UUA.org Gets Fresh

A computer screen with the new UUA.org homepage

The New UUA.org Menu

This diagram shows the content of each of the six main sections of the new UUA.org menu.

View Online

UUA.org, the website of the Unitarian Universalist Association, has just received a major refresher. With over 1.8 million visitors per year, UUA.org is the virtual front door to 1000+ Unitarian Universalist congregations and communities, and offers a critical way for individual Unitarian Universalists to connect with their faith and with one another. If you're a regular user, you'll notice a brand-new front page and a streamlined, updated menu structure to make the site quicker to navigate. If you're a first-time visitor, you'll find it easier and more engaging than ever before to learn what Unitarian Universalism is about and how to get involved.

Here are a few highlights from this latest round of changes:

  • New homepage - UUA.org's most popular page has gone through a full makeover. Fewer stories and more action items, dynamic displays from UU World magazine and Braver/Wiser's weekly inspirational message, and dramatically improved usability with fewer clicks and brighter colors. Check back regularly to see what's new from the UUA and from inSpirit Books & Gifts!
  • Streamlined menu - The entire site has been reorganized to make it easier to find what you need. Some sections were combined to reduce duplication, some were created from scratch, and a lot of old pages were retired. If you knew the old menu structure and want to know how it shifted, view the UUA.org menu crosswalk.
  • Key focus areas - here are two new areas of the site you'll especially want to check out, created as one-stop places for some of UUA.org's most popular content:
    • Worship & Inspiration - Experience UU spiritual life online through WorshipWeb, books from Skinner House and Beacon Press, Braver/Wiser's weekly message, and more. This new section was elevated to the top menu to reflect the UUA's religious identity.
    • Finance & Fundraising - Perfect for treasurers, administrators and other congregational leaders, you can easily access information on stewardship, loans, employer and HR concerns, insurance and benefits, financial health, and more.

These changes have been months in development. Following through on the UUA's strong commitment to accessibility, ongoing user testing pointed out ways to improve the homepage (with a focus on mobile devices) and identified gaps in the menu. Plans for a new menu structure were evaluated by dozens of volunteers performing "tree test" sample tasks, and a collaborative stakeholder process helped refine the final proposal. While UUA.org is constantly receiving updates, with tens of thousands of pages and dozens of contributors, this is the biggest set of changes since the site went live with a new design and web platform in February 2015.

We hope you like this fresh take! More importantly, we hope the site continues to amplify the ministry and leadership of Unitarian Universalists across the Association. If you've got questions or comments (or if you find something we missed!) email us at web@uua.org.