Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

http://usfirst.org has a new splash page featuring will.i.am and an introductory video for the public eye.

Frankly I can't say I'm a fan. While the video might be appealing, a giant phrase across the top saying "You guys are cool" is not very catchy. First of all, we've always been cool - why is it a surprise now? (:D)

It seems the only way to get to the regular website is to click the FIRST logo which is really unintuitive.

I love that will.i.am has come and promoted FIRST, but they're really over doing it here.

Your two cents?

EDIT: I could actually see this splash page increasing the bounce rate, not decreasing it :(
EDIT 2: Just saw the video with sound, they really need to take that down. Wow.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

This page isn't for people who are already in the program, it seems to be created for the uniformed masses that FIRST is trying to draw in. I imagine that using Will.i.am and his quote should catch some people's attention, but the page is a bit too busy for me... It would be nice to have a large "Already Involved" button some where on the page so that we could bypass it without much thought.

Personally, I'm a bit tired of seeing FIRST use Will.i.am's appearance as an advertising tool to tell us that what many of us have been doing for years is a cool thing. FIRST was and will always be cool.

Oh, and FIRST could probably use a new introductory video since the previous one was made in 2004. Then again, any shot from that game is usually awesome so maybe it should stay.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

hmmm....my toolbar bookmarks for the 452 page and the 430 page are about all I usually see. Although I need to find the QA page again sometime soon.

Your descrption of the splash page is good enough for me, I don't need to go look at it :p

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

I have to agree with you, not sure I like the new landing page. The older one seemed more substantive and professional, the new one seems disjointed, especially the way the top banner image blends into the black background, it really unbalances the page.

The FIRST_PROMO.MOV that you go to when you click on "What is FIRST/Watch" is way better at describing FIRST then the "FIRST is Cool" video, but the FIRST_PROMO.MOV shouldn't be launching on the YouTube page, it should at least run embedded. The "FIRST is Cool" video image change much too fast to be able to absorb what I am seeing. It may be more appealing to a younger generation because of will.i.am being on it, but that is not the only audience that goes to the FIRST website.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

You mean http://www.usfirst.org/frc/competitionmanual and http://www.usfirst.org/frc/regionalevents? :)

I wonder if there is a list of such "memorable" URLs anywhere. Even though the first alias has been in the manual from the beginning, I only really noticed it when Team Update #7 came out. The second one was a total shot in the dark this morning that surprised me greatly when it worked.

The other one I know of is http://www.usfirst.org/frc/kitofparts.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

Why am I not surprised that Alan figured that out? :rolleyes:

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

I definitely liked the old page better. The new page is too busy, and it looks cramped. Plus, the whole "you guys are cool" quote in giant letters is really cheesy. It looks from the page that the biggest praise FIRST has ever received in 20 years is a musician calling it cool, which is totally untrue.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

So I decided to check out the new page.

Wham! I'm immediately scolded for trying to access YouTube and Facebook, two sites which are blocked by the firewall at my workplace.

Thanks a lot, FIRST. The usfirst.org domain is probably now on the "watch list" of sites to check to see if they should be blocked as well.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

This really isn't FIRST's fault. It's your work's for not trusting their employees to manage their time effectively.

Overall, the page looks like it was thrown together by an amateur and doesn't represent FIRST very well. For example, I don't immediately see anything regarding technology or science, so it's kind of confusing. It might generate a lot of clicks for new visitors, but once they land on the main site they'll be as confused as ever.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

Sounds like a handy new feature for FRCLINKS... "calling Pat Fairbanks, come in Pat"

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

I think that the new splash page is a little confusing. I do see that "read" takes me back to the old About Us page, but that's not clear. As GGCO said, it doesn't say much about science and technology either. I would rather point a sponsor to the About Us page than the splash.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

It breaches a lot of FIRST's own guidelines in their website award doc :rolleyes:

More contradicting than the GDC :(

Come on FIRST, get your head in the game.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

If this was the goal, then maybe make some improvements to this page and then put together another URL for us old timers, something like: http://direct.usfirst.org that takes you right to the old landing page...

or even better frc.usfirst.org ftc.usfirst.org fll.usfirst.org that takes you right to the landing page for that program.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

Hi, we are a rookie team this year, and came to the website in order to figure out some answers to our questions. I went to www.usfirst.org but can't find a link to where the rules are?

#1 FAQ, guaranteed. Great aesthetics, terrible utility.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

We have been told for years that we should celebrate scientist and engineers instead of athletes and entertainers then we get an entertainer interested and FIRST goes completely nuts over him.

Doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

That front page is a huge step backwards from what was there before. Messy, far less professional looking, hard to understand, and actually a bit tacky too. Yikes.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

I don't mind them using will.i.am I just wished they would use him right. If they asked just a few people, they would have realized that this dubbing of his words and this song is not cool. The beat is awful and outdated, and the mixing of his words is broken and not smooth. All the cred FIRST gets from will is destroyed if you represent him poorly. Will.i.ams music is cool and composed.

FIRST is trying to, and should be trying to, rebrand themselves to the general public. I think the thought behind it is right on, and this video could have been really cool, but they should have listened to some of will.i.am's music before publishing this. Will's music is dancable, this is not. I want something I can jam to, that'll get me more excited than strange 90's beats.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

I thought the FIRST site was cluttered enough as it was.

Biggest problem is it screams "Will.i.am" instead of "FIRST".
Second problem is the difficulty in finding the actual website.
Third issue is subpar graphics and embedded youtube video*.

Whole thing seems a little fishy...

Bad aesthetics too, actually.

* The title of video is THE WORST! "will.i.am says FIRST is Cool!"

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

Cool beans, my school blocks it because of the video.

*thumbsdown*

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

I really, really dislike the new layout. The page is very cluttered, too much happening, and just getting to the real website must be a pain for people who have never gone before. If they wanted to add something about Will.I.Am, add it to the current home page.

Will.I.Am is not FIRST.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

Amen!

FIRST is cool because it has the power to change the world and make it a better place, not because an entertainer says so. That being said I'm glad an entertainer like will.I.am can see that big picture. Perhaps our opinion of what matters to those in the entertainment world has been too narrow.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

Most schools also block such sites, you know. I don't see anything good coming from this change.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

Those already exist:

usfirst.org/fll
usfirst.org/ftc
usfirst.org/frc

Additionally, usfirst.org/default.aspx is the old landing page, but that's not as easy as it should be.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

I thought he said FIRST is dope.

Jane

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

Say no to drugs kids. Dope isn't cool. :yikes:

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

Well, on the one hand, I don't like the new splash page, because Team 811 is no longer highlighted :( (We were at kick-off, and were on photo #2, along with Dean and Will.i.am. You can still see it here, until this goes away again.)

Personal feelings aside, I found the apparent contradiction of the kick-off message unsettling: Woodie Flowers admonishes us that we need to beware "irrational passion", and then seeing everyone (adults as well as teens) fawning over a music star. And now to see that the irrational passion is carrying forward is also a little confusing. YES, I know we need to use the influence of Will.i.am to reach out to the millions of teens who don't know FIRST, but I wonder if this is this the right way to go about it.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

will.i.am should be evangelizing FIRST, not vise-versa.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

Ooo, I like that. Concise and to the point.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

It's unusable for me too.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

Will.i.am says "You guys are cool!"

We have always known that.

It is nice that the rest of the world is beginning to catch up with us.

It is admirable that a large, visible celebrity like Will.i.am sought out Dean and FIRST and asked "how can I get involved and help?" (and it is important to note that he came to FIRST, FIRST did not seek him out), and he can help put a very visible light on what we are doing. However, in the process FIRST has to be careful that the fundamental message of the organization - celebrating science and technology and the practitioners thereof - is not lost in the glare of the limelight. Unfortunately, this new web page starts off in that direction.

-dave


.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

Some of the questions/thoughts/concerns that I'm having:

How does this help the teams introduce others (schools, parents, sponsors) to FIRST?
a. the actual website isn't easy to locate so just sending the link makes me nervous.
b. is everything we, as mentors, have been promoting no longer cool because of the newest trend that's been dreamed up? Now, the trend is more status quo so does that mean that I want to promote status quo? Or, does it mean, oh - this is just the hook, pay it no mind, here's what we are really all about? Which leads to...
c. my elevator speech stinks so all this manipulation isn't going to help me be more succinct or genuine.
d. another day or two and I'll have used up the alphabet and then what?

Jane

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

I just got more chills knowing that Dave is still reading Chief Delphi than I did seeing Will.i.am at kick-off. :cool:

We have all kinds of kids involved in FIRST. Some are science and technology heroes and others provide the music that we like to work to. I'm glad we have super stars of all types to help remind us that what we are doing here is important.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

As a person with several family members and friends in the intelligence community, and who has a security clearance himself (for work in quantum cryptography funded by the DoD, thank you very much), all I really think when I see will.i.am is *black rage*.

This is a man who equated the CIA with the KKK, the Bloods, and the Crips.

That he is affiliated with FIRST at all is irritating. That his approval of what we do is being trumpeted as if it matters even a little is aggravating.

It's great that will.i.am thinks FIRST is dope. It really is, because perhaps some kids will take a second look at FIRST and decide to become a part of it. One hopes that Paris Hilton would look at FIRST and say "That's Hot," to similar result.

But there is something terribly wrong with this organization, of all organizations, using an entertainer's approval as validation for its coolness.

If FIRST's "Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology" depends on borrowing "cool" from entertainers, then it's never going to be successful at changing the culture.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

They really should have written some use cases before they threw this out. Here's something they really need to consider.

Let's say a FRC student is talking with a teacher, Mr. Smith, about the FRC and after 5 minutes of conversion before class gives the teacher the URL to usfirst.org. During Mr. Smith's prep hour, he visits the site to find out more about FIRST. Right now the only thing Mr. Smith knows about FIRST is that it deals with science and technology and that high schoolers work with engineers to build robots.

Ok stop. Let's say he sees the current splash page.

He's probably thinking, "Wait, what? What does a rapper have to do with this? Did I get the wrong address? This is confusing."

I'm sure he'd figure it out, but the first impression of FIRST definitely wasn't a good one. The melodramatic tag line, "THIS IS THE MOST EXCITING THING! YOU GUYS ARE COOL!" is ridiculous. Now add the shoddy look and feel of the site, and FIRST's image just tanks.

Sorry, but this entire landing page is a huge leap backwards for FIRST. Maybe they should spend more time organizing and redesigning their current (main) site. That's a mess too.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

Wow, I didn't remember him ever saying these things. But I think you bring up some good points. What I've always wondered is why does FIRST always feel a need to pander to people who already aren't interested in becoming engineers? Are all of will.i.am's fans suddenly going to join your FIRST Robotics team? Do we want that? People who don't care about solving problems joining FIRST because their favorite artist endorses them?

I'm fine with will.i.am promoting FIRST, but having him be the face of the sport seems like it might backfire.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

It is encouraging, at least, to know that will.i.am came to FIRST.

Whoa. :/

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

"Overseas, yeah, we try to stop terrorism
But we still got terrorists here livin'
In the USA, the big CIA
The Bloods and The Crips and the KKK"

--Where is the Love (The Black Eyed Peas)

Source: Lyrics.com, or every freaking radio in the country.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

I see a reoccurring theme of individuals treating FIRST as though it is a Final Club for the STEM community, in which members look condescendingly down on non STEM individuals. The FIRST movement to attract non STEM members is an honorable one. If it wasn't for the business people most innovations would never be realized. The people who bring the innovations to light are just as important as those who develop them.

As to Will.I.Am, anyone who gives away full college scholarships to multiple FIRST members should be praised. This contribution was not laughable but incredible. Many would invest their money in other places, but he gave to FIRST. I think that we should appreciate what the man is doing for our community.

In the words of Max Bemis:
"When you walk by a group of quote-unquote normal people
You chuckle to yourself patting yourself on the back as you scoff
It's the same superiority complex
Shared by the high school jocks who made your life a living hell"

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

Dean said at Kick Off that members of the entertainment industry can shine a spotlight on FIRST. That's great if used wisely. Light can be reflected and that is the part that I'm concerned about.

There are several languages involved in communicating about FIRST:
1. the FIRST lingo/speak
2. the technical language that plays a key role
3. the language of the rules for the game and the awards

Those are 3 that I can think of quickly and those are enough to make a visitor's eye glaze over without trying to interpret the light that is being shone on the program by the entertainment industry or the politicians.

There has to be a filter of some sort and I don't want to be it. There's enough to filter without having to explain what dope means in this trend. If FIRST has decided to use this entertainer as a face of the program, then help us out with how that is going to impact and what we are supposed to do with it. It's easy to make a connection to Mythbusters and to President Obama's commentary about recognizing science and technology. This one is a little harder. If FIRST wants to highlight entertainers so they can spotlight FIRST - that's FIRST's job. Find a way for the teams to work around that or with it in a positive manner without creating a mess or a breakdown in communication.

Jane

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

And - The thing that makes me wryly grin the most while reading this discussion, is that I have absolutely no clue who Will-I-Am is or what his music/rapping sounds like.

To me he was just an oddly quiet and oddly dressed part of kick-off.

If Albert Einstein were part of an FRC kick-off, I suspect that he too would have been oddly quiet and oddly dressed, but I would have recognized him (and been able to admire his accomplishments).

Then again, I'm already one of the converted; no need to preach to me, except to do a little maintenance now and then.

Either I need to start looking forward to getting that Senior citizen's discount in another 13 years, or Will-I-Am isn't all that famous. I'll bet he hasn't even been featured in a Glee episode yet. ;)

Time to get back to work now.

Blake

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

The reason FIRST "panders" to people who aren't interested in engineering is because there is a massive shortage of engineers in North America. Even more concerning, is that there is an even larger shortage of people who want to be engineers. To solve this problem we need to excite as many people about engineering very quickly. Having someone with as much mainstream appeal as will.i.am is a great strategy to draw large amounts of attention to a program that has been relatively hidden to the masses.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

Perhaps FIRST has once again gotten frustrated with the pace of change. I wasn't around, but didn't FIRST go through a similar celebrity phase in the early 2000s? When I was a rookie (2004), it was "every FRC graduate should start a team at their college", then we moved into getting government officials involved around 2008 (?) and know we seem to be back at celebrities.

I don't like the splash page, but I didn't like the new logo or the new website when they arrived either. I'm no graphics guy, but to me it doesn't mesh well with the rest of the FIRST site. I think it looks rather "gimmicky" as compared to the rest of the very professional FIRST website.

Dave brings up a very good point. I think it's hard to find celebrities that are mainstream enough to get the kind of widespread "currently non-FIRST" attention that HQ wants while retaining that FIRST "celebrate technology" vibe. In my humble opinion, we don't want celebrities that say "what you kids do blows my mind!", we want people that say "what you guys do is awesome!" Any movie stars with engineering degrees out there? We've already had the Google guys, but why not use the Mythbusters, astronauts, or someone like Elon Musk?

At some point, you've got to pick a target audience. It's not possible to appeal to everyone, so can we start with the kids who like cool stuff (cars, planes, etc.) and convert them first?

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

I don't know if I'd agree with that statement. As I've looked over the statistics of how many engineers there are in North America, it looks like the number has remained relatively consistent. Also, the numbers of engineers in other countries like China and India are skewed and inaccurate. I've seen FIRST officials throw these around, so maybe that's where you're getting your information from.

Now we may need more tech-savvy workers in the (near) future, but you need to realize that engineers are an odd breed. Really we are. We work with other people to solve really challenging problems. That's pretty amazing when you think about it.

My concern is that we get a bunch of people interested in engineering, sell them on the idea that engineering is a glamorous and fantastic career, and then they end up hating it and instead of quitting become a terrible engineer. This kind of thinking gets us in trouble in other areas down the road.

For example, when people say, "We need more [INSERT MINORITY HERE] to be engineers!" I always ask, "Why? Don't we just need good engineers? I could care less what their skin color, gender, or sexual preference happens to be."

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

I had to play the video a few times to make sure I saw Woodie. I am still looking for Dave.

The video tells me nothing about FIRST. I don't understand the focus, or perhaps I can't bring myself to understand the focus of the video.

FIRST is not a party. It is the most important activity a high school age student can do. It can be a lot of fun, but it's a serious undertaking. I find the message in the video off-topic. Perhaps the message has changed and no one told us.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

This is what really needs to be kept in mind, perhaps we should send a letter to FIRST. (email about to be sent)

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

This is a really good idea. I'd love to put my name on an open letter to FIRST regarding this topic.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

Thanks for confirming my suggestion that Will.i.am found FIRST and not the other way around. A part of me feels that Will.i.am is 'using' FIRST to rebrand himself as a technological innovator type person more so than wanting to help FIRST out. I don't think it is a coincidence that Will.i.am very recently joined Intel as "Director of Creative Innovation". (I have a sneaky suspicion that this new position is a glorified spokesmen or advertisment for both parties).

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

While they may not join the team, they might go to see an event. How cool would that be if the stands were full of spectators watching what is going on, just like the football and basketball games. You might even be able to someday charge $1 for admission which could then offset regional event costs which would help sustain teams.

Technical people are often really good at solving technical problems. How do I make this do that. Frequentlly though in the world, there are non-technical problems that require solving before the technical solution can be implemented. How many researchers are really good at getting people to give them money to support them to do research? Once they have found a cure for XYZ, sometimes it is difficult to get people to take it. Just the other night I saw a really good interview about how one of Bill Gate's charities is trying to eradicate polio. The vaccine has been around for 50+ years, but not everyone will take it.

If your really listen to the speeches Dean gives, it is more than the robots, it is more than the kids, it is more than the events. The goal is to change the culture. Having an artist, musician, or athlete actively seek out and ask how they can help proves culture change is happening. Don't loose sight of that goal.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

Splash pages are a sure sign of bad Web design - Jakob Nielson ("the king of useability")

Looks like FIRST needs some mentoring.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

The goal has to be clear to the messenger. Very clear. Especially if the messenger is the draw to the program. Otherwise, confusion occurs.

Jane

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

Agreed. Though which messenger would you be referring to?

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

- That - would be my point.

Jane

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

Frankly, the new look looks very unprofessional. I think in trying to look cool/trendy, FIRST is undermining the P part in GP. I know that FIRST want's to spread its message around but what is the point if the message is wrong (or perceived wrong)? I don't think the point of FIRST is to be "cool" but to change the perception of science/technology to being "cool." To me, the splash page comes across as more of a promotion of will.i.am then of science and technology. For instance, I wold not put "For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology," FIRST's slogan below the fold of the page...

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

You know when your grandma/mom/dad/history teacher other awkward adult tries to act "hip"...?
Yeah, thats the embarrassment I get from this page. Its the same way I felt about the FIRST "rap".

I'm sure someone somewhere worked really hard on this and I congratulate them for the attempt. Unfortunately, its one of those things that should be taken down and recorded in the company journal as a bad idea.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

I would think Akamai was the company who was asked/paid to produce the page. As they are in the lower right corner.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

My thoughts exactly as I watched the kickoff. For years Dean has tols us that we need to look beyond our silly aspirations of becoming famous musicians and sports stars, and get serious about more important goals. Now this? I don't get it.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

Then I'm sure someone from there worked really hard on it.
That might also explain why the page isn't the best representation of FIRST.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

Akamai does not produce content, they only deliver it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akamai_Technologies

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

I am smelling what you are cooking.
Indeed, I am picking up what it is that you are putting down.

In the parlance of the modern vulgate, one could say that I am indeed jiggy with it. Verily and forsooth.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

Ten-four.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

The 1990s called, they want their splash page back.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

I'm not a big fan of the new splash page. I could see myself getting used to it...eventually. The page doesn't provide a lot of information unless you click on the FIRST logo in the lower left to advance to the "old" splash page. The page does indeed look unprofessional. Maybe they should get the website award winners to redesign it for them...

As for the whole Will.I.Am and Engineering argument. there are A LOT of kids who haven't even HEARD of FIRST. This is more than just your typical STEM program. It inspires students to chase their dreams. The lessons you learn from the program help you through life. Look at the non-engineering activities Chairmans Award winning teams do and then come back to me and tell me this is just a STEM program. Will.I.Am is just a way to get these kids knowing about FIRST, getting involved, and seeking the true benefits of the program. Whether that be the STEM end of the program, or the Inspiration, it's in the student's hands to decide.

It's great that Will.I.Am has decided to give FIRST some publicity. But i don't think FIRST is taking full advantage of this by putting out a poor quality webpage.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

(I just threw up a little in my mouth)

Wow ...

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

Indeed, when I give a [potential] sponsor the link to usfirst.org as an intention for them to find out more details - this is not a page I'd want them to see.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

You sure none of that got in their HTML?

I didn't realize FIRST was the new Myspace.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

Woah, woah, let's not get too carried away here. Remember that this is mostly not Akamai's fault - they were generous to have supplied services. Content was FIRST's choice.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

Who blamed Akamai?

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

I don't want to discount the assistance a celebrity can give FIRST for helping to raise awareness, but ... just so I have this straight .... will.i.am gets page 1 and the president of the United Stated talking to "our kids" about their work gets page 2 ... and will.i.am has two spots on page 2 as well ... hmmm..... seems like that's a shift in the wind ...

Since the folks I depend on for support in the multiple communities I serve the mission in might not be thoroughly thrilled here, I think I need to have some website links changed from usfirst.org to http://www.usfirst.org/default.aspx

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

I assume Akamai was responsible for HTML.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

Akamai acts as a CDN

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akamai_Technologies

I'm pretty sure they had absolutely nothing to do with the creation of the splash page. They just deliver the content to your browser faster than FIRST's servers could.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

Ah, well that's definitely a requirement.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

I do believe that they are way off message here, but being involved in it we forget how hard the message is to convey.

The video under the >Watch link is a great video, very much on message but way too long. Somehow they need to develop the "elevator version".

So lets write this for FIRST. Here are a few tag lines that work for me.

"The Super Bowl Of Smarts"
"Like the WWE, but for smart people"
"Hardest Fun Ever"

Add your own Lets see what we can come up with.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

For all those who don't like video, its on youTube. youtube unlike facebook has a dislike button ;)

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

My exact first response. You are unusually thoughtful and perceptive. This is why I don't like content-free splash pages -- the only user who appreciates it is one who had no particular reason for coming to a Website. (At least it's not a Flash site...)

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

Just a few thoughts:

1- From a functional point of view, I am not even sure what I am looking at when I open this splash page. I don't think I would send a potential sponsor to view this page.

2- Having unrelated celebrities like Will-i-am is OK in concept but FIRST needs to present a better case for the young people that may view this page. "Screaming" that FIRST is really cool will have a reverse effect and is a little embarrassing, as was previously mentioned. On the other hand, "Showing" that FIRST is cool is the way to do it. (See video link below)

3- Also its a bad idea to have your video end with an open page to Youtube. It is not properly embedded. This means that almost any type of video could pop up as the next video on that page. I really don't think that FIRST wants that potential disaster. They need to fix this ASAP.

4- And finally I think FIRST should be taking the high road in presenting how cool Science and Engineering can be. The video linked below does exactly that. I am not just saying this because we are in it. Listen to the words of Mykala Nelson, the Myth Busters, or the President himself in this video. This
video make science "cool" in the way that it should be presented. Just watch it and you will understand.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and...e-science-fair

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

Akamai sponsored some teams attending the Boston Regional a few years ago. I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to give the company leadership a tour.
They were very engaging folks and amazed at what was happening at the event, especially in the pits.

ps. I do kinda miss the photo of the president on the home page. It is a great photo.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

Ugh I just threw up a little. If this is the direction they want to go to promote FIRST, I'm sorry to say I will not be backing it.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

There is nothing wrong with: http://usfirst.org/default.aspx I mean it even has a link to the splash page on the bottom left. More impressive are the pictures of the teams with robot and also the president

I'd rather a video of the real action with the bustling of the pits and the cheering in the seating areas over this any day. How about featuring the video about the origin of the first logo instead?
Also nice black theme when going to white website.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

You know what that video is missing? The old FIRST theme songs! :p

1st Theme One
2nd Theme Two

I actually like the video clips they use... I think they do a good job of visually showing many different kinds of FIRST competitions. The audio is bad though, and the splash page is worse. I think it would be much nicer if they just had that box down in the lower corner, so people could view it if they wanted.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

Erm, in response to a private message I received, I would like to clarify something:

When I used the term "black rage" earlier, all I meant was "really, really mad" (to put it politely). The term as I used it had nothing whatsoever to do with race.

In thinking about where the term came from, I realize that I borrowed it from a game -- and in searching around for usage I've found that there is often a racial connotation with the phrase that I was completely unaware of (and is not present in the game).

I apologize if anyone was offended. I won't be using the term from now on.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

I've been watching this thread all day so ill throw in a little bit:
-I was completely lost when i wanted to get the mission statement so we could post a similar one on our site
-it took me 5 minutes to get over the idiocy in the design
-they aren't following their our website quidelines
-why a musician? musicians usually aren't great role models, lets get people like the mythbusters or the guys from "howe and howe tech" they would be able to relate much closer to our experiences in this program
-i messaged my lead mentor when i saw it and this is what he said:
"WillIAm says FIRST IS COOL!
HOLY COW
I WANT TO BE COOL, TOO
I'M GOING TO JOIN FIRST!
then people will like me"
Isn't this the image we are avoiding in FIRST?

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

I've seen the page.

I. Don't. Like. It.

The default page is much more manageable and better for finding things.

The "Read" link for more information goes to the "About Us" page... which makes sense, except for somebody who's looking for something specific like, oh, I don't know, the nearest competition to them so they can see what's being hyped. Or someone wanting to look at the rules. Or something of that nature.

Looks: Decent, I suppose. Content management, I haven't seen the videos, but the rest would probably get about a 3 out of 10.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

I don't like the new page. At all. But...

After looking at it from a point view of someone who doesn't know anything about FIRST, but just heard of it through will.i.am this might actually be a good splash page for them. Granted not the design, but the content. Its a "I heard it from will.i.am, and now he is greeting me on this site" kind of thing.

With that being said FIRST might be preparing for a massive volume of traffic from will.i.am....super ball anyone? That would also make since why Akamai is hosting it -- a company that specializes in large amounts of web load.

just trying to justify why FIRST would make such a radical change to their front web page

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

Agreed with the whole "I don't like it" "unprofessional" posts.

But what annoys me the most is the Will.I.Am quote that was picked is SO corny and it makes it seem like they're trying to tell people that kids in FIRST aren't losers or something.

"YOU GUYS ARE COOL!" Is this really needed? Sounds like something you'd say when you're reassuring a little kid about something.

Not exactly sure how to put in words why it bugs me so much though, but here goes...

It's like when the big nerd at school gets a hi five from a random jock, but then the nerd becomes obsessed with the jock and thinks they're best pals now. Turns out the nerd was perceived as an average kid by the jock anyway.

External perception will always reflect internal perception. If FIRST still views itself as an oasis for nerds...then I don't know what they're accomplishing with this page.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

False praise. Young people, including small children, hate false praise.

It could be helpful to put entertainers through a type of boot camp with some teams. Not just a show and tell demo but a boot camp. The appreciation would grow as well the understanding/comprehension. Doing the math is a little different than having someone else do the math for you.

Jane

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

FIRST doesnt seem to realize that, as a nerd, I care nothing about Will.I.Am, or what he says.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

I would also add to my previous post that this new page has large amounts of meta data in the site's source code related to the super ball. Meta data being keywords that search engines can relate a website to.

Meta Data

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

Took a bit of reading to realize what you were getting at.

Interesting, though. Couldn't they have added that to the old page? And isnt it a bit depressing that there are more keywords about will.i.am than about robotics?

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

I think just paying a few million to get a superbowl ad would be much more effective and have a wider exceptance with FIRST members and volunteers

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

I've noticed another thing that no one mentioned. The frame from the video that shows before you play has really nothing to due with anything.

If I was some member of the community, and someone told me to go to this website to check out the competition that their team participates in, and I went home and did, I'd think "What the heck is this? Did I type it in wrong?"

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

Except that this is totally not the point either...

Its the same mentality that was found in the thread about Snoop Dogg maybe coming to Atlanta..

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...6&postcount=40

Nevermind. I am bad at explaining things.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

I get your point, but I think a better way of exciting me would be for Gabe Newell to tell us that everyone on FIRST gets beta keys for Portal 2.

/nerd

FIRST is trying to choose between if it wants to be a niche sport, or become mainstream. I feel that they are attempting to mainstream it, which is nice for the exposure, but I think that they are doing it in completely the wrong way. Make people want to watch the game for the game, not because will.i.am thinks they should (and I have my doubts about how sincere he is)

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

It seems like FIRST is ramping up the website expecting a deluge of hits on Superbowl Sunday. Maybe the rumour about will.i.am promoting FIRST during his performance is true. I've heard of many companies with websites that weren't prepared for the huge spike in traffic because of Super Bowl ads. Considering how terrible FIRST's website has been with traffic spikes in the past, any sort of prep in this direction is a good thing.

FIRST isn't trying to appeal to you. You're already in the program. They're trying to draw new people in. The question is whether they can do this with will.i.am without alienating their existing customers. This thread is making me think no. However, the ChiefDelphi population is definitely not a random sample of the FIRST population.

I don't see it that way. Looks to me their trying to capture the traffic generated by the Super Bowl exposure, to get people to notice robotics. If will.i.am is really going to be drawing attention to FIRST at the Super Bowl, people will be jumping to Google right away to search for it. Now if you think it's sad on a philosophical level, that's another story.

Absolutely not. When given the choice of millions of dollars worth of free exposure versus paying millions of dollars for exposure, I think the choice is obvious.

As much as I think the new splash page is hideous and looks like a will.i.am commercial, I'm willing to cut FIRST some slack on this one. This could be a once in a lifetime chance in terms of gaining widespread exposure. It's probably worth putting some eggs in this basket. I totally understand the criticisms of this webpage, but the irrational fear of going mainstream puzzles me.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

Yes, this would definitely get most (if not all) people in FIRST excited and also cause half (or more) of everyone on steam to sign up for FIRST. But the problem with that is that quite a few of them would leave after the season because they were just interested in the key, but some may actually like it and stay just not a lot of them.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

Steam also doesnt have the most stable servers...they crash a ton could you imagine an overload after all FIRST members register a new game let alone a simple software update

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

Clearly FIRST is planning on Will.I.Am mentioning FIRST during his Superbowl performance. The splash page is designed for an uninformed, non-nerd individual who is checking out FIRST based on what they've heard from their favorite artist during a halftime show. Thus, Will.I.Am's high visibility serves to confirm that this particular sort of individual has indeed found the right website, since they'll be thinking Will.I.Am first, non-profit educational organization second.

This page ultimately helps FIRST, simply by helping to get its name into the mainstream. Even if this means that FIRST will be featured in thousands of tweets, statuses, and blog posts titled "OMG WILL.I.AM!!!!11", I can rest assured that a significant number of people now know more about FIRST than I knew about Will.I.Am before Kickoff.

I do not particularly take issue with the overall message of the page. Most of the people visiting will not need an inspiring mission statement with an educational message as the first thing they see upon reaching the site; "FIRST is Cool!" is enough for now. They'll find the real message of FIRST once they start clicking links.

There is no need for the new splash page to hinder the activities of those even marginally involved in FIRST. We all know how to get to the "real" main page. We can make our team pages link to this page, and use its URL in letters and emails to potential sponsors and interested parties. I personally do not plan on returning to the new splash page; there is nothing there for me, as it was not designed for me.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

FIRST has a lot of students, but not THAT many students. 2000 teams with 20 students each on average would be only 40,000 people.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

I just went to the usfirst website to review some information for a little FLL tournament we are holding this weekend. I thought someone had hacked the thing. YouTube videos? Some apparently famous guy who doesn't have a real name?

Of course, I was "working" and looking for professional content to assist me in a position of responsibility for a tournament. Obviously I am not the target audience.

I am also in the process of communicating with some very serious people about expanding FIRST in Arkansas. I just hope they all looked at the website link I sent them before this happened.

Hopefully, it is a misguided PR pre-Super Bowl move and will become a bad memory very soon.

Perhaps I should not be so critical, but I work VERY HARD (as does my entire team and organization) to portray FIRST as a professional, serious program.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

I think several of the posters in this thread have divined the real reason for the new splash page.

The hosting group Akamai is there to handle a large spike in traffic, all the keywords in the meta data designed for people who see will.i.am at the super bowl and head straight for Google, and the apparent target audience (i.e., not us).

FIRST must be gearing up for some special attention during the super bowl and all will probably return to normal soon after.

Re: Thoughts on new US FIRST splash page?
 

Bill's Blog just posted something similar.

http://frcdirector.blogspot.com/2011...ur-part-2.html

We may not all love it, but it seems like it'll be gone soon enough.