Seminary website. So let's create a story!
I would like to mention that they're going to be at least two (maybe more) articles related to this project. To read the next one please check link at the end of the article or click here.
On December 31st 2013 I had a meeting with Rabbi Abraham Cohen and Rabbi Michael Dahan – director and dean of the Chaya Mushka Seminary.
We talked about the goal of the project and also what and how should be displayed for the public. Remember, we are talking about site design for religious organization – Chassidic seminary for girls.
Chaya Mushka Seminary aspires to foster a Chassidic environment conducive to academic growth and character development for students of Montreal and abroad.
Chaya Mushka Seminary provides affordable, quality, College level and Jewish education.
Intro
This is a screenshot of the current site design. This one was created six years ago.
Do I like it!? – Yes! The idea for navigation menu – scroll – is great, love it! The colors choice is good too – modest. The Header that converts to the menu scroll is done perfectly. So, what is wrong with the current site design – you will ask. Well… I would say almost nothing, if not mentioning that there is always possibility for improvement. There is just about a time to create something different, that – hopefully – would better match the existence of The Seminary and will look more attractive for the potential 2014 – 2016 clients.
Speaking technically the current design has couple problems, for example when you click parent tab the sub tabs covering each other. The site also has features that useless for the school, such as – Flash gallery and missing features that is important, such as – application forms and ability to manage content. But what is more important is that the current site is not User friendly.
Uff… Ok. I guess that last sentence should go on top of others. Finally I found a good reason and we can stop talking about current site design. Great!!!
Slideshow
Navigation menu
In this point I feel like showing the result to the customer. I am very excited – I love the design.
To be continued: The Seminary website design. Part Two
Web Talk To runs on 
Special thanks to Chris Coyier for his irreplaceable
To establish an answer if this website is user-friendly I would ask myself the following questions:
What is the objective of the website? Is it a source of information for parents and girls that would like to attend the seminar? Is it the source of information for the girls already attending and seminar? Is an important focus of the website to ask for donations for the seminar?
After establishing what is the objective of the website from the point of view the client I will ask myself what is the objective of the users in each one of those scenarios and try to match the needs of those users. For example girls that want to attend the seminar might have different questions and different needs from what their parents would like to see in the website.
Now the information architecture can be created representing the needs of the different users that are the objective of this website. The navigation menus that will be created from this information architecture will probably differ from the current pattern of navigation. Only after information architecture will be created the graphic design on this website should be considered. Changing the navigation through graphic design might lead to a problem if information architecture and users needs are not taking into consideration.
The content of the website might also require some changes to fit the needs of different users and the different scenarios.
Thank you Ifat! It is always a big pleasure to hear your critical remarks.